A representative from Gov. Manchin’s office read proclamation, WV Legislative Pino spoke, Gordon Simmons, prez of the WV Labor History spoke, and then some of the Buffalo Girls came on stage.

The film finally started about 7:20 . We had a ten minute breakand we “Mother Jones” going. About 50 stayed, and I sold all 10 copies of the film for $10, send more than $30 in profits to the Mother Jones Museum in DeKalb, IL>

There were lots of friends there, but unfortunately few other WV filmmakers other than Terry Lively. A few members of the board - Lura Watkins and her husband, Bob Arogast, worked hard, selling tickets, making popcorn, and projectionist Chuck Taylor did his usual best.

It was a great program - perhaps the single most successful one since we beganthe WV Film Series in July 2004 with “The Captives” and “Mine Wars,” both also very popular.

We have had some other well- attended recent programs including B.J. Gudmundsson’s world premiere of “Rise Up! West Virginia” with over 150 attending plus lots of environmental groups.

I think SCM and WVLHA have once again done something that NO ONE in WV is doing. After living in WV for almost 30 years, I just don’t understand why there aren’t a hundred WV film series around the state – at libraries, colleges, high schools. Unfortunately, SCM will only be doing a few more times this year, namely the Kanawha premiere of Ken Hechler’s film, IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE for Ken’s 94th birthday on Sept. 20th.

Kelley Thompson was taking orders for the DVD. He plans on getting closed captions on the film – understanding many of the old times starting with William C. Blizzard is difficult. ( Maybe someone could sit down and write out some of the most difficult parts.)

You can plan to see the film at the Paden City Labor Day Film Festival, the WV Filmmakers Film Festival, and a few other places around the state. I hope the film gets entered in some of the labor film festivals around the country like “Reel Work.”