Lilac Blind Foundation by Doug Pond

Documentary Video student Doug Pond spent time with Lilac Blind Foundation of Spokane and produced this short film. Lilac provides counseling services, guide dogs, independent living education, computer support, and a whole host of other services for our region's blind or visually impaired population.

Of particular interest is the fact that blindness is on the rise in our country in spite of the miracles of Lasik and cataract surgery procedures. This increase is due largely to the rise in Diabetes and combat injuries.

For more information go to: http://www.lilacblindfoundation.org/

Arc of Spokane

Documentary DV Production student Katie LaFountain created this piece about Arc of Spokane. The Arc helps train people with developmental disabilities to be valued employees at companies like Avista Utilities, Safeway, and Johanna Bottling.

The Community Building by Devin Wilkerson and Jesse Swanson

Devin and Jesse have started what is likely to become a larger exploration of the inhabitants of downtown Spokane's Community Building. This film shares the philosophy embedded in this renovated downtown building and introduces us to two of its tenants, KYRS Thin Air Radio and the Saranac Arts Project.

My Grandpa Ed by Devin Wilkerson

Devin Wilkerson loves her Grandpa Ed and often seeks him out for advice. She submitted this film as a self directed project for Photo 237 Intro to Documentary DV Production.

Finding Yourself - By Jesse Wanskasmith

Jesse Wanskasmith submitted this self directed piece for a final project in the Photo 237 Introduction to Documentary Digital Video class. In it he explores the purpose and meaning of life and relationships in a thoughtful and eloquent way.

Car Cares for Elders by Fran Hailey

Fran Hailey spent time with Spokane Mental Health's Car Cares for Elders program and produced this short film. Car Cares connects volunteer drivers with people who are unable to get to medical appointments without such assistance.

For more information check out their website at: http://www.smhca.org/care_cars.aspx

Spokane Valley Fire - by Katie LaFountain

Katie LaFountain is a 2nd year photography student who is pursuing two passions, photography and firefighting. When she isn't working on class assignments, she works as a volunteer firefighter at Station 10 near Airway Heights. Katie created this promotional video for Spokane Valley Fire Department as part of the documentary video class.

Food Not Bombs by Sarah Lufkin

Documentary Video student Sarah Lufkin takes a look at the Spokane chapter of Food Not Bombs that serves vegetarian meals for free every Monday and Saturday nights in downtown Spokane at First and Madison. Food Not Bombs was founded in 1980 by anti nuclear activist in Cambridge Massachusetts.

The local organizations website can be found at: http://www.unshadowed.com/spokanediy/foodnotbombs.html

Spokane Humane Society by Jesse Wanskasmith

Photo 237 student, Jesse Wanskasmtih produced this short piece that highlights the services and needs of the Spokane Humane Society. Founded in 1897, SHS started out caring for draft horses that ferried loads up to the South Hill from downtown. Today, the humane society takes in over 5000 cats and dogs annually.

Visit the SHS website to learn more.

Mid City Concerns by Sarah Lufkin

Documentary Video student Sarah Lufkin put together this short film on Mid City Concerns of Spokane. Located in downtown Spokane, Mid City Concerns operates a senior center and a Meals on Wheels program that meets the needs of hundreds of elderly people in our community.

Deer Park Hospital: A Ministry Abandoned - A Film by Fran Hailey

Photo 237 student Fran Hailey put together this film with a group of community activist who are trying to convince the board of directors at Providence Health & Services to keep the Deer Park Hospital open.

The film title "Deer Park Hospital: A Ministry Abandoned" refers to the ownership of Deer Park by the Sisters of Providence, which started out as as a religious order that founded hospitals and health clinics throughout the country, including the establishment of Spokane's Sacred Heart Hospital in 1886.

Deer Park is a rural community that is caught in the middle of becoming an involuntary suburb of a growing city of Spokane. Providence Health feels that the Deer Park community is better served by Holy Family Hospital in north Spokane. Unfortunately for its citizens, should the hospital in Deer Park close, they will be left without any local 24/7 emergency care facility which many feel will lead to higher mortality rates for emergency conditions such as heart attack and stroke.

Filmed during February 2008, the snowy conditions highlight the difficulty many elderly people in rural communities face as they try to gain access to health care for emergency events or other elder care conditions such as cataract eye surgery.

While this film is an advocacy piece about a specific hospital closure, it is really just one example of a difficult issue faced by all rural communities.