What a wonderful evening we had celebrating film, farming, food, and our veterans at the Ground Operations Movie and Dinner Party, a spring fundraiser for ACFF! Due to the contributions of a great number of people, we enjoyed a wonderful film, a delicious dinner, a fun and fruitful live auction, and an altogether delightful and inspiring event. Big thanks to all who participated – let’s do it again next year!
THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT! THANK YOU AND SEE YOU ON THE 11th!
April 11, 2015 ~ Ground Operations MOVIE & DINNER PARTY.
Join us for a spring fling and fundraiser with filmmaker Dulanie Ellis and farmer-veteran Edgar Hercila from Los Angeles. Movie at 4:30 at The Opera House followed by dinner, drinks, and discussion at 5:30 at the Shepherdstown Community Club. Special guests on the discussion panel include West Virginia farmer -veterans James McCormick and Calvin Riggleman, farmer-author Forrest Pritchard and VA Hospital Chief Nutritionist Barbara Hartman. Live auction of fine items and live jazz from Ken Bussey and Matthew Lewis. This will be fun and space is limited!
For more information about the Ground Operations movie, click here.
$50/person for movie & dinner.
$200 for 2 at Director sponsorship level – reserved seating, listing in program. OR buy seats for two veterans to attend!
$600 for reserved table of 8 at Producer sponsorship level.
LIVE AUCTION ITEMS – thank you to these donors!
- “Lemon Branch” monotype from local artist Susan Carney
- Rafting trip for 6 from River Riders in Harpers Ferry
- CATF tickets & dinner for 6 at Karen Kinnett’s home
- Ground Operations t-shirt & DVD signed by filmmaker
- Overnight stay & breakfast for 2 at The Mimslyn Inn in Luray, VA
- framed photograph from Mark Muse
Sponsor a Student Filmmaker’s travel to 2015 festival – 1-year scholarship in donor’s name
The American Conservation Film Festival (ACFF) will celebrate spring with a movie and dinner party on April 11 featuring the film Ground Operations: Battlefields to Farmfields, its filmmaker, and special guests involved with farming and veterans’ issues.
Dulanie 
Ellis, the filmmaker of Ground Operations, and Edgar Hercila, a farmer-veteran, will be coming from Los Angeles to join the party and participate in a discussion following the movie and before dinner.
“The veterans I’ve met have as a result of producing and distributing Ground Operations give me hope in these very troubled times. I am thrilled to share this story about solutions with the American Conservation Film Festival as we all strive for positive responses to our environmental challenges,” says Ellis.
Festivities begin at 4:30pm at the Opera House with the screening of this award-winning 40-minute documentary that champions combat vets who are rebuilding their lives as organic farmers and ranchers and revitalizing their communities with access to local, affordable, fresh, healthy food. The film was screened at ACFF’s 2014 Festival and has been a valuable tool in making people aware of this effort and providing resources to veterans looking for meaningful employment.
“For me, the movement and this film are about continuing my service and about veterans growing food… the way that we consume food in this country must change, and I think that veterans possess a unique set of skills that are perfect to meet this challenge,” says Hercila.
Following the movie, the party will move to the Shepherdstown Community Club for a cocktail hour, discussion with the special guests including West Virginia farmer-veterans James McCormick and Calvin Riggleman, local farmer-author Forrest Pritchard and Barbara Hartman, Chief of Nutrition and Food Service at the VA Medical Center in Martinsburg, and a locally-sourced buffet dinner. The party will serve as a fundraiser for ACFF, who is going into its 13th year of bringing outstanding conservation films, filmmakers, and educational programs to Shepherdstown and beyond. A few very special items will be live auctioned to add to the fun and coffers.
Space is limited and tickets are $50 per person, $200 for two at the Sponsor level, and $600 for a reserved table of 8. To purchase tickets, visit http://conservationfilm.org/special-events/spring-2015-fundraiser-ground-operations/. Follow Ground Operations Movie & Dinner Party on Facebook for frequent updates on the festivities!
Find more information: American Conservation Film Festival for tutors and students
Questions? E-mail Jennifer Lee at or call 540-539-6150
