We’re Having A Party!
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 local farmer-author Forrest Pritchard and Barbie 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!
Questions? Want to become a sponsor or contribute in some way? E-mail Jennifer Lee at or call 540-539-6150.
