Black Bear Film Festival thanks you!

To the Editor:
The Board of Directors of Black Bear Film Festival wishes to thank the community for its support of Black Bear Film Festival (BBFF) 2016. This was a transition year for us with a new leadership team and we thank our filmgoers, sponsors, advertisers, filmmakers, and the members of our new Patrons Den for their participation.
We honored a time-tested community legacy of presenting films, film events and film shorts — and this year, your participation contributed so much more regarding community outreach, cultural enhancement, economic development, and education:
Student and parent engagement and education through our new Schools Partnership and Education Initiative.
A new college internship program at BBFF, which provided much-needed volunteer support for BBFF all year and provided the intern with hands-on educational opportunities.
Presentations by 37 filmmakers in addition to funding for screening 36 feature-length and short films at the main stage and the Film Salon.
Three all-new Filmmaking Workshops featuring film professionals as instructors (the next is "Script to Screen" at the Pike County Public Library on Nov. 19 at 1 p.m.).
An all-new Community Picnic in August.
New partnerships with the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC), Grey Towers, the US Forest Service, the Marie Zimmerman Farm and other non-profit community organizations.
The new Patrons Den Membership Club to encourage people of all ages to support the arts and contribute their ideas to Black Bear.
Funding for regional artists who created 11 Artful Bears and a “Meet the Artists” event in June.
Black Bear looks forward to expanding our services and community events in 2017 with your help, and we hope you will email us your reactions regarding this year’s BBFF and your ideas for 2017 at info@blackbearfilm.com.
Will Voelkel, Executive Director 2016
Amy Bridge, Board President
Black Bear Film Festival