Is your nearest Can't Stop The Serenity screening event 100 or more miles away? Are you tired of missing out on the biggest screening event of the year because there isn't one close enough to you? Organize one yourself! Do you think you're underqualified to organize an event? If I can do it, you can too!

When I first heard about the Serenity Now/ Equality Now event (as it was named in 2006), the nearest event listed at that time was in Albany, NY. I had no way to travel there to attend and posted on the Albany thread that it sounded like a LOT of fun and wished I could go. TheOneTrueB!x posted a simple reply "Organize one yourself." What? Me? I don't know anything about arranging a movie screening much less turning it into an event. But the idea was planted and from there it snowballed into more than 400 people in attendance and raising over $2.000 for Equality Now, a cause near and dear to my heart.

Me...a 40 year old single mom of three, waitress, and interrupted college student. Before the event of 06, I hadn't even found the mostly quiet fan group in my area, had never (deep breath for the following list) composed a press release, booked a theater, asked businesses to donate goods, held a raffle, made a web page, or held a silent auction. Every aspect of organizing a screening was outside my comfort zone.

But it...was......SO COOL! Talk about a world of worry completely obliterated by every positive sign that what I was doing was for the right reason with every "yes" response to a request for donated goods, every supportive word from folks I'd never met, seeing the line that formed outside the theater an hour before seating, and the simple pleasure of hearing that audience respond to the clip of Joss Whedon's moving speech given at Equality Now!'s Honoring Men On The Front Lines event. I loved being just one of 43 participating cities worldwide.

We did it! Everyday Janes and Joes staged a positive global event, and you can be part of it! So what do you say? Wanna?

Roseivy
www.mnfirefly.com

Go Roseivy!!!!

(sorry, I couldn't resist)

*melts back into the background*

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~mia

That's very inspirational, Roseivy.

Thank you for posting this.

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www.austinbrowncoats.com - visit, laugh, love, frolic.

it's so true.... and you dont have to be someone who has a lot of life experience either. don't think you are too young or too old, or not a big enough fan.

i was 22 the year of the first screening in adelaide, and i found out too late to really do more than whip up a few tshirts and help on the night. the next year i asked how i could help and i got the response of "damien's going to Antarctica, and i simply can't do it.. so we're not having a screening" or something like that. so I made the choice to take on the mantle of organiser and i dont regret it at all. so at the age of 23, having watched firefly once and serenity 4 times (incl the csts 06 screening) i went about trying to find the many browncoats in adelaide. i touched the evil of myspace to find people. and i realised i am not a super duper fan, i don't go to conventions (not that they really hold any here in adelaide anyways). but i'm keen on charity work and i do love Serenifly, so it seemed like a great idea. i've made new friends, met so many new people, and i, like Roseivy have done things i never thought i'd ever need to do. but i don't regret a second of it. we tripled our donation last year and plan for a big increase again this year, and nothing feels better than knowing that you have played a major role in getting that money to people who need it.

And dont be afraid to ask for help. there are so many wonderful organisers here, full of ideas, and eager to help out in any way they can.

The best part - we've started a Buddy System this year. Afraid to take on this task by yourself? Don't worry! We can partner you with an experienced CSTS Organizer, so you can have guidance from someone that was once in your shoes.

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www.austinbrowncoats.com - visit, laugh, love, frolic.

Great thread, RoseIvy! It's always good to hear other people's inspirational stories - Miranda, too.

Although I had often organised events at work (staff parties, AGMs, etc.), I had never undertaken anything like a screening event, but I had a lot of support and the help of JenskiJen the first year. If you'd told me three years ago that I would feel comfortable standing in front of a couple of hundred people, MCing and ad libbing, I would have said you were crazy. Not only that but last year I did two radio interviews and I was invited to come back this year and do them again.

We doubled our money last year and sold out a week in advance - in large part because of the news that Jewel would be there.

This year I plan for it to be bigger and better and even more fun. Come and join us in organising an event that will prove to be one of the most satisfying experiences of your life! We'll help.

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CSTS Vancouver 2015 will be held Saturday, June 20th from Noon to 6:00 pm at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. Donations will go to Equality Now (75%) and Avalon Women's Centre (25%).