Actress Jillian Murray returns home to mentor the kids from the RIZE Program

Jillian Murray, a former resident of Reading and Berks County, is on the rise to stardom in Hollywood. Murray left Berks County when she was 15 to pursue her dreams of acting. By the age of 19, she had her first film debut and continued starring in a variety of independent movies. She appeared in two episodes of Jake and Josh and three episodes of Sonny with a Chance. Murray was also a character in the video game, Mass Effect. Her efforts and perseverance paid off last year as she landed lead roles in The Graves and An American Carol. Murray is currently starring in four movies premiering in 2010.With all this going on in her life, Murray still found the time to return to her hometown to mentor local youth in the RIZE program. The RIZE Program is a pre-professional program for youth of all ages to actively participate in the filmmaking process, while at the same time offering education and resources for conflict resolution. Students are taught all the fundamentals involved in film making through weekly classes located at Goggle Works Art Center. The program is directed by Edna Garcia, Robert Davis, and Raisa Caldwell. Students learn to apply the tools learned during the classes to film making crafts such as acting, editing, cinematography, sound recording, screen writing and producing. Students are exposed to all the real elements required in the film making process, using real equipment and professional guidance. The RIZE Program is an example of a positive approach to non-violence. According to Edna Garcia, director, the RIZE “Program provides dramatic examples of how the arts can provide young people with alternatives to violence, turning anger and confusion into creative expression, leading to job and life skills.” “Our goal is to continually intertwine the program with the filmmaking industry by getting working professionals to volunteer through special seminars, visiting lecturers and internships,” Garcia said. “This reinforces that idea that both filmmaking and conflict reduction are effective communication of emotions.” Murray returned to Reading to share Thanksgiving with her family, but wanted to give back something to her hometown community. This past Wednesday, Murray met with the students of RIZE to discuss pursuing film industry careers. She was accompanied by her boyfriend, two aunts, and her grandmother. In a casual gathering, Murray and the students of RIZE engaged in some improvisational acting satires. Murray shared some acting techniques and performance secrets with the students. She also answered an array of questions posed by the students concerning her life in the industry, the hardships involved, and process entailed in succeeding. The students and Murray had a delightful experience. The afternoon ended with photographs and autographs from this up and coming star. Murray stated that this was a wonderful opportunity and that she enjoyed contributing to our youth. Edna Garcia said she was very grateful for Murray’s visit, she went on to say, “I am very thankful for seeing my dreams come true.” Jillian Murray will be starring in The Graves, which opens in theaters January 29. Murray leads this thriller as Abby Graves. The film is about two sisters that get stuck in an old mining town when supernatural things start to happen to them. Abby is forced to save her older sister before it’s too late. Murray also leads in the film, Wild Things which is a remake of the original film with a bit of a twist. Wild Things will be released on DVD this coming Spring. RIZE students say they are anxious to see Jillian in her new movies, and hope she will visit again. RIZE can be contacted at 484-529-4346 or edna.rize@gmail.com

Poem About Light

The “In the News” section of this web-site is dedicated to bring only positive news to its readers. Yesterday I attended an event at Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences. The event was presented by Berks Women in Crisis. It was called, “An Empty Place at the Table” which in essence is a memorial for all those lost to domestic violence in Berks County. It is a public awareness tool that puts a face and personality on the 'mere names' one reads about in the newspaper.It is open to the public and attended by the friends and family members of those victims and provides continuing support. I think most people know that Berks Women in Crisis is there to help during an emergency, but I think little attention is given to the unending support this agency provides long after the initial trauma. It takes very special and dedicated people to do this.

So how do you turn someone’s child being murdered into something positive? It seems hard to believe that someone could pull themselves up after experiencing such a loss. Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno lost her daughter in 2003 to an act of domestic violence. She has experienced all the stages of grief and has eloquently expressed her pain, sorrow, and growth in a book called, “Slamming Open the Door.” The book is a collection of poems recollecting each of the processes she has gone through. I recommend that you read the entire book which can be purchased on Amazon.com to fully appreciate the following poem. This poem is the answer too my question.

Poem About Light

You can try to strangle light:
use your hands and think you’ve found the throat of it,
but you haven’t.
You could use a rope or a garrote
or a telephone cord,
but the light, amorphous, implacable
will fool you in the end.

You could make it your mission to
shut it out forever,
to crouch into the dark,
the blinds pulled tight-

Still, in the morning
a gleaming little ray will betray you, poking
its optimistic finger
through a corner of the blind,
and then more light,
clever, nervy, impossible,
spilling out from the crevices
warming the shade.

This is a stubborn sun,
choosing to rise,
like it did yesterday,
like it will tomorrow.
You have nothing to do with it.
The sun will make its own history;
light has its way.

Copyright 2009

Santa Comes to Queen City

On December 8, Steve Elmarzouky and the Queen City Family Restaurant will open its doors and hearts to serve a traditional meal to 850 homeless and at-risk men, women, and children from our community. Tickets will be issued through community service agencies, and specific seating times will be assigned. Berks County Intermediate Unit will provide transportation for families to the event, and Santa will be present to distribute donated items from several local businesses.

We are asking for volunteers to commit to one or two hour shifts to help on the day of this event. Shifts start at 10:00a.m. and run until 9:00p.m. If you and/or your agency is interested in volunteering, please contact:

Bonnie Sussman: bversace@comcast.net or Beth Rothermel: betrot@berksiu.org

Committed volunteers: Berks Coalition to End Homelessness, Opportunity House, BCIU, Greater Berks Food Bank, Junior League of Reading, Alvernia Univeristy, United Way, Reading Police, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Olivet Boys and Girls Clubs, Marines, WalMart,, ALTRUSA, Mayor McMahon, Commissioner Leinbach, Mary Buerer, Judge Campbell.

Courtesy of the League of Women Voters

RIZE Goes to the Theater

The RIZE Program is a media arts program designed to educate the youth on different ways to deal with violence in today's society, through the media arts. The RIZE Program had a fundraiser on August 10, 2009 at Mi Casa Su Casa located at 320 Penn Street where the youth raised a total of $1,078.00. With the money they raised, they were able to purchase tickets to see the Cirque de Soleil: Alegria at the Sovereign Center, October 25, 2009. A total of 36 participants attended the show. The RIZE Program is only sustained by donations and grants. If you would like to donate funds or find out more information about the program, please call (610) 478-4055.

Local Poet Steps into the Light

"A journey of a thousand miles beings with one step." Teresa Arana definitely proved this to be right at her book showing at Alvernia University on September 29, 2009. Teresa has been writing poetry, mainly love poems, since she was nine years old. She continued writing poetry despite all the challenges she faced. At the presentation, she expressed how important it is to have dreams and to accept adversity as a learning experience. She expressed how instrumental writing is to her, and how having dreams and following them can take you a long way. Inspiring, as well as motivational, Teresa Arana has fulfilled her dream as author as well as publisher . Please follow her at http://www.eminencepublishing.com/.

Gillian Algarin

Politician Without an Agenda

Berks Unity Solution in no way endorses political agendas, but we do give credence to sincere efforts to bring this community together. On Monday, August 17th Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach treated community members to a free showing of the great western classic, “Shane” at the Kutztown Strand Theater. What makes this a monumental occasion is that there were no strings attached. Commissioner Leinbach rented the theater for the sole purpose of providing a fun community event to enjoy with a Berks County Commissioner. This was neither a fund-raiser nor a political event. There was no media or cameras, just folks from the community enjoying one of Commissioner Leinbach’s favorite movies. Paul Angstadt, owner of the Kutztown Strand opened the theater on a day when the theater is regularly closed. Mr. Angstadt said, “It was his pleasure.” He and Commissioner Leinbach had been friends for years. Mr. Angstadt also opens the theater for the mayor of Kutztown on occasion. Commissioner Leinbach said he will rent the theater again sometime in December for another free community movie. The date and time will be posted on the Berks Unity Solution Calendar of Events. If you would like to know more about events with Commissioner Leinbach, please visit the "UpComing Events" section of the following website: http://www.christianleinbach.com/upcomingevents.lasso For more information about movies and events being held at the Kutztown Strand, please visit: http://www.geocities.com/strandkutztown/