The Peak of Good Festivals

12-03-09 Apex NC

WOW! What a Festival we had.

Historic Downtown Apex rocked for 72 hours as events, gatherings, awards, films and VIP’s became vogue along Salem Street and in the Halle Cultural Arts Center. We declare the Peak City Film Festival – Family Style a wonderful success.

Jerry Mathers and Charlie Gaddy have quickly become the famous faces of the Festival. These two dynamic individuals, stars in their own right, and who have both set numerous longevity records in the field of news and entertainment, brought their “everyman” appeal to each event they attended. What a pair of true gentlemen. What do you say about well known individuals who are also extremely friendly and giving? It is rare to see as we read the daily headlines. It is simply refreshing to have celebrities who are not self-evolved. Down the road when the Festival commits to a Hall of Fame, the first two plaques are easy. And the wall space is well worth it.

It is exciting to announce that both Jerry and Charlie will again be the faces you will see in 2010 as the second Peak City Film Festival – Family Style comes back to the town of Apex on November 20. It is not that far away.

Although a famous face is critical to the longevity of this effort, John Demers of Studio in the Woods is quite honestly, the heart. His festival vision to bring edutainment and increased family values to this community was central to its success. It continues to need his leadership and energy as year two fast approaches.

With the face smiling and the heart beating, the hands and feet of the festival this year were the senior committee and the simply awesome volunteers who worked BEYOND hard, long and cheap to make things happen. We put you away dirty and wet… And we love you so much for your efforts!

The life’s blood of our festival was the array of film producers whose efforts were the quite the show! You created awesome and wholesome entertainment that brought passion to the screen. Thank you so much.

The body of this year’s Festival is a no-brainer. It is you. The community came out in droves, selling out night one and bringing excitement to the historic street of Salem for three days!

Finally, the soul of the festival is never ending. It continues to be the generous and committed local, regional and national businesses who opened their up pocketbooks or gave “in-kind” donations in this crazy economy to make this unknown initial event an over- the- top success!

When you look deep and think about it, it is the soul that drives the opportunity. The Peak City Film Festival, the Rusty Bucket Kids Club, and the Studio in the Woods are more than committed to being in the business of creating business for our businesses. The Mission of the Festival as it evolves over time is exactly this. If we helped sell one more pizza, one more book, one more oil change, one more bottle of soda or one more dinner, we did it to keep our local community and our local businesses growing in the toughest of times.

Merry Christmas from all of us in the Peak City Film Festival – Family Style, to you and your family, and a Happy New Year!! Godspeed in 2010! Success every day!

The Peak City Film Festival - B2B Style

Apex, NC …November 18, 2009

We all know that the Peak City Film Festival – Family Style is heading into Apex at 90 miles an hour; Jerry Mathers of the beloved Leave It to Beaver TV series will be in town to receive the Festival’s Continuing Lifetime Achievement Award for his wonderful career. The Apex Herald, Carolina Business Connection, Southwest Wake News, the N&O, and Inside 919 all have run features about this event in recent days. This is a fast paced fun week for everyone involved, from the senior committee and volunteers to the cast and crew. Yes, cast and crew of the Rusty Bucket Kids Club will be around this weekend. The feature film, starring among others, the legendary Charlie Gaddy, will premiere at the sold out Festival Gala on Friday night. Don’t worry; go to http://peakcityfilmfestival.org so you can attend the 9:30 show that night at the Halle Cultural Arts Center in Historic Downtown Apex on Salem across from the Apex Chamber of Commerce. The website is also the place to purchase tickets to see the winning and honored films that have been submitted by a truly international array of film producers. Showings both Saturday and Sunday afternoon will delight families and general audience entertainment fans.

Now let’s slow this down. As we look at the Festival and the new TV show there one distinct commonality. Virtually “everyone sleeps in their own bed at night” stated John Demers, the Executive Producer of both events. And Demers planned it that way. His vision is simple; local supports local. I am on board with this Festival strictly because of his vision. As the Director of Corporate Relations, the department’s sole purpose is the business of driving business to all of our local businesses.

I have been very lucky. I am in the tallest tree in the organizational forest and I get to see all the other trees. What a view! We have hundreds of business; each sleeps in a local bedroom at night. Many support the Peak City Film Festival and every one of them deserves our patronage. I now know a couple hundred of our best business people by their first name. What a privilege. But privilege always comes with responsibility.

Our new Walmart of Apex has not had the consumer activity it anticipated. It has gotten off to a slow start. We wanted to help. Over the weekend you will see a Walmart informational table across from the Apex Chamber of Commerce in the Promenade Building near the enV Salon Color Bar and adjacent to the Common Grounds Coffee House. This is also the area to get The Rusty Bucket Kids Club DVD‘s and CD’s as well as the central location for Festival ticket Will Call.

I know we missed some businesses over the past two months; but the Festival is back on November 20, 2010 in year two and we will be in contact early in 2010 to build the B2B relationship.

And our ability to support business and community is worth the price of admission. So head to Historic Apex this weekend and have some good ole fun in the Peak of Good Living.
Again please go to the our website http://www.peakcityfilmfestival.org

Local Loco

Apex, NC 11-08-09

I am loco for Local. The old saying, "all politics is local" is a very powerful commentary about the human being. Cave people hunted and plundered close to the shelter of the open cave. Over the centuries, need forced us to travel in chariots, covered wagons and eventually automobiles to distant lands for the purposes of success and discovery. Today, there is no need to physically travel to the remotest island in the South Atlantic. I can travel there on google earth and hit the website for gorgeous pictures and commentary. By the way that is the island of Tristan Da Cunha. I have seen the Queen Mary's Peak. In fact I go there a couple times a month. I love it there. My travels are at Internet speed. But when I am there via the information highway (who remembers calling it that) I am a local.

So to say I am a local fan of local is very true. Most of us get it when it comes to local. Some of us are forced to accept it because of the price of bread,eggs and gasoline. But all of our livelihood comes from our jobs near our homes. Our "family" is next store or down the block or across the street. With one of five of us here who actually were born here, we bond with next store who came here from Wyoming, and we share dinner with the family from New Jersey down the street.

Here is my message. We still are not out of what I call the Great Recession. So we want our community to survive and succeed. We want our local businesses to survive and succeed. Inside 919, Carolina Business Connection, and our local Chamber exist with this sole purpose. The inaugural Peak City Film Festival and the new pilot, The Rusty Bucket Kids Club exist strictly for the success of the community. They get it. It is their vision.

Local drives our ups and downs, our losses and our wins, and it even educates our children. Our hospitals, restaurants, and grocery stores are local. Our downtowns are local. And we need to become localites and promote local every chance we can get. Because we live here. Because we work here. Because we love here. It is more than responsibility. It is more than common sense. It is about opportunity.

Support the Peak City Film Festival, the neighborhood grocery store, and your favorite hangout. Do it just because it's local.

I want you to walk over to your refrigerator and look at the drawings, appointments, pictures and magnets that splash the doors with everything local. See I wasn't kidding! It starts with your fridge. You have been doing it all along!

Apex NC Goes Hallewood!!! 11-21 and 11-22

11-04-09

Jerry Mathers is the special VIP guest for the global debut of the Rusty Bucket Kids Club! We are only days away from the event of the year for Historic Apex, NC!

The Peak City Film Festival-Family Style is now fully dressed in formal attire and is ready to walk the red carpet!

On Friday November 19th, at the Halle Cultural Center, Jerry Mathers, the lovable Beav in the classic television show Leave It To Beaver, will make a special appearance at the Peak City Film Festival Sponsor Night during the premiere of The Rusty Bucket Kids Club Television Show!

Tickets sales are underway for the 1st Annual Peak City Film Festival-Family Style Event. Venues will be open on Saturday November 21 and Sunday November 22 in Downtown Apex!!

Tickets for admission to the screenings of the films and productions that have been entered in the Peak City Film Festival are available for advance reservation through the PCFF website http://www.peakcityfilmfestival.org and at three locations in historic downtown Apex.

These locations are:

Common Grounds Coffeehouse
219 North Salem Street
Apex, NC 27502


The Rusty Bucket
104-A North Salem Street
Apex, NC 27502


All Booked Up Bookstore
104-B North Salem Street
Apex, NC 27502


For more information call 919 533 9069 or e-mail sales@peakcityfilmfestival.org OR rustybucketkidsclub@gmail.com

COME MEET JERRY MATHERS as he spends the entire Festival weekend in good 'ole Apex...

Good Morning Charlie!

Apex NC, 10-20-09

In 1970, a gentleman named Charlie Gaddy came to the Triangle, joined the WRAL family and started "Good Morning Charlie" on local television. Twenty-four years later, Charlie retired as the anchor on WRAL; but as always, good people never fade away, they continue to touch people's lives. In his final broadcast, July 1, 1994, he stated this to his final audience: " Thank you for being my friends. We will meet again some sunny day!"

The first time I met Charlie it was a sunny day in the Triangle. It was Monday, October 19, 2009. Yep, it was yesterday. Yet, I now count Charlie as one of my friends because his presence makes every day a sunny one. His persona and kindness shine through to everyone. My definition of a Southern Gentleman is a simple one. Charlie Gaddy. He has never met a stranger and treats everyone with respect and commonality, regardless of stature or position.

He was in Apex yesterday filming his role as Grampa Peakson for the new television pilot, Rusty Bucket Kids Club. Unbelievably, this is his first acting role, and he was excellent in character. You will enjoy the twinkle he brings to the small screen.

I stood quietly in the background during the filming yesterday in the wonderfully eclectic Rusty Bucket store on Salem in Downtown Apex. My role in the production company is as critical as it is unique. You see, I am Charlie's driver.

In my 30+ years of work, I have to tell you that this job rates near the top. It is such a privilege to be one-on-one with this legend in broadcasting. It is quite an experience for me.

In the late 70's, Charlie was the master of ceremonies for the Miss Apex Pageant. As he approached the podium and began to speak, the snickers became distracting. Looking over his shoulder, Charlie noticed the X has fallen from the sign that said, the Miss Apex pageant. Just a moment in his professional life that typifies the humanity we all have have in common.

As you spend time with Charlie you realize that his past and present will be our future. Just take care of people around you and involve them in what you do. That is Charlie's success. And it is a simple path to follow.