T.V. Stars....

Recently I wrote posts about a competition that my charity knitting group entered. We didn't win first prize but still won a $5000 bonus grant, which was absolutely amazing. As well as the money, the group also has been given a number of opportunities for publicity. This has already resulted in new members, donations and offers of donations.
On Wednesday this week the group had the usual Albany Creek Knit and Natter. But this was not actually 'the usual get together'...this week a film crew from Channel 9, here in Brisbane, came to film an interview with Karen, the founder of the group. The company that sponsored the competition that Karen entered is also the sponsor of the 'River Fire' which is part of the Brisbane  Festival which runs here in September each year. Channel 9 has been filming little segments about the sponsors to run on 'River Fire' night which is September 29. So Sunsuper gets publicity as well as K4BN.

The film crew arrives...

Fiona, director and interviewer talks to the group 

Some booties made by a member

pretending the cameraman isn't there...

This is Rebecca from Sunsuper who has just handed Karen a bag of toiletries from motels where Rebecca stayed recently...this promoted a lot of laughter as K4BN members always pester others to collect those toiletries for us...

Karen, on the right, just before the interview...

Elizabeth, one of our members modelling a cardi that she had made...

So while we knitted and crocheted and chatted, we were filmed; and while Karen was interviewed we kept knitting but we had to be very quiet :-) There were lots of ladies there this month...a lot more than usual :-) and when it was ok to talk...it did get a bit noisy! lol

Karen did a great interview...she was asked to talk about how she came to start the group, as well as a number of questions about what groups/individuals we help. And of course there was a question about what will the money from Sunsuper be used for. Karen stressed that many members of the group are on pensions and have little money themselves. These ladies have been buying supplies to help the less fortunate for many years in some cases, so the money  will ease the burden on these people as it will be used to buy supplies.

After the interview in the meeting room of the Albany Creek Library, Fiona, the film crew and Rebecca, (from Sunsuper) along with Karen and her husband Peter,  headed off the Everton Park Spotlight store for some more filming. (Spotlight is a store that sells craft items like Michaels and JoAnne's but also has manchester, fabrics, decorator items and lots of yarns) The store manager told them that Spotlight would be giving the group a large donation which would come from Melbourne.

The sound test before the interview...

There were pikelets and chocolate biscuits for morning tea. (but I had my strawberries, hazelnuts and almond snack in my tupperware box which were delicious) 

Later, we also heard that a discount pharmacy from Aspley has awarded the group their monthly 'Community prize' of $250 worth of toiletries; a big thank you to our member Joy, who entered us... So aren't things going well for us :-)
But the publicity works both ways of course...some groups that assist the needy who had not been aware of us before, now know about us. Karen has already received requests from such groups to help with organising Christmas gift type donations...so you know what I'll be doing over the coming months...lol

PS the crew filmed for an hour or so but it will be edited down to just a few minutes...will probably put the segment as a link after it airs (on 29/09), if that is possible :-)