Firefly

I am pleased to report that the entire missing donation from Dallas CSTS 2007 has been paid to Equality Now by Devin Pike, the local event organizer and also CSTS 2007 global organizer. Amanda Sullivan of Equality Now confirmed that a total donation of $7,000.00 was received on August 26, 2008. This included the original $5,612 as reported collected from the Can’t Stop The Serenity 2007 local event and $600 collected from the global eBay auction. In addition to these amounts from CSTS 2007, a screening of “Serenity” was held in late Oct 2006 in Plano, TX. A reported total of $788 was raised with the advertised intention of proceeds being donated to Equality Now.

In my helping with coordinating of the local event for this year, I was made aware in mid May about the missing donation of funds that were raised to go to Equality Now. I immediately sought control of the local events’ organization and operating funds from the returning organizer Devin Pike, and started an investigation in regards to the missing donation. I felt that this needed to be done in order to have a successful event for this year. I consulted with Amanda Sullivan and Beth Nelson, our CSTS global organizer for 2008, and we felt it best to not go public with the investigation because we had no other information other than the fact that the donation was missing. The discovery of additional missing funds and ultimate recovery was a team effort of my local organizing crew, Amanda Sullivan, Beth Nelson and Miranda Ween, Assistant Global Organizer, Southern Hemisphere. Beth’s ongoing attention and dedication to this charity event were greatly appreciated.

Devin Pike has not given an explanation with consequence as to why these donations were not made after the events were held. I feel it best that no more energy be expelled in trying to gain one, for what was done is done, and it has now been rectified with a satisfactory result.

With the faithful return of many attendees, Can’t Stop The Serenity 2008 -North Texas held a fun and successful screening event along with the first ever, CSTS local women’s music showcase. Our special guests were Tim Minear and Beth Nelson. We raised an astonishing $4,318.64. This was only made possible with the support of some very dedicated crew members and our local Browncoats. My favorite quote, as written by Tim Minear in Firefly:The Message, "When you can’t run anymore, you crawl… and when you can’t do that... you find someone to carry you." I think that this sums up the feeling that this event is a group effort and everyone lends a part to helping fund a deserving, wonderful, worthy charity. We should all be so proud.