Friendship Safehaven News

MASK Program Featured On ABC Channel 24 Memphis

2011-08-25T22:08:00.000-05:00

Play House 51 in Millington invited the students in the MASK program to a meet and greet with Jane Lester, the director of "A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline" musical production June 18, 2011. The students also received complimentary tickets to the evening performance after the question and answer period with Ms. Lester. The students behavior was so impressive, a person who wishes to remain annoymous contacted Friendship Safehaven offering their support to the MASK Program. Thanks to the annoymous supporter, Founder and President Linda Nettles Harris has been on a media ride promoting the MASK Program.

MASK Program Featured On Fox 13 Memphis

2011-08-25T18:28:00.000-05:00

Friendship Safehaven Founder/President Linda Nettles Harris talks about the MASK Program on Fox 13 Memphis Morning News Show.

Mask Program Offers Lifelong Skills: MyFoxMEMPHIS.com

MASK Program Participants Shine in "Welcome to Bedside Manor"

2011-08-25T18:18:00.000-05:00

Friendship Safehaven, Inc. held its annual fundraiser at the Baker Community Center on Friday, June 10, 2011, and on Sunday, June 12, 2011. Those in attendance experienced spectacular dining prepared by Sam Patel and his crew at Parkway Smokers Catering Company. After bidding on many fine items provided by businesses, companies and individuals in the Millington and Memphis communities, attendees were treated to the MASK Program’s participants and volunteers outstanding performances of “Welcome to Bedside Manor,” a play written by Tim Kelly. The MASK Program performances demonstrated that, with hard work, you can believe, achieve and perform! The MASK Program’s participants and volunteers did an outstanding job and we are proud of them.

Announcement: Silent Auction Request

2011-01-22T21:09:00.001-06:00

It is with great delight that we extend an offer for your company to donate a tax-deductible silent auction item in support of Friendship Safehaven, Inc.’s MASK Program’s 2010-2011 season performance, entitled “Welcome To Bedside Manor Hospital” - a comical dinner presentation and silent auction. The performance will be held on May 13 & May 14, 2011, 6:00 p.m. at the Baker Community Center, 7942 Church Street, Millington, Tennessee, 38053.

Friendship Safehaven, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in May 2007. The MASK program (Mid-South Arts Safehaven for Kids) began on September 12, 2009. The MASK program currently meets at the Baker Community Center, each Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. to 01:00p.m. We have 25 children, ranging in ages from 8 to 13, enrolled in the program. Our program is free to all participants and we plan to keep it that way. The MASK Program promotes Friendship Safehaven’s vision: “developing and improving communication, public speaking and leadership skills; developing and improving self-esteem and self-confidence; promoting creativity; and teaching discipline through the use of theatre arts as our foundation”. Although we use theatre arts as our foundation, our focus is not on creating actors. Rather, we will focus on individual self-improvement. However, all of our participants gain an enhanced appreciation for theatrical and cultural arts by the end of the program. So far, our students have been provided instruction on the evolution of theatre arts, the elements of filmmaking, the importance and impact of non-verbal communication, fundamentals of public speaking and have attended at least one of two free theatrical performances offered to the Safehaven by the Orpheum Theatre.

The May 13 and May 14 comedy dinner performances and silent auction, is our only annual fundraiser. That is why we need your company’s support. Your company’s support, in the form of donating a silent auction item(s), will help to ensure that we continue to make a difference in the lives of children for years to come. As one of our corporate donors, your name will be listed in our dinner theatre program and on our website (with your permission).

We hope that you will consider donating an item(s) for our silent auction. If you need any additional information, feel free to contact our President, Linda Harris, at info@friendshipsafehaven.org.

ANNOUNCEMENT: PROGRAM AD SALES

2011-01-22T20:53:00.001-06:00

Friendship Safehaven, Inc. is selling ads for our final performance program booklets. The prices per page size are as follows: Full Page - $100; 1/2 Page - $75; 1/4th Page- $50; and 1/8th Page - $25. If you are interested in buying an add for your business or one of our performers, please contact Linda Harris at info@friendshipsafehaven.org. We thank you for your continued support!

FRIENDSHIP SAFEHAVEN SEEKS SPONSORS

2011-01-22T20:52:00.002-06:00

Friendship Safehaven, Inc. is seeking corporate sponsorships for our final performance, “Welcome Bedside Manor Hospital” scheduled for May 13 and 14, 2011. Your corporate sponsorship will greatly assist with the production of the final performance including, but not limited to the following: costumes, makeup, program printing, catering and set construction costs. Let’s make this a night for the MASK children and Millington community to remember! The following sponsorship levels are listed below: Gold - $750.00 Silver - $500.00 Bronze - $250.00 For more information regarding sponsorship incentives for each level or to sign-up, please contact Linda Nettles-Harris at info@friendshipsafehaven.org or at 901/ 354-7185.

Who Killed Kevin (Encore-Taking a bow)

2010-09-15T14:33:00.002-05:00

Who Killed Kevin (Scene Four) Sorry Scene 3 is missing

2010-09-15T14:32:00.002-05:00

Who Killed Kevin (Scene Two)

2010-09-15T14:29:00.002-05:00

Who Killed Kevin

2010-09-15T14:28:00.032-05:00

Thanks to Mr. and Mrs Nichols the following videos of the MASK 2010 fundraiser were placed on Youtube. There are some missing scenes; however, Mr. Garner just provided Friendship Safehaven with the entire video and it will be up on the site soon. Until then, please enjoy the following videos. Pssst for those who think Kevin is a person, Kevin was a stuffed CAT

Announcement: Accepting Applications for the MASK Program

2010-08-19T10:29:00.005-05:00

We’re a free eight month drama program geared toward redeeming our community’s youth by allowing them to express themselves through theatrical performance. The program begins in September and concludes in May with a play performed by our participants.
Sign your child(ren) to participate in the MASK Program Today. Here are the details:

Who?

Children ages 7-17

(space is limited)

Where?

Baker Community Center

7942 Church Street

Millington, TN 38053

(Limited transportation is available if needed when program begins)

When?

Saturdays beginning September 18th from 11:30 am- 01:00 pm

For more information or to sign up, contact us at info@friendshipsafehaven.com or call us at 901-354-7185

Announcement: Program Ad Sales

2010-03-21T15:29:00.002-05:00

Friendship Safehaven, Inc. is selling ads for our final performance program booklets. The prices per page size are as follows:

Full Page - $100; 1/2 Page - $75; 1/4th Page- $50; and 1/8th Page - $25. If you are interested in buying an add for your business or one of our performers, please contact Linda Harris at info@friendshipsafehaven.org. We thank you for your continued support!

Friendship Safehaven Seeks Sponsors

2010-02-15T15:59:00.005-06:00

Friendship Safehaven, Inc. is seeking corporate sponsorships for our final performance, “Who Killed Kevin?” scheduled for May 7th and 8th, 2010. Your corporate sponsorship will greatly assist with the production of the final performance including, but not limited to the following: costumes, makeup, program printing, catering and set construction costs. Let’s make this a night for the MASK children and Millington community to remember! The following sponsorship levels are listed below:

Diamond - $2,500.00 Gold - $1,000.00 Silver - $500.00 Bronze - $250.00 For more information regarding sponsorship incentives for each level or to sign-up, please contact Linda Nettles-Harris at info@friendshipsafehaven.org or at 901/ 354-7185.

Announcement: Silent Auction Donations Request

2010-02-09T14:48:00.005-06:00

It is with great delight that we extend an offer for your company to donate a tax-deductible silent auction item in support of Friendship Safehaven, Inc.’s MASK Program’s 2009-2010 season performance, entitled “Who Killed Kevin?”- a comical mystery dinner presentation and silent auction. The performance will be held on May 7 & 8, 2010 at 6 p.m. at the Baker Community Center, 7942 Church Street, Millington, Tennessee, 38053.

Friendship Safehaven, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in May 2007. The MASK program (Mid-South Arts Safehaven for Kids) began on September 12, 2009. (Please find enclosed an article about the program featured in the Millington Star). The MASK program currently meets at the Baker Community Center, each Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. We have 18 children, ranging in ages from 8 to 16, enrolled in the program. Our program is free to all participants and we plan to keep it that way. The MASK Program promotes Friendship Safehaven’s vision: “developing and improving communication, public speaking and leadership skills; developing and improving self-esteem and self-confidence; promoting creativity; and teaching discipline through the use of theatre arts as our foundation”. Although we use theatre arts as our foundation, our focus is not on creating actors. Rather, we will focus on individual self-improvement. However, all of our participants gain an enhanced appreciation for theatrical and cultural arts by the end of the program. So far, our students have been provided instruction on the evolution of theatre arts, the elements of filmmaking, the importance and impact of non-verbal communication, fundamentals of public speaking and have attended at least one of two free theatrical performances offered to the Safehaven by the Orpheum Theatre.

The May 7th and May 8th mystery dinner performances and silent auction, is our only annual fundraiser. That is why we need your company’s support. Your company’s support, in the form of donating a silent auction item(s), will help to ensure that we continue to make a difference in the lives of children for years to come. As one of our corporate donors, your name will be listed in our dinner theatre program and on our website (with your permission).

We hope that you will consider donating an item(s) for our silent auction. If you need any additional information, feel free to contact our President, Linda Harris, at info@friendshipsafehaven.org.

An Outing to the Orpheum

2009-11-23T12:00:00.001-06:00

We took the MASK Program enrollees on their first field trip today. Through a partnership with the Orpheum Theatre Memphis, we were able to secure free tickets to Mad Science Presents CSI: LIVE.

CSI: LIVE provided an interactive forum for the children to actively engage in the performance. Attendees were randomly chosen to go on stage with the actors and put their crime scene investigative (and acting) skills to the test! The children enjoyed the opportunity to visit the Orpheum – some for the very first time.

Many thanks to the Orpheum for sponsoring our tickets to such a fun performance! They’ve already invited us back to see Harold and the Purple Crayon on January 22nd. Now that’s something to look forward to in the New Year!

Makeup 101

2009-11-14T12:00:00.003-06:00

“Wow, I really look older!”

Jennifer Ragan conducted a makeup workshop for our youth today to help them prepare for their final performance. In the performance*, the children will need to look 60-70 years older as they will all be residents of a retirement community. Mrs. Ragan, a local actress, brought a trunk-load of theatre makeup to use on the children in her workshop. She was ready for action!

At first, the youth were apprehensive about applying the makeup. They were concerned that it was too much. However, Mrs. Ragan used their apprehension as a teaching point. She explained, “theatre actors and actresses have to wear heavier makeup to ensure the makeup’s effect can be seen throughout the auditorium.” She further explained makeup application techniques through use of different brushes and exaggeration placement. The children really focused on the lessons became excited about the opportunity to look elderly.

They stared in the mirrors in amazement when they saw the final result of the makeup application. They couldn’t believe that Mrs. Ragan was able to transform them! Whispering amongst each other, they discussed the possibility that their parents wouldn’t be able to recognize them.

Mrs. Ragan conducts workshops on all aspects of theatre and acting with the Safehaven children. She currently acts with the Jackson Community Theatre in Jackson, TN. *Stay tuned for the announcement of the title final performance play in the Spring. It’s a production you don’t want to miss!

It Only Takes Two Words

2009-10-24T12:00:00.003-05:00

Nashville filmmaker, Robert Poole, led our participants in a discussion about the film industry today. Currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree at Columbia University, Mr. Poole discussed the importance of non-verbal communication as it relates to acting on film in his workshop. Our participants are currently learning to incorporate non-verbal communication into to their monologues.

Mr. Poole said, “the movements we make with our bodies and the expressions we display on our faces are sometimes more important the words we speak.” This was apparent in the award-winning short film he played for the youth, The Loss of a Wrestling Match by Jed Cowley. In the short, the main character only says one line, “I lost.” After watching the short film, Mr. Poole asked the children what they thought happened in the film. He asked them to look past the fact that the main character lost, and sought their ideas about the character’s personality. They were able to accurately describe the character’s strengths, weaknesses, and fears among other traits.

After discussing the short, the children were given an opportunity to see each other on film. They were put into teams of 3 or 4 and asked to play an “emotional numbers” game. Each team member was given an emotion to express through saying a single number. While the teams “emotionally counted” from one to 20, the remaining participants watched their peers on a television connected to Mr. Poole’s video camera. They were excited to see each other on television and eagerly awaited their turn to be seen on screen.

We’re extremely thankful that Mr. Poole visited us from New York. We hope to see him again at our final performance in May!

Mr. Poole is currently working on his thesis film at Columbia University. You can find more information about his films at www.isaiah40films.com.

Let’s Get It Started!

2009-09-19T12:00:00.003-05:00

We’re proud to announce the enrollment of 17 children in the MASK Program! Today was our first session with the enrollees. We split the children into three groups: ages 7-9, 10-12, and 13-16. Mrs. Linda Harris leads the 7-9 year-old group while Mr. Tony Reeder and Miss Tara Moss lead the 10-12 and 13-16 year-old groups, respectively.

We handed each child and age appropriate monologue, and hit the ground running! After setting up our video camera, it was time for the cold read… We’ve decided to film the children performing their monologues once a month to track their development. It’s our hope to provide each child with a DVD at the end of the program to show them the amazing progress they’ll make by May.

Over the next few weeks and months, we will introduce the children to the world of theatre and acting helping them tap into their unknown talents. Don’t forget to check in with us regularly to find out what’s next with the MASK Program enrollees!

Friendship Safehaven Seeks Participants

2009-08-17T12:00:00.006-05:00

Friendship Safehaven Inc., 6220 Highway 51 N. Millington, TN 38053, is seeking children and youth, ages 7-17, to participate in our Drama Program ,which will be held each Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Baker Community Center, 7942 Church Street, Millington, TN 38053. The program will include: an introduction to theatre arts, acting instruction, set design and construction workshops, costumes and make-up workshops, and technical assistance workshops.

The program will also include free field trips to local events and free workshops that will focus on building the following skills: communication and public speaking; leadership; confidence building; and discipline.

Speakers from the film and theatre arts industry will conduct periodic workshops.

There is no cost involved for participation and prior acting experience is not required. Participation is limited to the first 30 respondents.

For more information please contact: Linda Nettles Harris, Friendship Safehaven, Inc. 901/354-7185