It’s no secret that telling the stories of people in my community is my favorite thing about my role at Spotted Yeti Media. As a video editor I have the pleasure of creating content for all kinds of businesses, but year after year my favorite projects are the videos I have done for the non-profits in the Cincinnati region. People Working Cooperatively (PWC) is a great example of how sharing the work they do every year through video compels others to donate their time and money to join their cause and make a difference in their community. People Working Cooperatively has been providing home repairs and modifications for families in need for 50 years in an effort to help residents remain independent and healthy in their homes. Aside from PWC’s staff, much of their work is done by licensed local repair men and women who volunteer their time outside of their day jobs to help accomplish this goal. Many families need repair work on their homes and they cannot afford to have the work done. Whether it is a roof repair or adding a permanent ramp to the front door of a home, PWC does the repairs and modifications so families can continue to live safely in their homes.
Once a year PWC hosts their fundraising gala called the “ToolBelt Ball”, to raise money for their next big project. Every year PWC chooses one local family who needs more work done on their homes than what the average PWC client needs. These families often have disabilities or medical conditions that require home modifications like ramps, stair lifts, roll in showers for wheelchairs, etc. At the fundraiser, PWC plays a video that shows the before and after of the chosen family’s home. The video displays the work PWC did and how it changed the lives of the people in that home - inspiring others to donate for the next family.
For the last five years Spotted Yeti Media has had the pleasure of producing this annual event video and documenting the renovations of the chosen family’s home. This project is consistently one of my favorites because when I see the transformation and how PWC positively impacts local families it never fails to inspire.
In 2023 we documented the Whittle family and their journey. Valerie Whittle is a single mom of three teenagers. Tragedy struck her family when her son Simeon suffered a spinal cord injury that has left him paralyzed from the chest down. Aside from the financial challenges that hospital bills posed to Valerie, they lived in a home that was not equipped for Simeon to navigate because of his wheelchair.
Simeon and Valerie Whittle in their newly renovated kitchen.
PWC visited the home to see what they could do to help. It did not take long to decide the Whittles would be the next family who needed their help, and quickly got to work on renovations. In the end PWC was able to build an addition onto the back of the home, so Simeon could have a room all to his own that was fully equipped with a roll in shower. The kitchen was remodeled to be accessible for Simeon as well as a new water heater, and a permanent ramp to their front door.
It took our videographers months to document the renovation process. PWC would update us on what renovations were happening so we could go out and capture relevant footage. Once renovations were done, we went out to the home one final time to conduct interviews with the family and capture footage of the completed renovations.
Seeing the footage of the family living in the home before and after the renovations is an impactful juxtaposition. Before PWC came in to help, Simeon was contained to the living room at all times because his wheelchair could not fit through the doorways. Now, he has his own addition to the house, which serves as his private bedroom and bathroom and easy access to the rest of the main floor. Valerie was beyond grateful for the work that was done. These renovations allow her and her children to stay in their home and not worry about the costs that come with repairs like a new water heater, or maintaining an outdoor ramp.
Project Manager Brad Staggs working on the addition to Valerie’s home.
Editing the annual PWC ToolBelt Ball video is a project I take pride in. It’s a large responsibility knowing that the story I edit together is how PWC will kick off fundraising at the event. I need to make sure the video is emotional, inspiring and concise! It was easy telling Valerie and Simeon’s story because they had great presence on camera. Valerie is not shy to open up about the struggles her son has endured. The Whittles expressed their gratitude toward PWC and with an inspiring message of love and hope. After playing the video PWC raised thousands of dollars in donations to go to the next family in need, which is what the event is all about.
Simeon's Story - People Working Cooperatively 2023 Tool Belt Ball
Showing the impact PWC made to a local family is an inspiration. Do you know of a non-profit for that could use some help rallying funds for to help those in need? At Spotted Yeti Media we make video work for you. You can also learn more about the power of strategy driven marketing, and not just creating a video but making it smart.
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