Lowell Videos Show ‘Roots, Realities, & Dreams’
Community Contest Prizes Announced
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| Sue Andrews, Gary Bergeron (First Place Winner), Paul Marion |
In 2010, The Fighter showed that the City of Lowell could be a huge hit when it graces the silver screen. Over the course of the last few months, Lowell Heritage Partnership (LHP) has showcased that you don’t need a Hollywood budget to use the power of film and video to tell compelling Lowell Stories.
Last week, the LHP announced the winners of the first ever Roots, Realities and Dreams Community Video contest, which was co-sponsored by Lowell National Historical Park and made possible through a grant of the Theodore Edson Parker Foundation. Seven finalists were honored with total prizes of over $3000 at a small reception hosted by LTC Lowell after a process that ran throughout the summer and fall.
Gary Bergeron of Lowell won the contest’s $1500 prize with the music video “Born and Raised in Lowell.” The video featured an original song by Michael Noonan and was produced using the equipment at LTC Lowell.
The second prize winner of $750 was Sopheap Theam for Future Stars Summer in Lowell. Sopheap donated her winnings to the local nonprofit organization, Light of Cambodian Children. LCC director Sayon Soeun accepted the award on behalf of the organization which helps underserved young people in Lowell.
Another nonprofit organization, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell, won the fan favorite award of $250 after an open online voting period during the month of November. All told, four of the prize awards went directly to area nonprofit organizations as Angkor Dance Troupe and the Greater Lowell Community Foundation’s Global Goals Fund (as a gift from Elysa Briggs) also received donations.
The Roots, Realities and Dreams Community Video Contest invited participants to share their Lowell stories in short videos of up to four minutes in length. The contest was open-ended and entrants were simply asked to answer the question “What does Lowell mean to me?” The Lowell Heritage Partnership was founded in 2000 as an organization to preserve and enhance Lowell’s natural and built environments and cultural heritage. For more information please visit:
The complete list of winners:
1st Prize: Gary Bergeron, $1500
2nd Prize: Sopheap Theam, (donated to Light of Cambodian Children) $750
3rd Prize: Beth Noferi, $500
Fan Favorite: Habitat for Humanity $250
Merit Award: Angkor Dance Troupe $100
Merit Award: Elysa Briggs (donated to GLCF Global Goals Fund) $100
Merit Award: Jonathan Stevens $100