Woodstock Rotary Club hosts successful

Spring Fling Event draws crowd and with local and regional bands after two years online

By Theresa Blackburn

For the first time since 2019, the Woodstock Rotary Club held their annual spring fundraiser in person.

While their COVID Kitchen Party events were very successful, the event organizer said it was exciting to bring the people back to the event.

Corey Clark is the chair of the Spring Fling commit- tee.

“In total, we raised $38,000 during the event. The money will go into our coffers for upcoming projects,” Clark explained.

Clark and his committee felt the event went well, and the group received a lot of positive feedback.

The event included a dance with multiple acts, both local and regional, and wine, beer, and spirits vendors.

“All vendors said they’d like to be a part of next year’s event, if we decide to continue with a taste venue again.

Their 50-50 draw was in support of Harvest House, and that organization received $1,735. The final installment of the Rotary’s donation to the Valley Food

Bank was presented to Food Bank representatives at the event.

The $150,000 donation completes their commitment to aiding the regional food bank and their new boutique.

Clark said the Rotary remains grateful for the community support they get for these kinds of initiatives.

Check out Bill Nighy’s Oscar-nominated performance

River Valley Film Circuit presents acclaimed drama, ‘Living’ on April 16 in Woodstock

RIVER VALLEY SUN

The Oscar-nominated drama, Living, will hit the silver screen in Woodstock this month.

River Valley Film Circuit presents a screening of the acclaimed drama at Atlantic Cinemas at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 16.

The film circuit programmer Doug Dickinson described Living as a British remake of the 1952 Akira Kurosawa film Ikiru, inspired by the 1886 Leo Tolstoy novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich.

Dickinson said acclaimed actor Bill Nighy stars in the lead role as a city planner who re-evaluates his life choices after receiving a terminal health diagnosis.

Living is directed by South African filmmaker Oliver Hermanus, with a script by renowned novelist and screenwriter Kazuo Ishiguro (Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go). The film received Oscar nominations earlier this year for Nighy’s performance and Ishiguro’s screenplay.

Dickinson explained that review aggregator

Rotten Tomatoes has the film at a stellar 96 per cent average rating from critics, with a consensus that Living “sets a high bar for itself in setting out to remake a Kurosawa classic – and director Oliver Hermanus and star Bill Nighy clear it in triumphant fashion.”

Globe and Mail critic Barry Hertz noted in his positive review the film “should not work” but credited its success on “the magnificent talents of its leading man, Bill Nighy.”

In a review for ABC News, Peter Travers noted

Nighy “delivers a master class in acting.”

“Working in miniature to achieve major truths, this deeply human drama has the power to sneak up and knock you sideways,” said Travers.

Dickinson said Living first screened at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. In addition to the Oscar nomination, Dickinson said, many other industry award groups, including the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild, recognized Nighy’s brilliant performance.

Looking ahead, Dickinson said, the River Valley Film Circuit will close out the spring season on Sunday, May 21, with a screening of the Korean romantic thriller Decision to Leave. He said the circuit would return after a summer break with a new slate of films in the fall.