I just wanted to say thank you

On Feb 9, 2010, at 7:48 PM, Ellen Grudowski wrote:

Mr. Maddux,

I just wanted to say thank you for giving a voice to a cause that people often never think about. I am an undergraduate social work student at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and often feel alone here in my quest to educate others about the invisible LGBT senior population. You have created such an important documentary that, from the little I've seen, sheds light on something I am quite passionate about. I am the only student in my class who is devoted to LGBT seniors and have found it difficult to articulate the issues that face this often forgotten about population. Again, I thank you for making this documentary.

I have made it my humble mission to try and change the face of the resources that already exist within Columbus so that LGBT elders can feel welcome. I plan on putting together a LGBT senior sensitivity training/education for my internship to present to agency caregivers, homemakers, and meal delivery personnel in the spring. My hopes are that if this workshop is a success that I can present it to other agencies within Columbus, and help open doors for the LGBT seniors in my community. I'm also working on a research project that highlights the life of a gay gentleman living in rural America and his long-term intimate relationship with his partner. My goal with this project is to put forth a positive portrayal of gay men into the academic research world as most research journals and articles tend to focus on the negative topics such as domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, and the supposed impossibility for gays to exist in rural areas.

I am passionate about this cause, and am wondering if there is anything I can do to help your documentary reach a wider audience? Ohio is not the most gay friendly state in general, but Columbus has one of the largest gay populations in the midwest, so I'd be more than happy to push to have your documentary shown here if it is not already coming here. If there is anything I can do please let me know.

Thanks again,
Ellen Grudowski