Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/716514
40 SAG-AFTRA | Summer 2016 | SAGAFTRA.org On Location R egional Education & Outreach Liaison Cynthia Williams visited Oklahoma and Texas in June to meet with members and producers. Her low budget contracts workshop in Dallas garnered a full house at the SAG-AFTRA Dallas-Fort Worth Local office. Williams educated independent producers on the ease of using professional union actors in their projects. Most producers attending the workshop had not yet worked with the union and were eager and encouraged to discover how to increase the value of their projects by hiring professionals. Projects in development ranged from ultra low to modified and low budget films, as well as new media projects. Continuing education for the next generation of producers is essential to the union's growth. Dallas-Forth Worth BON VOYAGE TO KING-TV BROADCASTERS S AG-AFTRA Seattle Local members, staff and well-wishers attended a retirement celebration for longtime KING-TV anchors Dennis Bounds and Jean Enersen, reporter Linda Byron, Editor Reiko Higashi, Chief Meteorologist Jeff Renner and Librarian Linda Schmidt, as they bid farewell to their colleagues, friends and fellow broadcast journalists at a party held in their honor on May 26 at Henry's Tavern, across from the new KING-TV studios in Seattle's Stadium District. The spate of departures were part of an early retirement package announced in early April by KING's parent company TEGNA, and offered to station employees with qualifying years of service. The SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local wishes each of them a happy retirement, and is grateful for their many years of dedicated service to their profession and to the community. Seattle SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local members and staff celebrate with retiring KING-TV broadcasters, friends and colleagues. More than 50 people attended the May 26 celebration. Cynthia Williams discusses low budget contracts with members and producers on June 13. ENGAGING IN VOLUNTEERISM M ichigan Local members had their first opportunity to meet with a member of the President's Task Force on Education, Outreach and Engagement when Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon joined their annual membership meeting on April 25. Playing to a full house in the boardroom of the nonprofit organization Forgotten Harvest, Damon explained the task force's mission through a PowerPoint presentation and video. Building on the theme of engagement — and unbeknownst to the members in attendance — it was announced that, following the meeting, members would be shepherded into a room where they would pack up cheese crackers for soup kitchens and shelters. They enthusiastically donned hair coverings and aprons and moved to the packing room, where they had a great time engaging with each other and the community. Michigan Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon, center, joined members of the local Executive Committee to pack food at the April 25 membership meeting. CONTRACTS WORKSHOP EDUCATES PRODUCERS