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On Veteran's Day, a Documentary with a Point of View

By Amy Potthast. Originally posted at The New Service.


Photo courtesy POV On Veteran's Day, The Way We Get By—a new documentary about senior volunteers who staff a welcome center at the airport in Bangor, Maine, to receive returning military folks—will premiere on PBS stations as part of POV, "documentaries with a point of view." Find the broadcast schedule here.

Participants of the June 2009 Conference on Volunteering and Service were invited to a preview of the film, but now anyone with a television or internet connection will be able to view it. The film will stream online November 12 through December 12.

To watch the trailer now, click here.

From the show's synopsis: On call 24 hours a day for the past five years, a group of senior citizens has made history by greeting over 900,000 American troops at a tiny airport in Bangor, Maine. The Way We Get By is an intimate look at three of these greeters as they confront the universal losses that come with aging and rediscover their reason for living. Bill Knight, Jerry Mundy and Joan Gaudet find the strength to overcome their personal battles and transform their lives through service. This inspirational and surprising story shatters the stereotypes of today's senior citizens as the greeters redefine the meaning of community.

Here are some ways to share the film's message:

• If you are part of a service corps, nonprofit, class, or community group that would benefit from seeing the film, you can access a free copy of it and host a screening. When you sign up you'll also be able to access facilitation guides, lesson plans and other tools.
• Promote the activities of seniors and veterans in your community and find new ways to get involved.
• Find more ways to support the documentary.