Welch's Sponsors Documentary Film "A Hero for Daisy"
Profiling World Champion Rower and Yale Legend Chris Ernst, Film to be Screened at the West Newton Cinema on October 22
Concord, MA, October 22, 1999
Welch's, the world's leading producer of Concord and Niagara grape-based products, today announced it is a major sponsor of the documentary film "A Hero for Daisy," featuring world champion rower and Yale legend Chris Ernst. Written, directed and co-produced by Boston-native Mary Mazzio, the film profiles Ernst, a two-time Olympian who successfully led the Yale women's rowing team to protest against the school's lack of facilities for female athletes in 1976. "A Hero for Daisy" will be screened at the West Newton Cinema on Friday, October 22, 1999, at 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. The film will also be screened at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts on Saturday, November 20, at 2 p.m.
"Welch's is thrilled to be a major supporter of 'A Hero for Daisy," said Randy Papadellis, vice president of Marketing at Welch's. "The documentary film demonstrates our commitment to today's family by focusing on team athletics, an important topic that shares some of the same characteristics that are essential to strong families-including teamwork, respect for one another and dedication." The film features a number of women athletes including Carey Sands-Bohrer, Group Marketing manager at Welch's, who competed with Ernst in the 1986 World Championships to win the first gold medal for the United States in a woman's sculling event.
"A Hero for Daisy," which premiered at the Boston Film Festival in September, tells the story of a group of women athletes who fought to obtain equal rights in sports. In 1976 Chris Ernst led 19 members of the Yale women's rowing team to the athletic director's office to protest the lack of locker room facilities for women. The athletes stripped to the waist, exposing their chests emblazoned with the phrase "Title IX," the 1972 legislation which mandated gender equity in all institutions receiving federal aid. The story ran on the front page of The New York Times and was carried by all the major international news outlets the following day.
"A Hero for Daisy" teaches society about the significance of sports and the positive impact it has on the health of young girls. Statistics demonstrate that girls who play sports are 50 percent less likely to develop breast cancer, 80 percent less likely to have unwanted pregnancies and 90 percent less likely to have drug problems.
"I made this film for my daughter, and other young girls like her, who are in desperate need of strong and accessible role models," said Mazzio. "I am grateful to Welch's for their support, which allowed me to produce this film and tell the story of a real hero, Chris Ernst, who forever changed society's expectations of women and how they are 'supposed' to act."
A partner with the Boston, Mass., law firm of Brown, Rudnick, Freed and Gesmer, Mazzio is a member of several national teams including the 1992 Olympic Rowing Team. A resident of Wellesley, Mass., Mary attended Boston University's graduate film production program and is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Georgetown Law School. "A Hero for Daisy" is Mary's first film.
"A Hero for Daisy" includes interviews with Massachusetts Senator John Kerry (Yale '66); legendary football coach and former Yale Athletic Director Carmen Cozza; President of the U.S. Rowing Association and Yale Rowing Coach David Vogel; as well as a number of Olympians.
Tickets for "A Hero for Daisy" must be reserved in advance by calling (888) 890-9227 for the West Newton cinema screening and (617) 369-3770 for the Museum of Fine Arts screening. Tickets for the MFA screening can also be purchased at the museum. Admission costs are $8.50 for adults, $7.50 for students and $5.00 each for student groups of 15 or more.
About Welch's
Welch's is the world's leading marketer of Concord and Niagara grape-based products, including grape juice and jelly. The company produces a variety of other fruit-based products, including 100 percent juices and juice cocktails in the following forms: bottled, refrigerated, single-serve, and frozen and shelf-stable concentrates. In addition, Welch's produces a number of fruit spread products. Welch's web site can be found at: www.welchs.com.
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