Mission Statement
The mission of the Elmore Leonard Literary Arts and Film Festival is to honor, Michigan native, Elmore Leonard and his outstanding contributions to the film and literary arts, our community and the state of Michigan through education, outreach and entertainment.
Future annual Elmore Leonard Literary Arts and Film Festivals will continue to celebrate and showcase the lives, works and themes of other writers, producers, directors, composers, actors, etc. whose success and contribution to the arts can be traced to their connection to the state of Michigan.
This annual festival will showcase the brilliant works of the honoree, emerging creative talent and our Michigan youth while enabling the perpetuation of the mission of The Community House.
About Elmore Leonard
Birmingham’s own Elmore Leonard has a writing career spanning 60 years. He began writing western stories and novels in the early Fifties and eventually switched to the crime fiction genre of which he is considered one of the all time masters. All told, Elmore has published 43 novels, over 40 short stories and a notable work of non-fiction, his famous Ten Rules of Writing. Elmore’s 44th novel, Djibouti will be published on October 12, 2010 – the day after his 85th birthday.
Almost 30 films and TV movies have been made from Elmore’s books and stories, including 3:10 to Yuma, Hombre, Get Shorty, Out of Sight and Jackie Brown. In March, 2010, an original television series entitled Justified premiered on the FX Network, developed by Graham Yost and starring Timothy Olyphant. Justified is based on Elmore’s novella, “Fire in the Hole”, featuring Raylan Givens, his iconic U.S. Marshal character who previously appeared in two novels, Pronto and Riding the Rap. Elmore is one of the executive producers of the series and is currently writing new Raylan Givens stories for use in the show’s second season.
Elmore lives in Bloomfield Village with his wife Christine. He has five children, twelve grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
About The Community House
In 1923 a small group of people in the area founded The Community House in a small frame structure on the corner of Bates and Maple. They planned it to be a "non-partisan, non-sectarian, non-exclusive community center where all would be welcome."
This small building became a hub of community activity, and by 1928 it was evident that a much larger facility would be required if the original charter was to be maintained. Under the chairmanship of Ruth Shain, a group of 200 women launched a capital campaign and raised $125,000 from area individuals, civic and social groups, and businesses. In April 1930, the new building on Bates Street opened with a celebration attended by more than 5,000 people.
With the onset of the Depression, the mission of The Community House began in earnest. People in need turned to The Community House for medical supplies, food and clothing. Throughout the years, the scope and character of outreach has changed according to the needs of the community. Service and civic organizations still meet at The House regularly. Hundreds of adults attend various free forums which address health, family and social issues. Youth and young children participate in activities and programs planned just for them.
By 1986 it was again necessary to expand and improve the building. Bev and Bill Hoglund headed this capital campaign, and in 1989 they broke ground for a major addition. Complete renovation and refurbishment of the original House was also undertaken, and at the end of 1990, the "new" Community House stood ready to serve growing numbers of people who need to meet to carry out community work. In 2000, a successful capital and endowment campaign, Build A Legacy,” raised $1.8 million for both redecorating and endowment.
The Community House now offers close to 800 educational and enrichment classes a year. Its facilities accommodate groups in sizes ranging from 10 to 370. The House provides complete meeting, banquet, and catering services. The Early Childhood Center cares for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers on a full-time, year-round basis and is an especially welcome addition to the community.
The Community House is funded by individual, corporate, and foundation donations, and by payment for some of the services it provides. It receives no city, state or federal funding and is not affiliated with the United Way.
The mission of The Community House has remained constant throughout the past 87 years. The Community House, an independent, nonprofit organization established in 1923 and located in Birmingham, Michigan is to offer relevant programs and services to help people in the metropolitan area improve and enrich their lives. We do this by providing educational, social and cultural opportunities for people of all ages, interests and backgrounds. We build community by valuing diversity, connecting neighbors, and providing a gathering place for families, individuals and groups.
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