Jackson, Wyoming — March 23, 2007 — Organizers of The Alpinist Film Festival and One Percent for the Tetons announced today that the 2007 Film Festival raised more than $6,500 for One Percent for the Tetons, an amount that supplements the $1,460 that the Film Festival raised for One Percent at a September Special Screening. One Percent will use the proceeds to help benefit the Tetons and Jackson’s surrounding valley.
“The 2007 Alpinist Film Festival was an extraordinary event, and One Percent for the Tetons is proud and honored to be a part of it,” said Jonathan Schechter, co-founder of One Percent for the Tetons. “The Alpinist Film Festival and One Percent for the Tetons are wonderful complements to each other, each dedicated to honoring the legacy of Jackson Hole and sustaining it for future generations.”
“The proceeds directly benefited our surrounding area, the place that we call home,” said Alpinist Film Festival Founder and Alpinist Editor Christian Beckwith. “In helping One Percent for the Tetons, we’re helping to preserve one of the places of our inspiration.”
Money was raised for One Percent for the Tetons through silent auctions held throughout the three nights of the Festival and a percentage of liquor sales from New Belgium beer. During the event, One Percent also saw an increase in its membership, making Jackson home to roughly ten percent of all members of One Percent’s parent organization, One Percent for the Planet.
“The 2007 Alpinist Film Festival provided One Percent for the Tetons with a wonderful showcase,” Schechter continued. “It allowed us to increase our membership by ten percent, giving us over fifty members in just our first nine months, a goal we thought would take two years to reach. In fact, even though the Festival is over, the phone keeps ringing with people who learned about us over the weekend and now want to join One Percent.”
All three nights of the 2007 Alpinist Film Festival, held from March 15-17 at Jackson’s Center for the Arts, sold out days in advance, continuing the Festival’s tradition of selling out every event in its history.
“We consider this year’s Festival a resounding success,” said Beckwith. “Not only did we raise awareness and money for One Percent for the Tetons, we also executed the best Festival yet. As we continue to grow the Festival, philanthropy will continue to be a cornerstone of our efforts.”
During the first Film Festival, in 2005, the event raised $5,000 for the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation’s Khumbu Climbing School. In 2006, the Festival raised more than $7,000 for the Central Asia Institute. To date, the Film Festival has raised more than $20,000 for various charities that are committed to the preservation of the places in which climbers, surfers and skiers play.