Community members asked me to open this so they could help. I didn’t want to ask, but I’m at a place where I need support with legal costs and the personal debt that came from restoring Village Cinema.

Story

This isn’t something I ever expected to write.

For the last year, I put everything I had into restoring Village Cinema. I took a dark, abandoned building and brought it back to life for this town. Free kids movies, family events, Indigenous programming, community nights, birthday parties, and a space where people felt safe and welcome. I spent my own savings, maxed out credit, took loans, and worked day and night because I believed in what this place meant to the community.

What most people didn’t see was the fight behind the scenes.

The lease dispute with the City, the obstruction, the removal delays, the lack of credit for over $24,000 of improvements I paid for, the constant battles, the legal pressure, and the financial strain that kept growing no matter how much I tried to fix it.

Now, after everything, I’m left with heavy personal debt, legal costs I can’t cover, and the collapse of the business I built. It has pushed me to the edge.

I didn’t plan to ask anyone for help. In fact, I resisted it.

But people kept reaching out, saying, “Let us help.”

So this is me, humbly opening that door.

If you donate, you’re not supporting a failure.

You’re supporting someone who fought for this community with everything he had and simply can’t carry the financial weight alone anymore.

The funds will go toward:

• Legal costs connected to the lease dispute

• Personal debt accumulated from restoring the theater

• Essential living expenses while I get back on my feet

Every bit helps — and if you can’t donate, sharing this helps too.

Thank you to everyone who stood with me, who showed up, who believed in Village Cinema, and who believe in justice and fairness.

Your support means more than I can ever express.