Stacey and David Hatch owners of WhistleStop Productions had the dream of developing astate of the art facility anchored by an award winning, internationally recognized, and locally based, television Production Company. The facility would house an advanced media education centre offering hands on training with local experts and industry leaders, providing real life, professional experiences. The fundamental goal was to serve as a model of sustainable career creation and development, employing knowledge workers, in a rural setting. The first step in achieving their dream was to receive not for profit status for the Headland New Media Development Organization which they received earlier this month.

Mr. John Licharson, Chairman, Prince Edward/Lennox & Addington Community Futures Development Corporation (PELA CFDC) and Mr. Craig Desjardins, Executive Director of PELA CFDC, today announced its support of $49,000 to the Municipality of Prince Edward County for the Headland New Media Development Organization.

"We at PELA-CFDC are very pleased tohelp bring an exciting,innovative enterprise to Prince Edward County. This projectwill opena new dimension of economic activity in our area. And, in doing so, itwill providescopefor a whole range of non-traditional, challengingand satisfying professional work opportunitiesfor our young people”says John Licharson.

PELA CFDC is also proud to announce that WhistleStop Productions received a $15,000 youth intern grant. WhistleStop Productions has hiredVictor Cooper who is a Loyalist Television and New Media Program grad. He has many different areas of interest within television production: shooting, editing, and web design. Under the guidance of the entire WhistleStop staff, Victor will spend his year with us expanding his knowledge and experience, as we expose him to all aspects of international television production.

Funding from the Government of Canada’s Eastern Ontario Development Program has been provided through the Community Capacity Initiative which provides grants to projects that will strengthen thelocal area by incrementally addressing local needs and priorities and will result in long term benefits including job creation, economic diversification and enhanced business competitiveness.

PELA CFDC is one of 37 CFDCs in rural and Sothern Ontario funded by Industry Canada’s Community Futures Program through FedDev. CFDCs deliver a wide variety of programs and services to support community economic development and small business growth. They employ local staff and are each governed by a volunteer board of directors, made up of local residents representative of the community.

To learn more about PELA CFDC and its grass roots approach to economic development or the EODP program and how you can apply for next year’s funding, please contact one of our friendly staff at either location in Picton or Napanee. You can also visit us atwww.pelacfdc.ca.