Today, filmmaker Dorn Hetzel plans on paying tribute to the late Mayor Bill Welch, the man who bridged the gap between a community and a university, with his memoriam documentary These Things are Important to Remember.
Penn State Public Broadcasting will air the documentary packaged with a rerun episode of Pennsylvania Inside Out that featured Welch discussing the topic of organ donations. Mayor Welch received a kidney from his daughter in 1994.
These shows will run back to back starting at 10 tonight on WPSU.
Hetzel, associate head of the Department of Film-Video and Media Studies, said he was proud to know Welch while he was alive and felt honored to make this film for him. A much shorter version was shown at Welch's memorial service but when given the opportunity to show the film on TV, Hetzel was thrilled with the opportunity to include more.
The film is a compilation of interviews with people who knew Welch accompanied by old photos of the mayor and the town. It includes a musical score written by Arthur Goldstein with Welch in mind.
"The music is just another part of Bill that will be in the film," Hetzel said.
When Penn State President Graham Spanier spoke at Welch's memorial, he called him the "mayor of the university." Hetzel hopes that this film will make aware the level of dedication Welch put toward every aspect of his job.
Hetzel said that the most memorable work that Welch and Spanier collaborated on was their work on tolerance. Hetzel listed a wide range of moments throughout Welch's term where he displayed integrity and tolerance in the face of discrimination.
"At a time when many Pennsylvania officials were against gay and lesbian rights, Bill performed a commitment ceremony," Hetzel said. "After Bill first got word of the terrorist attack on 9/11, he went to the local Muslim center and sat with them all day and night in case there were any attacks. He knew that they were just as devastated as the rest of the community."
Bianca Barr, senior promotions associate at WPSU, said the documentary works to help locals learn more about the late mayor through the eyes of his friends.
"We are really excited about being able to put on an hour block of programming dedicated to Mayor Welch," Barr said.
Hetzel said the film will help commemorate Welch's legacy and make sure it isn't lost to new generations of State College residents.
"The film can create a document so those that we've lost can live on a little bit through future generations," he said.
Hetzel said he was proud to make this movie, but it was definitely a group effort. Former students Mike Craven and Marty Camden played integral roles in the making of the movie -- their small gift to a man who dedicated his life to the town and the university.
