Filmmaker and Humanitarian, Kathy Eldon,
Inspires Union Students to Become Leaders

Kathy M. Eldon, founder of Creative Visions, speaks to Union students during her tour of campus last week.

"Be open to new ideas and experience happiness in the journey of our lives," Kathy M. Eldon said during her fall Convocation address at Union College last week.

Eldon and her daughter Amy launched the Creative Visions Foundation, a nonprofit that offers grants to young people who are using media to stimulate positive change in the world. The foundation's emphasis on young leaders and visionaries is inspired by the memory of Kathy's son Dan, a 22-year old Reuters photographer who was killed in war-torn Somalia.

Dan Eldon, The Art of Life, and The Journey is the Destination, two books published based on a series of journals Dan's family discovered upon his death on July 12, 1993, and a television documentary were the inspiration for Eldon's Convocation address to Union College students, faculty and staff.

Kathy M. Eldon, founder of Creative Visions, speaks at Union's fall convocation last week.

In 1998, five years after Dan's death, Turner Original Productions produced a 1 1/2 hour documentary in association with Creative Visions Productions. Entitled Dying to Tell the Story, the documentary focuses on journalists who risk their lives in an effort to share with the world the stories and images of those who need a voice.

"Lives intersect on safari--your journey-spend it learning and in service to your community, a global community. Every community matters," Eldon said.

Eldon, whose journey brought her to Union College, said that she makes time in her globe-trotting schedule to speak to young people because she wants to inspire leaders, help students develop their voice and motive them to give something back to their perspective and global communities.

You can learn more about Creative Visions Foundation by logging on to unionky.edu/news and clicking on http://www.creativevisions.org/.

September 6, 2005

[Top]