On Nov. 4, as part of the Jump for Joy program, professional athletes Neil Amonson and Jeff Shapiro will be skydiving at local schools to spark interest in living life to the fullest and this year’s Friday Harbor Film Festival. The first skydive takes place at the middle school at 12 p.m. and the second jump will occur at the elementary school at 1:15 p.m. These high-flying skydivers will also be spending the entire weekend connecting with local students at festival events. Neil Amonson is part of the educational and inspirational program, Jump for Joy, which teaches young people that they can do whatever they dream and that no dream is too big when it comes to seeking happiness.  Jeff Shapiro, a world class Hang Glider pilot represented the United States in the 2009 and 2011 World Championships, now Jeff is one of the world’s elite Wing Suit pilots! KAVU, which stands for Klear Above, Unlimited Visibility, is a company aimed at inspiring people to make the most of every day and will be sponsoring the skydiving activities! KAVU is a major supporter of this year’s festival as Bruce Barr, the founder of KAVU who attended Friday Harbor High School, is being honored at the Festival this year with a Local Hero Award. KAVU will also be showcasing their top adventurers, such as Amonson and Shapiro, and filmmakers during Saturday night’s KAVU Collection, which will be held at the Whittier Theatre from 7–10pm. Visit www.fhff.org/events for more details on the event. Another key piece of information is that the Friday Harbor Film Festival is providing free weekend passes to all elementary, middle and high school students in Friday Harbor who want to attend. Any interested student may receive a free student wristband, which provides access to films shown during the festival. Elementary and middle school students, accompanied by their parents/guardians, can pick up their wristbands at the Festival Office, 10 First Street. The Festival has a very exciting line-up of documentary films, and special events that celebrate the art of filmmaking. Over 50 films have been scheduled, featuring quality documentaries and docu-dramas that highlight compelling stories about humanitarian efforts, environmental issues, social concerns, and daring explorations. The Friday Harbor Film Festival is proud to be distinguished by the large number of filmmakers who personally come to San Juan Island each year from across the globe.

The full line-up of films can be viewed on the Festival’s website, www.fhff.org.