The SEMAFX Network is hosting their third Annual Summer Picnic on Tuesday, July 19, 2005, at VFW Park in
Royal Oak. Everyone and their families are welcome to this free event. Dinner is pot luck, so attendees are
asked to bring a dish to pass, and their choice of beverage and stuff for the grille. Games, Frisbees, hacky
sack, volleyball and kickball are typical activities for this fun and relaxing event.
As a centerpiece to this event, SEMAFX features their first annual “10M Run for Charity” to raise money to
send kids to Camp! The M stands for METERS, folks… not miles! As SEMAFX Founder Scott Paul Dunham
explains, “Hey, we love kids, but let’s be frank, we’re a bunch of sedentary computer artists! Ten meters is
about all many of us can handle safely!”
For the metrically challenged, 10 meters is approximately 33 feet! When asked why so short a distance,
Dunham replied with a smile, “Sure it’s silly! But our intention to raise money is real and sincere. I wanted to
create an event that was uniquely ours! And a 10M Run fits our lifestyle (as he pats his belly) and hopefully
won’t cause any permanent damage. This event is just quirky enough to be fun and memorable. Especially
for the kids that we send to camp!” Dunham mentioned that pledges can be made as a lump sum or per
meter. Donations can also be made through PayPal on their website
(www.semafx.net/index.php?module=PayPalCart&cid=4). Dunham also points out that this is a perfect
example of how people can make a big difference by doing little things for others.
Spring Hill Camp is a world class camp for young people located in Evart, Michigan. They have a scholarship
program that helps kids who normally cannot afford to go to camp. (www.springhillcamps.com)
For 7 years, the SEMAFX Network has hosted monthly events at venues all over Southeast Michigan. These
events are geared to encourage communication and collaboration between the hundreds of animators, FX
artists, designers and other digital creatives who live and work in this area. Their goal is to raise the level of
the artist and the Craft, to promote this region as a powerful digital arts resource for local business and
companies all across the nation. SEMAFX members are extremely diverse, spanning the film, video, web
and new media industries. This diversity is what makes the networking so rewarding. Events are fun,
informative and open to anyone with an interest in networking with talented, inspiring artists who are
exploring the rapidly changing world of animation, visual effects and other related digital arts fields.
SEMAFX is a non-profit professional organization and is the official ACM SIGGRAPH Professional Chapter for
Southeast Michigan. (www.siggraph.org)

Date: July 19, 2005
Time: Picnic takes place 4 -10 pm. 10M Run scheduled around 6 pm.
Venue: VFW Park in Royal Oak, MI. (S. Campbell & E. Lincoln)

For further information please contact:
Scott Paul Dunham, Founder/Chairman, The SEMAFX Network
email: scottd@semafx.com, 313 418 5177 mobile
more info at: http://www.semafx.net/picnic05/
July 11, 2005
THE SEMAFX NETWORK PICNIC FEATURES 10 METER RUN FOR CHARITY