SPRAGUEVILLE—Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films will screen their new Emmy-nominated documentary “Resurrecting Forest Grove” on Sunday, October 13 at 1 p.m. as part of a benefit screening for the North bend Community Center Schoolhouse. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. at the Spragueville Community Center, 106. S. Division Street, Spragueville, Iowa. Admission is $5/pp, with popcorn included. A Q&A with the Emmy award-winning filmmakers will follow the 1-hour film. In addition, excerpts from “Country School: One Room: One Nation” featuring North Bend Community Center’s successful and inspiring restoration story will be showcased during the program. Desserts and beverages will be available to purchase.
“Resurrecting Forest Grove” cinematically tells the dramatic true story behind the seemingly impossible task of restoring a vintage one-room school to its 1920s appearance. Footage and interviews gathered over a decade depict the problems they faced and the solutions they employed as they attempted to bring this decaying rural icon back to life. The surprises and successes of this challenging restoration project are intercut with a vivid historical portrait of the ‘Roaring 20s’ in rural America.
The Rundles first visited the 1873 Forest Grove School No. 5 in Bettendorf, Iowa in 2009 while filming the decaying school in a blizzard for their Emmy-nominated historical documentary Country School: One Room – One Nation. The school appeared to be on the brink of collapse. In 2012, a small group of preservationists stood before the hollowed-out shell of the unique and historic schoolhouse and decided it could, and should, be saved.
“The success story of North Bend Community Centers’ complete restoration by a determined community of volunteers informed and inspired other one-room school rehabilitation projects, Forest Grove among them,” said director Kelly Rundle. “We are happy to be part of this special benefit film event supporting the upkeep of North Bend Community Center—one of Iowa’s historic educational gems.”
“Our time filming at the beautiful North Bend Community Center in 2009 for “Country School: One Room – One Nation” will always be special and memorable to us,” said producer Tammy Rundle. “We met wonderful former students and teachers, craftsmen and women, and tireless volunteers through that project, and many have remained close friends all these years later.”
North Bend Community Center is located at Iron Bridge Road in Spragueville, IA. Visit North Bend Community Center at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076145484931
“Resurrecting Forest Grove” was partially funded by grants from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Moline Foundation. For more information about the new documentary, visit http://www.ForestGroveMovie.com.
Forest Grove School No. 5 is located at 24040 Forest Grove Dr. in Bettendorf and is open Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. during the summer, or by appointment. For more information, visit www.ForestGroveSchool.org.
Fourth Wall Films is a four-time Emmy award-winning independent media production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.
View the “Resurrecting Forest Grove” trailer: https://vimeo.com/1013298451
North Bend School House and property- Drone Photo from Jody Phipps of Washington State.
Resurrecting Forrest Grove Documentary.
Tammy and Kelly Rundle pose near the North Bend School Site.
First Day of Filming for Country School Documentary and day that North Bend won a preservation award from the State Historical Society.
