Volunteer of the Week for June 22nd, 2007

Mark Grassia is a film student at Fitchburg State College's Communications Department. Although young, he has a solid professional background in video production and editing. Recently, he filmed Dr. John's visit to Ben, a remarkable boy of 18 living with AIDS (see former Volunteer of Week). When edited, it will be posted on this site. He filmed Dr. John's recent speech at the Global Health Council in Washington. Mark also made a video about people living with AIDS in Baltimore for a 48-Hour Film Festival (everything had to be shot and edited in two days).

The outdoor photo is of Mark scouting out the swimming pool in Ashburnham, Massachusetts where he is set to direct the shooting of two Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for cable television. Dr. John and TeenAIDS received a grant from Cable Positive's Tony Cox Award to produce teen-oriented PSAs about AIDS prevention. He has organized the crew, actors and equipment for "Pool Party 1" and Pool Party" that Dr. John and Mark scripted.

Mark is planning on taking a major role in our upcoming Worldwide Webcast. He comes from Stoneham, a suburb of Boston and is devoted to his two younger sisters and supportive parents. He really likes the music of John Mayer.

Dr. John shows Mark the swimming pool of a Board member
where TeenAIDS' PSAs are being shot in mid-July