Tina Newton came to Atenas, Costa Rica, only to find that the community had no permanent place for dance lessons or other learning opportunities that she knew were needed. She had seen the role of the YMCA in communities in the States and decided something needed to be done. She learned that a “can do” attitude and creative problem solving were the answers and she started Su Espacio – which means “Your Place” in Spanish. Since then, Tina has launched a host of other community building projects. Tina Newton is a forerunner…and this is her story.

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Kim Turner watched the devastation of Haiti’s earthquake on television and before she knew it, she was planning a trip to the area to do what she could to help. Kim had used her talents before to bring projects like this together, but this time, she was going to have direct contact with the people in need and learn that sharing herself has the most impact. Kim Turner is a forerunner…and this is her story…

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It was a crazy idea at the time but not for those who could see it in their mind’s eye. For 4 visionaries from Cambridge, Ontario, the idea of making a theatre and films 3 times the usual size, in order to bring the viewer into the film and give them the experience of being there, was already real – all they had to do was ‘build it and the people would come’ – and come they did. IMAX now has more than 400 theatres world-wide – but it wasn’t easy. Robert Kerr and Graeme Ferguson are forerunners… and this is their story.

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Susan Lutz moved to Costa Rica in 1998 and discovered her love for story and film-making in one of the poorest neighborhoods of San Jose. She also learned that coffee workers had exceptionally high rates of cancer. These coffee workers and Susan found empowerment and the opportunity to tell their story through a theater and film production called: “The Coffee Dance”. They are forerunners…. and this is their story.

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Christian Nafziger came to Ontario Canada to escape the persecution he and his Mennonite community were experiencing in Germany in the early 1800s – only to discover injustice and persecution here. Some of his own community went back to Germany never to live in the hope they had for a better life….but Nafziger took a chance and in so doing learned how to confront and win over greed and corruption -  Christian Nafziger is a forerunner…. and this is his story.

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In the early years, Liz Marshall was fascinated with acting, later she moved to photography, then discovered film as her way of giving voice to other activists. She is now the director of many outstanding films which educate, inform, and inspire people to make a difference. Her most recent film is “Water on the Table” which is a landmark film about the right of everyone to clean water. Liz Marshall is an activist, a film maker, and a forerunner…. and this is her story.

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There is a pandemic killing 5 million people every year – no, it is not AIDs, nor is it famine – it’s smoking related diseases. It’s shocking that governments have done so little about it – it could be because of the lies and deception of the tobacco industry itself. Garfield Mahood has been fighting ignorance and lies and promoting non-smokers’ rights for 30 years. He is a forerunner and this is his story.

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Back in the ’50s, Ira Needles wanted to help his community and Canada to remain competitive by training 150,000 engineers. To do that he would have to do what no one else had ever done. He innovated and improved upon an existing idea to vault him and his new school onto the world stage. The University of Waterloo has in turn become the hub of innovation and technological foresight. Today, what Needles accomplished is still benefiting his community and most of Canada. Ira Needles is a forerunner and this is his story.

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In 2000, the United Nations said that they would end extreme poverty by 2025. In reality, there is more poverty now than there was then. Dale and Linda Bolton went to Africa looking for a solution that would empower the people to end their extreme poverty and to grow health. They now have 122 projects in 4 countries which have the potential to end extreme poverty. Dale and Linda Bolton are forerunners and this is their story.

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“If you keep asking the right questions you will find the right answers.” The Boltons saw 40 million children in Africa with no parents and asked: “How can we help them?” The answer wasn’t what they thought it would be, but it revealed a whole new way of looking at Aid in Africa, how to eliminate Extreme Poverty, and how to live a healthy and long life. Dale and Linda Bolton are forerunners and this is their story.

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