In a past life, I worked as a Spanish teacher at the Millbrook School in Dutchess County, NY. It was a brief but intense experience, and I have very strong memories of both the people and the campus. Sometimes I wish I had some kind of amazing DVD to commemorate my time there…
…and now I do! Thanks to my friend David Pecchia at the Millbrook development office (and the many people who worked on it), everyone who has fond memories of Millbrook can relive the good ol’ days with “Down School Road,” a DVD commemorating the school’s 75th anniversary. The design of the packaging and the production quality of the DVD itself are gorgeous. From the moment I opened the slick folder to the fade-out of the last bonus feature, I was wowed. Not to mention more than a little bit emotional.
Of course, while the DVD was produced and given to thousands of people in honor of the school’s 75th year, it is also a fund-raising tool. The folder contains an Annual Fund donation form (convenient! although I already gave this year, Dave) and understated shout-outs (if such a thing exists) to major donors throughout the film. Other organizations seeking monetary gifts, such as my old alma mater, could learn much from this DVD.
The main lesson? In the modern age, there is no excuse for shoddy marketing materials. This DVD surely was not cheap to produce (despite the donated time and efforts of Millbrook students, faculty, and alumni) but its quality will be evident and appreciated by everyone who receives it in the mailbox this December. Even though I already gave to Millbrook this year, I was reaching for my checkbook halfway through the film. Imagine what alumns who actually have money will do when they see it! That new sustainable math and science building is as good as built.