Carbondale resident organizes film screening to raise money for animal rescue
Courtesy/ Jessi Rochel
Carbondale resident Jessi Rochel, an avid runner and animal lover, will run in the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon to raise funds for rescue animals.
“I’m a huge, huge advocate for rescue animals,” Rochel said. “There’s so many animals that deserve good homes.”
Rochel, who has been trying to gain entry to the marathon for years, organized a fundraiser screening of the award-winning film “Flow” as part of her participation in the race.
“Flow” is a dialogue-free animated film that tells the story of a cat that unites with other animals to survive after their home is destroyed. Directed, written, and produced by Gints Zilbalodis, the independent film won a 2025 Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film and an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
“I wanted to do something animal related since it’s to benefit an animal rescue and it just worked out really nicely that ‘Flow’ hadn’t been shown yet,” Rochel said. “Now that it’s won both the Golden Globe and Oscar, I’m hoping people will be excited to come see it.”
“Flow” will be screened from 6:45-8:45 p.m. on Wednesday at the Crystal Theatre, 427 Main St., Carbondale. Tickets are $23.18 in advance (including processing fees) and $25 at the door. See the Post Independent’s event calendar for more information.
Everyone who purchases a ticket for the screening will receive a prize giveaway ticket. Additional prize tickets can be purchased for $5 each or five for $20. Prizes include dog treats, a yoga punch pass, a Shot Ski and more.
“It’s really nice having fundraisers in this valley because everybody is so generous and willing to get involved and support,” Rochel said.
All proceeds from the upcoming event will be donated to ALIVE Rescue, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehoming animals in Chicago. Founded in 2008, the no-kill rescue prioritizes taking in animals that might otherwise be overlooked — like senior pets and those with special needs — from Chicago animal shelters with high euthanasia rates. ALIVE Rescue then rehabilitates the animals and finds them loving homes.
Rochel has to raise a minimum of $1,500 for the rescue to run in the Chicago Marathon as part of the “Alive and Running” team in October. As a team member, she will have the chance to train with other runners, win prizes and attend the shelter’s celebration party.
Rochel has personal experience with rescue animals. She adopted her cat, Bergamot, affectionately known as ‘Bergi,’ from the Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE) in Glenwood Springs in 2021.
“I have a rescue cat and she is my favorite thing. She’s so special to me,” Rochel said. “She originally was at the Rifle Animal Shelter, was adopted there and then surrendered to CARE because the family found her too shy. So I adopted her from CARE in November 2021.
“She was a little shy at first, but she has grown to be the best little cat,” she added. “I love her so much and I want to see that for other animals.”
Go to http://www.coloradoanimalrescue.org for more information on adoptable pets currently at the shelter.
