Exclusive Community Showing of Film on Penn State Coach Joe Paterno April 11 at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks

“The Joe We Know,” a feature documentary film about legendary Penn State Football Coach Joe Paterno, will be presented on Sat., April 11 at Noon at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. Local lettermen Mike Cerimele ’00 will introduce the film and Tom Donchez ’74 will lead the post-film discussion.

Although free, tickets are required to attend the event. Planners request a $10 per person donation to help defray costs. Any monies collected above costs will be donated in Paterno’s name to the ArtsQuest Foundation and The Second Harvest Food Bank. The screening will be followed by a producer’s talk and audience question and answer period. Theatre doors open at 11:30 am. To reserve tickets, preview highlights of the film and see the full event schedule, please visit: www.grandexperiment.org/news.

Former Nittany Lions players share their personal stories in the film, highlighting the inspiration of their mentor and coach. These men, who have gone on to become professional athletes, doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers and more, credit Paterno and his “Grand Experiment” football program for their professional and personal success.

Originally envisioned as a surprise 85th birthday gift for Paterno, the film was shot in January 2012 in 12 days in five cities — State College, Pittsburgh, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Seventy athletes from six decades were interviewed.  Paterno died three days after filming was complete, unaware of the film’s existence.

The Bethlehem event is presented by the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association and the Lettermen who are the movie’s producers. The groups are focused on promoting the values espoused by Coach Paterno, educating the public about Paterno’s persistent integrity, and securing a fair legacy for the coach, especially in the wake of the recent scandal with connections to Penn State.