Our Story

Coyote Nights, by Rosalee Mayeux

- Awarded The Columbine Award for Best Short Story, promoting peace and non-violent conflict resolution, at the Moondance International Film Festival in 2005. -

I have been a hard-working actress in Los Angeles for over 25 years. I've won awards for short stories, written and directed commercials.  As a single mom, I wanted nothing more than to provide for my kids, send them to the right schools, take them to church, show them how to live good honest lives.  But there were forces building up around me that I wouldn't be able to battle alone. The day I found out someone was selling drugs to my kids I decided to go to any lengths to find out how this could have happened.  Didn't I raise them right? Where was I when this happened? Had I worked too many hours, had I failed them in so many ways that they would turn to a dealer? Who were these people who would sell to 11 and 12 year olds? And then one night, in a moment of clarity, I knew the truth ... the problem was coming from somewhere much closer to home ...

 I am now expanding this personal story into a documentary, a mom-u-mentary if you will, to help all our kids stay safe from the powerful pull of drugs and the pressure to fit in, to belong.

The Impact

Coyote Nights reaches out to parents to let them know they are not alone, but they do have to be brave, be informed, and stand up for their kids.  And it really reaches kids. Ive seen it when they watch the trailer. They say, Aw, Dude, its so like that out there!  They feel heard.

What We Need & What You Get

The donations of time and fabulous free crew support have been awesome.  Weve done an amazing job on the trailer, and the Moondance Festival helped support us with a $500 Production Award toward the edit.

Now we need to raise $26,000 to finish filming, to rent equipment, to pay and feed the crew and cast.  So far, we have $1500 coming in this week, plus one friend who has pledged $5,000 if we can find matching funds!!!  The rough cut will come later, but for now, we must finish capturing our footage.  And the filming will begin in August with whatever we've raised!!!

Please go to the short story on the website www.coyotenights.org so you can imagine the trainers orchestrating the coyote scenes, the teenagers reacting, and envision the Volvo we will need to rent for the opening sequence.  Amazingly, we are interviewing drug dealers who want to help us.  And they don't ask for a dime, just a six-pack and gas money and a copy of their interview.

With TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS through our fiscal non-profit sponsor, Carole Dean of the Roy Dean Grant Foundation, From The Heart Productions 501(c) you also get all kinds of important rewards: from a DVD to a thank you in the film credits; from where to find the best Italian Deli in LA, to discovering Mulberry Street Pizza; from hook-ups for parents or kids with insightful programs of recovery, to a conversation about the film with the author - anytime, anywhere!  And of course, copies of the released film! Please see MORE on the FABULOUS PERKS PAGE! 

If you have any donation questions, please call

CAROLE DEAN: 805-984-0098

Or email Carole at caroleedean@att.net

Other Ways You Can Help

You can share the COYOTE NIGHTS trailer with your friends!!!  Talk about it!  Ask your boss if they do a matching funds grant!!! Do you have film equipment youd like to lend?  We do need a crane shot   And PLEASE show it to your KIDS!  See what they say!  I promise, you will be surprised!!!