BOSTON -- An a-list actor is making the holidays brighter for some local woman.
Actor-Director Mel Gibson showed his generosity following his movie shoot in Boston by donating to a cause he holds close to his heart, preventing violence against women.
Gibson offered a boost to Casa Myrna Vazquez, a South Boston domestic violence program, by donating $25,000.
It wasn't the first contact the social service agency had with the Hollywood actor. In July, one of Casa Myrna's shelters was on the short list to be an apartment scene for Gibson's film, Edge of darkness, and the location scout seemed impressed.
"She took a few pictures; then she went away," said Deborah Collins-Gousby, Casa Myrna's executive director. "We didn't hear back. We realized the film had actually started filming and we just thought that was the end of that."
But that wasn't the end. Out of the blue a check from Mel Gibson and his wife arrived in the mail.
"We would have loved to have him come in with the check, and we would have loved to meet him, but no, it was very meaningful to have an actor who's played these macho figures, to have him choose to support a domestic violence program to us was very meaningful," said fundraiser Nathalie Favre-Gilly.
Casa Myrna hopes Gibson's donation will raise awareness that domestic violence isn't just a women's issue and that both men and women can help make a difference.
(Copyright (c) 2008 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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