Coming soon to a theater near...Hartington
By Loretta Sorensen, Journal correspondent | Posted: Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Dana Fuelberth (left) and Brittany Sturek of Hartington, Neb., are two of 20 members of Hartington's LEAP group who have organized a drive-in theater which should open in July. The movies will be projected on the side of one of the buildings at the Cedar County Fairgrounds because cost and maintenance of a drive-in movie screen would be too expensive. (Photo by Loretta Sorensen)
HARTINGTON, Neb. -- Harry Potter, or at least images of him, may be bouncing off the walls of the Cedar County Fairgrounds in Hartington later this summer if a local youth group finalizes plans to open a drive-in theater.
Because a regular movie screen would be cost prohibitive, the group, Hartington LEAP, will use one of the fairgrounds' buildings to project movies.
"It's taken a lot of cooperation and dedication from everyone to make this happen," LEAP member Dana Fuelberth said.
LEAP pairs pairing youth and adults in community governing agencies help them improve their community. Fuelberth and Brittany Sturek are two of 20 members of the Hartington LEAP group which renovated the city's East Park and hosted a state LEAP event in July 2004.
"When they came up with the idea for the drive-in, I thought it was pretty ambitious," said Jane Armstrong, a Cedar County Extension Educator and Hartington LEAP mentor. "They had a very successful clean-up project at the city park, but this seemed like a big jump."
Since 2005, youth have researched the need for a drive-in while working out details necessary to make it happen. A local survey provided them with information about the community's interest. It also confirmed their projection that local youth would rather stay in Hartington for activities.
"Most of the time we have to drive to other communities for activities," Sturek said. "We expect that some kids from other communities will come here when the drive-in opens."
Fuelberth said the group also expects adults who went to Hartington's former drive-in will enjoy reliving the experience.
"We think adults will have fun remembering what it was like to go to a drive-in and younger people will get to have that same experience," Fuelberth said.
"I personally did some of the research," Fuelberth said. "We all worked together to ask local businesses to donate funds for the project, and they all agreed to do that."
The group searched out equipment costs and resources for movies that they can show.
"The cost of a regular drive-in screen is $20,000 to $30,000," Armstrong said. "The cost of insurance for it is also very high, so the group knew early on that they wouldn't be able to do that. That's how the group came up with the idea to use a building at the fairgrounds."
At an entrepreneur event in Nebraska City, Neb., LEAP members connected with an individual who expects to assist them in obtaining current movie releases. If their plans come together, the drive-in could open in July.
"We don't know yet what our first movie will be," Fuelberth said. "We're hoping to involve our high school student council in operating it and they'll get part of the proceeds. We're not doing it to make money. It's been a learning experience that we think will help us understand economic development and how to cooperate with our community to make improvements."
Because a regular movie screen would be cost prohibitive, the group, Hartington LEAP, will use one of the fairgrounds' buildings to project movies.
"It's taken a lot of cooperation and dedication from everyone to make this happen," LEAP member Dana Fuelberth said.
LEAP pairs pairing youth and adults in community governing agencies help them improve their community. Fuelberth and Brittany Sturek are two of 20 members of the Hartington LEAP group which renovated the city's East Park and hosted a state LEAP event in July 2004.
"When they came up with the idea for the drive-in, I thought it was pretty ambitious," said Jane Armstrong, a Cedar County Extension Educator and Hartington LEAP mentor. "They had a very successful clean-up project at the city park, but this seemed like a big jump."
Since 2005, youth have researched the need for a drive-in while working out details necessary to make it happen. A local survey provided them with information about the community's interest. It also confirmed their projection that local youth would rather stay in Hartington for activities.
"Most of the time we have to drive to other communities for activities," Sturek said. "We expect that some kids from other communities will come here when the drive-in opens."
Fuelberth said the group also expects adults who went to Hartington's former drive-in will enjoy reliving the experience.
"We think adults will have fun remembering what it was like to go to a drive-in and younger people will get to have that same experience," Fuelberth said.
"I personally did some of the research," Fuelberth said. "We all worked together to ask local businesses to donate funds for the project, and they all agreed to do that."
The group searched out equipment costs and resources for movies that they can show.
"The cost of a regular drive-in screen is $20,000 to $30,000," Armstrong said. "The cost of insurance for it is also very high, so the group knew early on that they wouldn't be able to do that. That's how the group came up with the idea to use a building at the fairgrounds."
At an entrepreneur event in Nebraska City, Neb., LEAP members connected with an individual who expects to assist them in obtaining current movie releases. If their plans come together, the drive-in could open in July.
"We don't know yet what our first movie will be," Fuelberth said. "We're hoping to involve our high school student council in operating it and they'll get part of the proceeds. We're not doing it to make money. It's been a learning experience that we think will help us understand economic development and how to cooperate with our community to make improvements."
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