Every time a resident purchased a movie ticket at Town Theatre since Monday, the profits from that ticket support the Chillicothe Optimist Club, which in turn, support the youth of the community.
Irvin Latta, club treasurer, calls that “reinvesting” in the youth of town.
The Chillicothe Optimist Club officially received $180,000 of financing Monday through the Chillicothe Development Co. for the purchase of Town Theatre. The Optimists bought the theater from Vern Reynolds for $200,000.
Tickets prices are increasing to $4 for children (11 and under) and seniors and $5 for adults.
Optimists continue their fundraising efforts for new equipment, including new seats, a digital projector and more, as well as early debt retirement.
Latta said he expects for the seats to be ordered in the next couple weeks. They may be received by February or March, and will be installed as soon as possible.
The city granted the Optimists up to $50,000 to refurbish the seats.
Optimists are looking for those who are willing to make $1,000 donations, which gives them a permanent inscription on the $1,000 giving tree inside the theater and two tickets for the Dec. 10 fundraiser.
For more information, call Latta or JB Culbertson.
The next public fundraiser is a “Special Screening” Dec. 10. The movie theater will be closed to the public that evening for the 6 p.m. event.
Tickets are $75 each for the champagne and hors d’oeuvre event, which is for adults only. Tours of the building will be available, and two new-release movies will be shown at 7 p.m.
The Optimists also will celebrate the theater’s 60th anniversary the first week of December.
Tickets may be purchased from any Optimist member or by calling Culbertson at 274-3418.
Tim & Shelly’s 2nd Street Bar & Grill will host a spaghetti supper to benefit the theater from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 17. Also included is a silent auction with some special items, including a 1986 Ford Mustang convertible and a seven-day, six-night stay in a Wisconsin cabin. Cost for the meal is $8 for adults or $5 for kids.
Donations of any amount to help the Optimists also may be made by mailing a check to the Optimist Club at P.O. Box 72, Chillicothe, IL 61523, or drop at the Chillicothe Chamber of Commerce, 1028 N. Second St. See Page 5A for a form.
“If there is any one thing people can do for us, it is to come back to the movie theater,” Latta said.
Once there, he said, hold onto the ticket stubs and give them to a favorite youth club.
At the end of next year, Latta said the profit/loss statements will be “very transparent” to the public. And, then, profits can be handed out to youth groups.
