Helping Our Community Theater

Our Island Theater has been a community mainstay since 1947. The unique Art Deco structure with the signature murals by long gone islander, Jack Tabor, is in danger of closing. The movie industry is switching to a digital only format by the end of the year, and owner Eileen Wolcott is faced with the need to purchase a digital screening system. The system costs around $60,000. She will not be able to afford to make that investment on her own, and, if it is not made, she may have to close the theater.

Despite its private ownership, the theater is truly a community resource. You may remember some 20-30 years ago the theater faced a similar fate. Then, as now, the theater was a marginal business, more of a labor of love. The owner at that time was throwing in the towel and there were no takers. In contemplating the possiblility that the theater might be torn down, I realized that it was a relic from another era and we would never again have such a facility. New owners came in and saved the day. The Wolcotts, who bought the theater in 2003, have been very generous in providing the theater as a venue for numerous fundraisers and community events. Perhaps it is now time for us to give back.

Tag Gornall, of Island GreenTech, has asked me to put out an appeal to all our Island organizations to help the theater get the equipment it needs to continue serving our community. Island GreenTech has offered to work with Eileen to raise $100,000 to buy and install the needed equipment and put the theater on a solid footing for the future. The equipment would be owned by the Vashon community through the non profit, Island GreenTech, and leased to the current owners. The suppliers of the equipment need half the cost, $30,000, up front in order to be placed on the waiting list. Since there is a high demand for this equipment due to the coming deadline, we will need to get that $30,000 in four weeks time in order to get the equipment before the end of the year. Time is short, so please make an appeal to your members to give generously and soon. It really isn’t that much money if we all do our part!

Donations can be dropped off at the Theater, the Credit Union, or mailed to Island GreenTech, PO box 1847, Vashon, 98070. Please include your name and address so they can send you a tax exemption certificate, and they need to know if you wish to remain anonymous. Inquiries about the proposal can be made to Tag Gornall at tag3dvm@me.com .

Thanks so much for your help on this!

Regards,
Terry Sullivan