Save the Drive-In! |
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
The other day as I was watching videos on YouTube, I came across an ad for something called Project Drive-In. I don't usually watch an entire ad, but this one captured my attention. I knew there weren't many drive-in theaters left in this country, but what surprised me was the ones that are still around may not be in the next year.
There are 368 drive-ins in America. Many of them are not equipped to make mandatory upgrades to digital projectors. It's a costly project, estimated at more than $85,000. Some theater owners say it would take years to pay for such an upgrade, which will likely force them to close.
That's where Honda is stepping in. The company is spearheading Project Drive-In. It's an awareness campaign and a fundraiser to help save as many of the 368 remaining theaters as possible. They're also donating five projectors to the cause. You can learn more about the project by clicking right here.
Scary Wampa! My first drive-in experience |
As the years went by, we saw plenty of other films at the drive-in, but the theaters were beginning to die out. I grew up in the St. Louis area, and remember there were probably half a dozen different places to go. We'd get there before sun down and all the kids would play on the playground, usually found in front of the big screen. Once the sun started setting, we'd run back to the car to meet mom and dad for a quick trip to the concession stand. No movie was complete without popcorn, soda, and candy. I can still hear the sounds of car tires on the gravel for those who were arriving late as we struggled to hear what was being said on the screen. I can see the flickering light coming out of the projection area.
One of the go to drive-ins back in the day |
After moving around several times since then, I haven't lived in a town with a drive-in in more than 20 years. I know there a few within a two hour radius of here, but until now I haven't put forth any real effort to take my family. That has to change. I'm hoping that Project Drive-In will preserve the few existing drive-ins near me and will encourage others to help too. There are memories to be made, and I want to give my kids a chance to do what we did when we were young.
Click the website I mentioned earlier, use the hashtag #SaveTheDriveIn when talking about it on social media, and watch the video I've included below. Thanks for your help.
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