NOW SHOWING
In A Theatre Near YOU!
by James Leonard

We are very fortunate to have the volunteers we have giving so much of their time for our community and area.  The Buffalo Theatre & Community Centre is gathering a rather impressive list of souls that are giving their time and talents in the ongoing process of blessing our community.  This truly is an absolute phenomenon in our little town. There are many people working consistently together to make this happen.  To date we are averaging at least 56 hours per week donated by volunteers!

Buffalo’s ability to accomplish this magnificent and phenomenal feat has received considerable attention.  We recently were awarded a Community Initiative Award for being one of the top two initiatives in the state of Oklahoma.  The quality of this theatre is much more than one would expect to find in a small, rural town.  Buffalo Theatre & Community Centre is bringing people to town; it is keeping people here; and these people are spending money at other local businesses.  Our gate and concession prices make this an entertainment venue available to all of us—not just some of us. Some of the people enthusiastically volunteering to work at the theatre are not necessarily involved in other aspects of community volunteering.  And again, it is a wonderful thing to see out of town cars in town because of the theatre.  It is very difficult to accept that there are still many locals who do not grasp the significance of this impact.  That number is in the ongoing process of getting smaller and smaller, however.

We have updated projection equipment and DTS Surround Sound.  We schedule very current films.  We can show them 3 weeks off their national release date.  Very current indeed.  We have a carpeted, performance stage and curtains to cover the screen so we can have live performance also.  We received a grant from the Oklahoma Rural Rehabilitation Corporation in Stillwater which purchased our digital dvd projector that will provide opportunities in advertising and fundraising and community awareness.  Also, it provides us the ability to offer various forms of entertainment.  For example, if someone wanted to organize a “Guitar Hero” or “Rock Star Competition", we could do that.

Already the Buffalo Theatre & Community Centre has offered community events.  We are the registration location for the Buffalo Poker Run.  We had a very impressive and successful Santa Day in spite of inclement weather, and we had several sales booths set up for 2007 Town-Wide Sales.  There again, the opportunities are absolutely unlimited!

The Buffalo High School Class of 1978 purchased the very first sponsorship and encourages everyone to get involved.  Additionally, they challenge all BHS Classes to match the amount they sponsored which was $500.  To date, three other BHS Classes have followed suit:  BHS Class of 2012 were the next class to take the challenge, then BHS Class of 1955, and then BHS Class of 1982.  We appreciate these classes giving back to the community that gave them so much.  The challenge is still on—we’d love to hear from YOU!

We DO need every one willing to offer support for this host of opportunities to continue.  If everyone will give a little—we will gain a lot!  We need to retire the debt in order to remain open.  PLEASE consider helping with your generous donation.  If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at (580) 727-5499  or  email me at  james@buffalotheatre.net