2023 Projector Donation Drive
Or "Help us, we need to make $60,000 fast!"Campaign Update (June 22, 2023):
Our 2023 Projector Donation Drive is coming to an end: in total, we raised over $70,000 from over 620 contributors! That entirely covers the cost of the new projector, with an extra $10,000 to pay down our COVID debut. Plus, we’ve seen a boost in attendance this June! Independent cinema is alive and well in Kingston again.
Campaign Update (June 13, 2023):
The 24 Hour Trash Cinema Telethon raised over $1500… thank you Dan Simpson & Jordan Richards for your incredible feat of endurance & creating a fun experience enjoyed by many!
Campaign Update (June 2, 2023):
We did it! We raised $60,000 for our new projector, which is now up and running in the Roxy Theatre! A King Kong-sized hug & “thank you!” to the 500+ cinema-lovers who have supported our cinema’s laser-bright future!
To our Benefactors, Patrons, Friends & Movie Sponsors: watch for your donor perks by mail and/or email in late June/early July. We have more perks to fill than expected, so it will take us longer to process it all!
Our new sound system will be coming later this Summer.
As we still have $130,000 in pandemic debt to pay off, we will continue to accept donations & sponsorships through June from anyone who is inspired to contribute.
Here’s Our Situation
- The cost of a new projector & sound system is $60,000.
- We currently have over $130,000 in Covid debt to pay off.
- Our fixed operating expenses are $85,000/year greater than they were before the pandemic (rent & whatnot).
- After 3 years of doing what we can to get through the pandemic & reinvigorate the theatre, we’ve only just reached the point where we break even. Our sales cover our operating expenses but we are not earning enough for debt repayment.
- We are a small family-run business and are not eligible for any public funding or grants.
To pay for this new projector, we need to raise money through direct donations & sponsorships. So we’ve set up this 2023 Projector Donation Drive, which will run until the end of June.
You can keep Kingston’s only downtown movie theatre up & operating by making a contribution today!
How to Contribute to the Projector Donation Drive
To make this interesting for everyone involved, we’ve concocted some unique perks for each donation tier:
- The Friend: Give $50-99 and receive a limited edition monogram pin & a free popcorn.
- The Patron: Give $100-$199 and receive two tickets to a donors-only surprise screening event, in addition to the perks above.
- The Benefactor: Give $200+ and receive a shimmery new “A Night at the Movies for 2” pass, in addition to the above perks (surprise screening tickets, pin & popcorn).
- The Movie Sponsorship Package (designed for organizations): Pay $575 and receive a prominent “This movie was brought to you by…” sponsorship credit & a bunch of movie passes.
- Watch The 24 Hour Trash Cinema Telethon on June 17 & 18!
We only ask for financial support from people who can do so comfortably. You can also help the cinema simply by watching movies at our cinema, or by spreading the word about this donation drive around town, or by encouraging a local business or organization to sponsor a movie!
Thank you so much for your ongoing support of our movie theatre,
Wendy Huot
Owner/operator of The Screening Room
Questions or comments? Contact Us.
