WESTFIELD – Children of all ages will be able to enjoy movies al fresco – or inside – once the Amelia Park Children’s Museum starts to utilize the outdoor movie system the Rotary Club of Westfield gave them recently.
Rick Barry, Diana McClean, Natalie Matthew, Jennifer Gruszka (Rotary President), Kate Daley (APCM Executive Director) Chuck Kelly, Mike Roundy, Wil Rodriguez surrounded by the children from the museum. (Photo by Lynn Boscher)
Lynn Boscher, the club’s project chairman, said that he had learned that the supporters of the children’s museum were looking into getting a system to allow them to present outdoor movie nights and said “It seemed like something we (the Rotarians) could do for them.”
Boscher presented the idea to the club where it met widespread support and went on to research what would be needed. What he found was that the museum staff would need not only a screen but also a projector which could project DVD movies and a sound system. All three components were recently delivered to the museum. The screen that the club bought, Boscher said, is mounted on an inflatable base for use outside but he said that it can be removed to hang on a wall if it is used inside.
Chuck Kelly, board member of Amelia Park Children’s Museum, adjusts the blower system for the inflatable big screen. (Photo by Lynn Boscher)
Chuck Kelly, a member of the museum’s board of directors said “We have a tentative date set up in May for an outdoor movie, outside at the children’s museum” for the first movie and said that the actual date, and the movie title, will be announced on the museum’s website (www.ameliaparkmuseum.org) and on its Facebook page. Kelly said that the system will be available for use by other “nonprofits in the area that do a lot for the kids.” He said “there’s a lot of cross-pollination of volunteers so we won’t have a problem working together” and went on to say “we’re hoping that it will be strong enough to have a movie on the Green.”
The purchase of the movie equipment was funded, in part, by the proceeds of last year’s Food Fest on Elm Street. Eric Forish, the club’s project chairman for that event, said that the 2016 Food Fest, on Aug. 26-28, will again be on Elm Street.
Rick Barry, board member of Amelia Park Children’s Museum, adjusts and checks out the sound system. (Photo by Lynn Boscher)
He said that18 food vendors and at least six other participants have committed to the event which will feature continuous live music and “lots of family entertainment” throughout the event.
Forish said the city’s support of the event is crucial for the project. “This couldn’t happen without the full support of all the city departments, the mayor and the City Council” he said.
Rotary president Jennifer Gruszka added “While we appreciate the help we get from all the city departments we are especially thankful for the city police.” She said “The Westfield Police officers, both the leadership and the rank and file, have consistently stepped up to help the Rotary Club with our projects and have been vital to our successes” she said.
Wil Rodriguez, past president of the Westfield Spanish American Association, inspects the projector part of the new movie projector. (Photo by Lynn Boscher)
The Rotary Club of Westfield is a part of an international service organization dedicated to service – locally, nationally and internationally. The mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through its fellowship of business, professional and community leaders.
The local club meets at noon on Monday’s at the Genesis Spiritual Life Center on Mill Street. Visiting Rotarians and other guests are always welcome.
Prospective members or persons otherwise interested in the club may visit www.westfieldrotary.org or contact Gruszka at [email protected] for more information.
