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If you would like to donate above
and do not have nor want a PayPal account, you can click and go through the process without a PayPal account. At the
end of your transaction, PayPal will still suggest you create an account, but it is not a requirement, you can close the
page without starting an account.
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If you would like to help with M.E.L.S. digital conversion
you may donate here and we Thank You for even considering helping!
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Building our Kickstarter Project : While the drive-in is closed this winter, we are not short of work. The digital age is upon us, and we are
building our Kickstart project. We will soon be asking you to participate in this funding which is a requirement
for M.E.L.S. to stay in business. We will update this website and our Facebook page as things proceed, so please keep
an eye on us over the winter!
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The Era of 35mm film is ending. We must upgrade to digital equipment. Become 'Moonlighters' and Save M.E.L.S. !
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(Please read the REASON FOR THIS CAMPAIGN (below) before making any donations)
If you care to donate money to help
us go "digital" -- please use the donate button to the left. This is thru Paypal but you do not need to have
a Paypal account to use this service. All donations are appreciated. Please leave your email address so that we can thank
you for your assistance in this regard. PLEASE HELP US OUT!!! We do not get assistance thru Virtual Print Fee Programs
with the studios to convert this theater to digital -- the big theater chains are getting up to 80% assistance to convert
to digital projection where we get NO ASSISTANCE and need to raise the funds ourselves to keep this part of America's Roadside
history and the only remaining drive-in theatre in the Boone, Clinton, Montgomery, Hamilton, Hendricks and Tippecanoe Counties
alive! | | REASON FOR THIS CAMPAIGN Did you know that all theatres
must be digital in the next year or so? Unfortunately, if we don't convert we will be "out of business". While
we embrace converting to digital and the various benefits we can get from this technology--conversion to digital is a daunting
task for drive-in theatres; small town theatres; mom and pop theatres and art houses. Unfortunately, many independent theatres
have not been able to take advantage of studio financing (called VPF's - Virtual Print Fees) to convert to digital like many
of the major theatre chains -- therefore, it means that we have to rely on our own resources and
help from others to accomplish this task.
| | Converting this theatre to
digital will cost us: Approximately- $140,000. As you can see -- the cost of this equipment is equal
to a home in some parts of the US. You could argue that this is a business expense and capital improvement that we should
undertake all on our own -- but with profit margins slim in the drive-in theatre business (that is why there are no longer
4,000 drive-ins operating in the US and now down to 366) -- it is hard to tack on another $140,000 worth of debt, without
worrying how you plan to accomplish this "improvement".
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do this project all by ourselves-- and here is how you can help--
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| 1) Please patronize our theatre concession stand! The studios make
most of the money on ticket sales-leaving us with only the concession sales to help keep this theatre viable, it is vital
that we have strong concession sales! 2) Over
this year, we will offer numerous items (t-shirts, cups, unique collectables, etc.) that will be for sale to our patrons.
We hope you will purchase some of those items. Profits from the sale of items will be deposited into our digital projection
fund. 3) If you choose to make a $15 or more
donation towards our digital fund--we will record your name and include it in a special trailer that we will show (after
we have made the conversion) at the beginning of each night's program. It will tell the story of how our patrons helped
make digital possible at M.E.L.S. at the Starlite Drive-In Theatre! 4) We will launch a Kickstarter funding project early in the season, and hope you will review
and share it with your friends. 5)
Watch for other announcements during the year on other ways you can help us out and get something back in return! Thanks
for reading this page and for caring! Together, we can keep "Mechanicsburg Evening Light Show" (M.E.L.S.)
at the Starlite Drive-in Lighting the Sky for years to come for the best patrons in the world! |
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