Keep the Lights On at Sierra Theaters
Donation protected
A thriving small-town community deserves great theaters, access to first-run movies and indie gems, world-class opera, plays and ballet. But, Grass Valley’s beloved movie theaters, Sierra Cinemas, Del Oro Theatre and Sutton Cinemas are on the verge of going dark for good. After three bleak months of lockdown, the Del Oro Theatre reopened on June 26, but was shuttered again by order of the Governor a mere 16 days later. This 41-year-old, family run, independent movie theater business may not make it through the fall and will be another victim of COVID-19 without our community’s support.
The stimulus loans we received were not nearly enough to make up for COVID’s ongoing disruption, and that money will run out very soon. Our family has invested a lifetime to bring movies to the community we love, every day of the year at a fair ticket price. We started out at the Nevada Theatre in 1979 as a Sunday night film series. Over the decades, this mom and pop enterprise developed into a thriving community institution, bringing the best in the world of cinema to our small towns. Now, we need your help.
We need to raise $151,700 to make it through 2020 and come back strong in 2021. Everyday we look for funding sources and strategize ways we can keep the doors open. Without raising these funds, our doors will close. Will you consider a gift to keep our doors open and popcorn popping so Nevada County can continue to go out to the movies?
Your generosity today will not only support this business, but support jobs and the local economy:
● Sierra Theaters contribute $1.1 million dollars a year to our local economy in wages, purchases from local businesses, contractors, services, local taxes and more.
● Closing Sierra Theaters means losing a staple of our cultural life, and it’s hard to imagine Grass Valley without the iconic Del Oro Theatre.
● Our theaters have supported numerous local organizations over the years by donating thousands of free movie passes and hosting successful annual fundraisers for the Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation, South Yuba River Citizens League, and many other local non-profits.
● We serve our youth through Big Brothers/Big Sisters, partnering with our schools, and running the Summer Kids Movie Series.
● We gave hundreds of teenagers their first job, and we’ve witnessed the blossoming of countless friendships among our young staff.
● And, our audiences come to town to see a movie, but they also visit nearby shops and enjoy meals and drinks in local restaurants and bars.
When you need an escape, a diversion, a date, a night out, a thrill, a laugh, or a couple hours alone – the movie theaters have always been here for you. We know we’ll have to restructure our business going forward to respond to the disruption affecting us all, and we’re looking hard at all our options. We need your support now to help provide the time we need.
Please give what you can.
In closing, we’d like to acknowledge the generosity of the Nevada County Relief Fund which granted us $5,000 to pay our summer electric bills. This community is awesome, and we’re committed to continue reinvesting in it. We will donate a portion of the funds collected in this fund drive back to the Relief Fund to keep the dollars circulating. As you know, we’re all in this together.
We know you all have fond memories of and connections to the movie theaters in our community and we would love it if you would leave a comment to share those happy memories. Thank you so much for your support to keep this cultural and economic engine running!
- Azriel & Michael LaMarca, Mike & Barbara Getz
Repairing Neon on the Del Oro Tower, February 2020
New Seats installed upstairs at Del Oro Theatre, February 2020
Del Oro Staff ready to serve July, 2020
Sierra Cinemas Lobby Re-Model 2017
Detail of painted ceiling at Del Oro Theatre
The stimulus loans we received were not nearly enough to make up for COVID’s ongoing disruption, and that money will run out very soon. Our family has invested a lifetime to bring movies to the community we love, every day of the year at a fair ticket price. We started out at the Nevada Theatre in 1979 as a Sunday night film series. Over the decades, this mom and pop enterprise developed into a thriving community institution, bringing the best in the world of cinema to our small towns. Now, we need your help.
We need to raise $151,700 to make it through 2020 and come back strong in 2021. Everyday we look for funding sources and strategize ways we can keep the doors open. Without raising these funds, our doors will close. Will you consider a gift to keep our doors open and popcorn popping so Nevada County can continue to go out to the movies?
Your generosity today will not only support this business, but support jobs and the local economy:
● Sierra Theaters contribute $1.1 million dollars a year to our local economy in wages, purchases from local businesses, contractors, services, local taxes and more.
● Closing Sierra Theaters means losing a staple of our cultural life, and it’s hard to imagine Grass Valley without the iconic Del Oro Theatre.
● Our theaters have supported numerous local organizations over the years by donating thousands of free movie passes and hosting successful annual fundraisers for the Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation, South Yuba River Citizens League, and many other local non-profits.
● We serve our youth through Big Brothers/Big Sisters, partnering with our schools, and running the Summer Kids Movie Series.
● We gave hundreds of teenagers their first job, and we’ve witnessed the blossoming of countless friendships among our young staff.
● And, our audiences come to town to see a movie, but they also visit nearby shops and enjoy meals and drinks in local restaurants and bars.
When you need an escape, a diversion, a date, a night out, a thrill, a laugh, or a couple hours alone – the movie theaters have always been here for you. We know we’ll have to restructure our business going forward to respond to the disruption affecting us all, and we’re looking hard at all our options. We need your support now to help provide the time we need.
Please give what you can.
In closing, we’d like to acknowledge the generosity of the Nevada County Relief Fund which granted us $5,000 to pay our summer electric bills. This community is awesome, and we’re committed to continue reinvesting in it. We will donate a portion of the funds collected in this fund drive back to the Relief Fund to keep the dollars circulating. As you know, we’re all in this together.
We know you all have fond memories of and connections to the movie theaters in our community and we would love it if you would leave a comment to share those happy memories. Thank you so much for your support to keep this cultural and economic engine running!
- Azriel & Michael LaMarca, Mike & Barbara Getz
Repairing Neon on the Del Oro Tower, February 2020New Seats installed upstairs at Del Oro Theatre, February 2020Del Oro Staff ready to serve July, 2020Sierra Cinemas Lobby Re-Model 2017Detail of painted ceiling at Del Oro Theatre
Fundraising team: Sierra Theaters Fundraising Team (3)
Azriel LaMarca
Organizer
Grass Valley, CA
Sierra Cinemas, Inc.
Beneficiary
Michael LaMarca
Team member