The excitement generated over the recent announcement of the first benefit event for Loudonville's historic 1910 Ohio Theatre, demonstrates the famous opera house is not gone with the wind. The newly formed Loudonville Theatre Advisory Committee is continuing to plan the first benefit event which will take place at the Theatre on August 26.

In an effort to continue to educate the community about the purpose and mission of the Loudonville Theatre Advisory Committee, Chairperson Kerry MacQueen has released the Committee Charter, background and task ahead for the dedicated volunteers and future financial supporters of the much loved village building.

The Loudonville Theatre building is an historic landmark in the Village that has been placed on the National Historic Register. A successful community effort in June of 1990 was made to restore the physical appearance of the interior of the theatre, which was done solely with volunteer labor and private funding. However, several larger maintenance items remain that were beyond the ability or expertise of the original community restoration effort. The Loudonville Recreation Board has been unsuccessful in its attempts to budget additional monies to make the needed improvements due to financial constraints imposed by the Village. Unfortunately, the uncompleted improvements hamper the ability of the Board to utilize the theatre for "live" entertainment activities. The current usage is for movie showing purposes only and the revenues generated by this format are not sufficient to sustain the theatre operation. The Ohio Theatre is a historic landmark within the community and provides an opportunity and venue for the community to experience a variety of types of entertainment.

The newly established Loudonville Theatre Advisory Committee's mission is to restore the Ohio Theatre, to foster broad-based, healthy, wholesome and affordable entertainment activities and to create a financially self-sustaining, multi-generational activity center where various forms of local and regional entertainment can be experienced and enjoyed by the Loudonville community and its visitors.

The response and reaction to work the committee has been doing recently for the August benefit, has not gone un-noticed by Committee Chairperson, Kerry MacQueen. "A public response from the committee was necessary to thank everyone who has come forward to help," MacQueen said. "We appreciate the support that the Village Council, the Recreation Board and especially Mayor Betty Welsh has given to the Advisory Committee in terms of guidance through the developmental process." MacQueen continued, "The cooperative spirit has allowed us to really dream big not only for this event, but for the anticipated future of the Ohio Theatre."

The LTAC requests that anyone who has old photographs and other memorabilia to please drop them off to Harold Schmidt at his Radio Shack store, 231 West Main Street in Loudonville. All materials must be clearly marked with a name and address to ensure proper return. Gertrude Fisher is also helping Harold Schmidt in coordinating research efforts and materials.

Plans are also in the works for individual and corporate sponsorship contribution opportunities which will be coordinated with a Loudonville Theatre Advisory Committee benefit web site. Initial estimates for the debut of the web site are late April or early May. Currently, Internet users can help raise funds by going to the web site www.4mycommunity.com and typing in the Loudonville zip code 44842 and clicking "other community organizations." Every click counts towards raising money and e-shoppers will be generating 7% off any sale to be donated toward the restoration fund for the Ohio Theatre. The Recreation Board would also like to remind everyone that requests to reserve Theatre dates for live performance should fill out a Theatre Usage Form to be submitted to the board for review and approval. Forms are available from Judy Webster at the Village offices. If you have any questions, call 419-994-1044.

Rhett Butler may have said "Frankly my dear, I don't give a d---" but that attitude is apparently not the case with the LTAC when it comes to rallying help for the next phase of the restoration efforts for the longtime loved Loudonville landmark.