1. NEWSPAPER Date Page
Southern Lakes Newspapers
LifeS t y l e
T
annette newcomb Lifestyle
Area seniors arrive for the monthly “Silver Screen” film showing at the Showboat Theater near Lake
Geneva.The monthly event gives seniors a chance to gather, converse – and watch a recent hit.
By Annette Newcomb
STAFF WRITER
here’s hot coffee and
doughnuts, the happy
reunions of old friends,
great conversation
and wonderful
entertainment.
And if you are senior living in
southeastern Wisconsin or northern
Illinois, it’s all free to you. You just
have to show up.
The first Thursday of each
month, the Silver Screen Movie
Club meets at the Showboat of
Lyons movie theater, 2565 State
Road 120, Lake Geneva.
So popular is the monthly event
there are times when three or more
theaters are filled with happy movie
goers who come to see first-run
movies such as “Last Vegas” and
“The Butler.” Last year an estimated
500 seniors filled all the theaters in
the complex to see “Lincoln.”
Costs for the Silver Screen
Movie Club, including the $300 to
$500 cost to rent a movie, is totally
paid for by local professionals
who operated under the guise of
“I-Gotta-Guy.”
Whenever you see their sign,
stop in and ask for the free tickets
to the next Silver Screen Movie
Club movie. You can also get a
free ticket at the theater the day
of the movie. The tickets are a hot
commodity because they serve as
raffle tickets for the door prizes
that are awarded before the movie.
But you don’t need a ticket to
attend the movie.
The doors swing open at 8 a.m.
and it doesn’t take long for the
parking lot to fill up. There’s free hot
coffee and doughnuts. In fact for the
March 6 movie, 37 dozen doughnuts,
just about one per person, were
enjoyed, courtesy Stinebrinks Piggly
Wiggly. Seniors gather early to grab
a cup of joe and a good seat to visit
with friends, prior to the 9:30 a.m.
start of the movie.
Larry Joseph, who owns
Hemingway’s, N3270 County
Highway H, Lake Geneva, broached
the idea with area businessmen
more than 10 years ago.
“We were talking and all of us
agreed there just wasn’t anything
for seniors to do. An idea was
hatched that if enough area sponsors
would commit, and with the
cooperation of Showboat Theater
managers Ann and Tim Derrick,
we could give seniors a morning of
entertainment and fun.”
annette newcomb Lifestyle
Some of the sponsors who make the Silver Screen Movie Club possible include Andy Kerwin (from
left), Jeff Arnold, Donna Menarek, Sheila Broderick, Jan Peterson and Jeffrey Buntrock.They spent the
morning of March 6 collecting food pantry donations from Silver Screen Movie Club members at the
Showboat Theater in Lake Geneva.The first Thursday of each month a first-run movie and other enter-
tainment is provided at no charge to all area seniors.
Annette Newcomb Lifestyles
Mary Ellen Fraser (from left), Ruth Wiemer and Bob Hulse of Burlington chat prior to the showing of
the March 6 movie at the Showboat of Lyons movie theater in Lake Geneva.The first Thursday of each
month seniors are invited to a free movie and treats. Doors open at 8 a.m. Movie rolls at 9:30 a.m.
Annette Newcomb Lifestyles
Lois Weber of Lake Geneva makes a donation to the food pantry
March 6 at the Showboat of Lyons movie theater. The first Thursday
of each month area seniors are invited to enjoy free doughnuts and
coffee and a first-run movie. Last month the Silver Screen Movie Club
showed “The Butler.”The next movie, set for April 3, will be “Saving
Mr. Banks.” Doors open at 8 a.m., and movie begins at 9:30 a.m.
Everything fell into place and
for the past 10 years seniors have
been the enjoying free movies. The
majority of the sponsors are in the
healthcare field and include Medix
Ambulance, Willowfield Nursing
and Rehabilitation Center, St. Jude
Hospice, Andy Kerwin of Geneva
Crossing, East Troy Manor, Geneva
Lake Manor, Holton Manor, Janet
N. O’Neill of Keef Real Estate, Will
Wilkening of Automotive Guru,
Steinke Funeral Home and Cremation
Services, Dr. Jeffrey Buntrock
of Lake Geneva Chiropractic,
Stinebrinks Piggly Wiggly, Eye
Physicians and Surgeons SC and the
Eye Glass Gallery, E. Bruns Foot
and Ankle, Home Care Network,
Society’s Assets, McCullough’s
Prescriptions, Talmer Bank and Trust
McCormack and Egert attorneys,
Country Veterinary Service, AuD
Hearing and Shelia M., Broderick of
Edward Jones.
Joseph said the Silver Screen
Movie Club holds a food drive
each month. And prior to the
March 6 movie, seniors generously
answered the call with enough food
donations to fill the back of a pick
up. Donations are taken to local
food pantries. Many seniors slipped
Joseph some money earmarked for
the coffers of local food pantries as
well.
“We also accept donations for
Love, Inc. and other places. The
seniors can bring their items here
and we save them having to make
the trip themselves,” he said.
In the fall, the Silver Screen
Movie Club holds a drive for
school supplies, which are taken to
Lakeland School in Elkhorn. And
in December, toys are accepted for
Toys for Tots that the Walworth
County Department of Health
spearheads.
Every month there is a table
set up featuring a variety of health
information and several times a year
Health Expos are held at the theater
for the seniors.
“It’s more than just seeing a
movie, it’s a social event,” says
Joseph.
Numbers swell during the
summer months when the
snowbirds return and also better
weather makes is easier for area
nursing homes to bring multiple
residents.
Prior to the start of the movie,
there is a little throw back to the
early days of movie theaters when
Vaudeville acts also entertained
audiences.
In this case it’s Andy Kerwin
of Geneva Crossing and Dr.
Jeffrey Buntrock of Lake Geneva
Chiropractic, who get the crowds
going with jokes and good-natured
ribbing, prior to awarding the door
prizes.
“The dirtier the jokes the better,”
kidded one senior.
The Silver Screen Movie Club
welcomes new sponsors and
members. Remember, the tickets
are always free to seniors. For more
information, call (262) 903-9731.
The
Silver
Screen
Movie
Club
welcomes
seniors only
to the social
event of the
month!
“It’s more than
just seeing a
movie… it’s a
social event.”
– Organizer
Larry Joseph