Skip to main content

S.O.S.

Saving Date NightKeno Drive In
by JAK's guest mom blogger from Kenosha,
Cassandra Vite

We love the Keno Drive-In!  Located at 9102 Sheridan Road in Pleasant Prairie, it’s a treasure in southeastern Wisconsin cherished by many.  Both my husband and I have fond memories as teens and together of this local Kenosha icon.  My favorite part: it’s a date night for us without having to pay for a babysitter because we can bring our son with us.  He chats happily in the back and enjoys some popcorn with us from the snack shop.  Soon, he falls asleep and we are able to watch a first run movie under the stars together.  The cool Wisconsin breeze ads to the ambiance and we have a great time enjoying each other’s company taking in a movie.

For us, the cost is incredibly affordable, especially compared to the brick-and-mortar big multi-plex cinemas.  Have a larger family?  Here’s a tip: Sunday night is READ MORE...carload night!  All you have to do is pile your SUV or minivan full of kids (in car seats of course,) and ask for the carload deal: $12 gets everyone in the  vehicle in!  Seriously, you can’t beat that anywhere.

Times are changing, as always.  In the 1950’s, Wisconsin boasted more than 60 drive-in theaters, today that number is 10.  Sadly, as the movie industry has grown and adapted to the new digital era, the local drive-ins who have been mom and pop businesses haven’t been able to keep up with the technology due to the extremely high cost.

Maybe you’ve heard the rumors that the Keno is closing.  I know I have heard them for a few years and to be honest, I thought it was a marketing ploy at first.  Unfortunately, the rumors hold true this time, and an end of an era is fast approaching.  There was a time when there were two drive-in theaters in Kenosha, the Keno and Mid-city.  There was also one in Racine where Shopko is now, and several others in Milwaukee (remember 41-Twin?)

There’s a way to save our beloved Keno!  Honda is running a promotion to save drive-in’s across the country.  Already, five have been saved by their donations that allow the owners to upgrade their equipment to meet the new requirements set by the Motion Picture Association.  Honda’s campaign was so popular on Facebook; they received donations from numerous individuals and businesses and extended the program!  The deadline has been extended to September 21st, and they are taking votes on FOUR MORE theaters.

Let’s work together to make the Keno one of those theaters to receive a new digital projector!  It’s easy to vote too, just go to the website, enter your ZIP code and vote for the Keno in Pleasant Prairie, WI.  Together, we can save the Keno and keep it around so our kids can hang out there with their friends in high school and create their own magical memories!

badges SAVE THE DRIVE IN

Here’s a link to Honda’s Project Drive In promotion: http://projectdrivein.com/

For more information about the Keno, visit their website: http://kenodrivein.net/

About our guest blogger: Cassandra is married with an almost two year old (21 months old!). She is a stay at home mom who works part-time as a substitute teacher in Racine.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Chill Out (and In)!

Snow Much Fun! by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann   Snow much? In my neck of the woods, wowza! Now that we have the holidays behind us, we can't ignore the fact that there are plenty of cold, winter days ahead. Fill those days in with some seasonal fun before that spring sun melts all of the white fluffy stuff. Just Add Kids has put together Snow Much Fun! It's a skating/sledding/skiing destination guide for Racine, Kenosha and surrounding communities. Read more... ICE SKATING Echo Lake, Burlington (595 Milwaukee Avenue) – Stairs to the lake, pavilion, benches, outdoor portable restroom. – Free. Devor Park, Burlington (394 Amanda Street) – Free. Frozen Fairway Skating Rink @ Twin Lakes Country Club (1230 Legion Drive) – Open Friday - Sunday (weather contingent) from 10:00am - 8:00pm.  The cost is $5.00 daily or $20 unlimited. Skate rental is available.  Free skating for all Twin Lakes Country Club Members and Junior Golf Members.  Call 262-877-8500 for more info, or ...

A Great Summer Read

Library Summer Reading Programs of Heroic Proportions! by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann Reading over the summer months can make a huge difference for kids when they get back to school in the fall. With a lack of summer reading, children can actually loose up to three months in reading skill. Summer reading loss is cumulative, leaving some kids years behind as they get older. By the end of 6th grade, kids who lose reading skills over the summer may end up being two years behind their classmates. Wow! I know, you don't want your kid to end up on the low end of the reading spectrum. Don't let your kiddo's reading skills take a blow this summer. Read more... Our area libraries have once again come to the rescue in offering summer reading program incentives under "Every Hero Has a Story" and/or "Escape the Ordinary",  this years themes for a nationwide summer reading program collaborative of public libraries. POW! P retty O utstanding W ins for th...

Silly Banned

The Rubber Obsession I think my 6 year old son was the first in his class to be told he can no longer wear his silly bands or Silly Bandz (not sure if they are the real thing, or imitation, who really cares?!) to school.  That was already back on September 2nd, his second day of first grade.  That started it's own trend, the full blown ban of those rubbery. colorful, object-shaped bracelets in his classroom.  Perhaps we'll see the full school ban in the future, or has the fad run it's course? If you're a pair of dad entrepreneurs, you hope not!  They recently jumped on the Silly Bandz craze and brought to market The Original Silly Stand , designed to do what else, but keep those crazy rubber bands organized. In my house, I think we need a Silly Bandz detector. I swear, we must have a over 100, but who even knows where they are (although I dedicated a container for each of my younger silly band wearers).  The funny thing is, my kids aren't wearing them a...