Modern barn-raising
Roger Heineken
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
EVERY 79 years a little face lift and joint replacement are to be expected. But never was it to be a life saving measure as it was for our beautiful Emporia Granada Theatre. Many neighbors in Emporia and beyond came together for a community barn raising. This was not just any barn. The Granada is a jewel and a point of community pride. I could overhear the wonder, pride and reminiscences from the many attending the variety of events last week. It will be a quality of life anchor for our downtown for decades to come.
This whole effort was blessed with tenacious, indefatigable leaders who had the vision thing and stayed the course. This determination brought fellow Emporians onboard to help make the sun rise in a new day on the Granada clowns outside. Now as before in its first life, the Granada lights can dim inside, the spotlight can beam down on diverse talent and the flickering moving images can return to the silver screen surrounded by glints of gold.
On Oct. 3, 1929 our Spanish Colonial Revival confection opened. By the end of that same month the United States was dumped into the Great Depression. Can it be possible that history repeats? Regardless of our future the Granada will serve the town as it did back then in good and bad times, in war and peace, in the lives of Emporia families.
If you are a Facebook member I invite you to join the Emporia Granada Theatre Fan group. This group has become a place for current and former Emporians and current and former ESU students to celebrate this accomplishment and express digital solidarity for our grand, glorious community barn raised from ruin.
Roger Heineken
Emporia
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