November 19, 2025 • 7 mins
Emily Loeks, Director of Community Affairs with Celebration Cinema joins us to discuss their partnership with Turkey Drop!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, we are coming to an end of the first
half of our extended broadcast. Thanks to Justin Barclay for
joining us earlier, Steve Kelly, Brett Pekita, Lawrence Smith, Adam
a Road Shows, the Mastermind in the producer's booth. We'll'll
be back out tonight at Celebration Cinema North and to
that end, let's bring into the conversation our host for
(00:23):
some of the drop off locations Celebration Cinema North and South.
The Director of Community Affairs at Celebrations Cinema, Emily Loakes,
is back. Emily, thanks for doing this today.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Oh, this is the start of the holiday season for us.
I am so pleased to be able to enjoy working
with a Maltrotter team every year on this turkey drop
And you mentioned multiple Celebration Cinema locations, so yes, we
are receiving turkeys at Celebration Cinema North and South in
Grand Rapids, and I think the council at about twenty
five hundred already today.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
We'll get the official update before we step out at noon.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
You know, Emily, the three of us have kind of
been roundtabling how long we've been a part of this
amazing fundraiser and the same can be said about you
and the Loakes family and Celebration Cinema. What brings you
back year after year to be such a major part
of this.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Oh, I love the work of Meltratter, I mean I
think that most. I mean, what I really appreciate about
them is their emphasis on being and you know, being
a good neighbor and seeing and serving one's neighbors and
regardless of circumstance, bringing dignity and care to everybody in
(01:35):
the city who needs it. And so Meltratter, I mean,
it's a long standing Grand Rapids institution, but over the
holidays and with this year in particular, the needs of
our community are great, and so this is an opportunity
for us to participate with them and being a great neighbor.
So we love to be a part of it.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
I think you guys were twenty two years ago at
that location. We were relatively new in that spot, weren't
you was a field.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Two years ago, can we remember? Yeah, a celebration sent
them on North opened in two thousand and one, So yes,
that would have been very close to the beginning. Here.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
You just had I think two screens I'm kidding.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Well, speaking of that, Emily, I'm going to ask you
the obvious questions. You said holiday season and when you
think Thanksgiving and Christmas and the holidays, I'm thinking going
to the movies, and of course our own thank you
for that. Our own Steve Kelly has said that the
Springsteen delivered me from nowhere's outstanding. That's one on my list.
But I know there's this thing kind of called Wicked
(02:38):
Good that's pretty popular.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
A few people are interested in that one. I mean
most people are after the Springsteen film.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Of course, yeah, exactly, so, uh yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Wicked for Good opens this week. People have been waiting
a whole year for this, and of course, if you
are a fan of the stage production or the story,
this is the backstory on the Witches of the Wizard
of Oz and I just love it, both for the
visual appeal, for the music, and for the storyline of
like what it is that drives people into choices and
(03:13):
the community perception that they have. Anyway, it's just a
great movie. So I'm excited to see the second part
of it. Mariana Grande, Cynthia Rivo. They're going to bring
it on with the whole musical fantasy, and it will
be a spectacle on the big screen.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I don't know if you all and everybody looks at
me because I've got all this gray hair and some
of it white. Really it's not even gray. But I
remember theater's seats that weren't that comfortable. They had that
sort of prickly velvet, which is kind of hard to explain.
But you guys, when we saw the Springsteen movie, I
(03:47):
put my feet right up and Sandy heated her seat
and I cooled mine because you know, I got a
little extra wait on for winter, and the theater experience
itself has just gotten so much better every year.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Well thanks for saying so, yeah, you're dating yourself a
little bit. I mean, those velvet seats go back all
the way to like the day era of velvet ropes.
But yes, feeder seating. We like to think that we've
been on the cutting edge at least of a butter knife.
But we brought the first stadiums pier seating to the
United States east of the Mississippi. Then we put in
(04:22):
recliners back. Over the past few years, we've been gradually
rolling out recliners to almost all of our theaters. And
within the next couple of years, one hundred percent of
our theater seating will be in luxury recliners. And yes,
you did reference the heated seatbacks, which one can adjust
turn off, turn on, turn low, turn high. So whatever,
(04:43):
whatever your needs are, I actually use those in the
summertime because I come in with my you know, tank
top and cutoffs and whatever, and then all of a
sudden there's air conditioning. I'm like, whoa, I need I
need a little warmth. But the the theeder heated seats
are there for you, as is the hot popcorn, which
sounds increasingly nice on the week's like this week where
it gets a little colder and blusterier. And oh oh,
(05:06):
I should also mention new this week is a whole
new part of the movie going experience, a whole new
approach to getting your food and beverage. We have bar
codes that are on the trays at your seat, and
so if you want to skip this concession line, you
can actually, you know, go without being encumbered by all
(05:27):
of the stuff, directly to your feeder auditorium and scan
the bar code and order food and beverage that will
then be delivered directly to your seat. Within the first
twenty minutes of the movie. So if you have lots
of kids with you, I was thinking, Oh, that would
be that would actually be a huge advantage.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I love it, you know, Emily, we've talked a lot
about community listening to the needs of the community. I
want to point out and say thank you because I
have a couple of friends that take full advantage of
this celebration cinema to sensory friendly shows, and I think
that is really something to spotlight with you guys.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Oh, thank you. You know, I think that we understand
ourselves to be We love the world of exhibition and
we try to open the doors as widely as possible
for people to experience movies in the way that they
want to. And that does take different shapes and forms
for different audiences. And so some people may love the
(06:22):
huge spectacle of an Imax screen or our ce Premium,
which is our new brand that has Dolbiet most sound
and you know, four K laser projection. The sensory shows
are something I'm really proud of. We started that in
partnership with Family Hope Foundation and numerous other community organizations
who wanted to reach out to families who have children
(06:43):
with autism or some other disabilities that wanted a chill,
low key movie going environment. It strips down the movie
so that there's fewer trailers. The lights are the house lights,
which are the dim ones are just a little bit up.
The sound is a little bit down, and there's this
really relaxed atmosphere for people who are more responsive to
the movie and who might cry out or cheer, get
(07:04):
up and want to move around. That's all okay. And
so it's also a culture of movie going that surrounds
those sensory shows that I think is really special.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Well, we'll be out there later on this afternoon. The
director of Community Affairs at Celebration Cinema, Emily were good.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Oh, there's so many good movies.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Sneak one in. Thanks for being our host for such
an important event.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Oh, thank you. Oh. I should know one more thing,
if if I may, is that you can make contributions online.
But if you drop off a turkey directly at a
Celebration Cinema, every I don't know, fiftieth or one hundredths
car is getting a pair of free movie passes. So
apart from just the joy of physically participating in it
with a dancing turkey who receives your drop off. There
(07:51):
is some other bet perks to coming by.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
There you go nice, get out there.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Thanks Emily, Thank you have a great afternoon.
Well, we are coming to an end of the first
half of our extended broadcast. Thanks to Justin Barclay for
joining us earlier, Steve Kelly, Brett Pekita, Lawrence Smith, Adam
a Road Shows, the Mastermind in the producer's booth. We'll'll
be back out tonight at Celebration Cinema North and to
that end, let's bring into the conversation our host for
(00:23):
some of the drop off locations Celebration Cinema North and South.
The Director of Community Affairs at Celebrations Cinema, Emily Loakes,
is back. Emily, thanks for doing this today.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Oh, this is the start of the holiday season for us.
I am so pleased to be able to enjoy working
with a Maltrotter team every year on this turkey drop
And you mentioned multiple Celebration Cinema locations, so yes, we
are receiving turkeys at Celebration Cinema North and South in
Grand Rapids, and I think the council at about twenty
five hundred already today.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
We'll get the official update before we step out at noon.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
You know, Emily, the three of us have kind of
been roundtabling how long we've been a part of this
amazing fundraiser and the same can be said about you
and the Loakes family and Celebration Cinema. What brings you
back year after year to be such a major part
of this.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Oh, I love the work of Meltratter, I mean I
think that most. I mean, what I really appreciate about
them is their emphasis on being and you know, being
a good neighbor and seeing and serving one's neighbors and
regardless of circumstance, bringing dignity and care to everybody in
(01:35):
the city who needs it. And so Meltratter, I mean,
it's a long standing Grand Rapids institution, but over the
holidays and with this year in particular, the needs of
our community are great, and so this is an opportunity
for us to participate with them and being a great neighbor.
So we love to be a part of it.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
I think you guys were twenty two years ago at
that location. We were relatively new in that spot, weren't
you was a field.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Two years ago, can we remember? Yeah, a celebration sent
them on North opened in two thousand and one, So yes,
that would have been very close to the beginning. Here.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
You just had I think two screens I'm kidding.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Well, speaking of that, Emily, I'm going to ask you
the obvious questions. You said holiday season and when you
think Thanksgiving and Christmas and the holidays, I'm thinking going
to the movies, and of course our own thank you
for that. Our own Steve Kelly has said that the
Springsteen delivered me from nowhere's outstanding. That's one on my list.
But I know there's this thing kind of called Wicked
(02:38):
Good that's pretty popular.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
A few people are interested in that one. I mean
most people are after the Springsteen film.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Of course, yeah, exactly, so, uh yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Wicked for Good opens this week. People have been waiting
a whole year for this, and of course, if you
are a fan of the stage production or the story,
this is the backstory on the Witches of the Wizard
of Oz and I just love it, both for the
visual appeal, for the music, and for the storyline of
like what it is that drives people into choices and
(03:13):
the community perception that they have. Anyway, it's just a
great movie. So I'm excited to see the second part
of it. Mariana Grande, Cynthia Rivo. They're going to bring
it on with the whole musical fantasy, and it will
be a spectacle on the big screen.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I don't know if you all and everybody looks at
me because I've got all this gray hair and some
of it white. Really it's not even gray. But I
remember theater's seats that weren't that comfortable. They had that
sort of prickly velvet, which is kind of hard to explain.
But you guys, when we saw the Springsteen movie, I
(03:47):
put my feet right up and Sandy heated her seat
and I cooled mine because you know, I got a
little extra wait on for winter, and the theater experience
itself has just gotten so much better every year.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Well thanks for saying so, yeah, you're dating yourself a
little bit. I mean, those velvet seats go back all
the way to like the day era of velvet ropes.
But yes, feeder seating. We like to think that we've
been on the cutting edge at least of a butter knife.
But we brought the first stadiums pier seating to the
United States east of the Mississippi. Then we put in
(04:22):
recliners back. Over the past few years, we've been gradually
rolling out recliners to almost all of our theaters. And
within the next couple of years, one hundred percent of
our theater seating will be in luxury recliners. And yes,
you did reference the heated seatbacks, which one can adjust
turn off, turn on, turn low, turn high. So whatever,
(04:43):
whatever your needs are, I actually use those in the
summertime because I come in with my you know, tank
top and cutoffs and whatever, and then all of a
sudden there's air conditioning. I'm like, whoa, I need I
need a little warmth. But the the theeder heated seats
are there for you, as is the hot popcorn, which
sounds increasingly nice on the week's like this week where
it gets a little colder and blusterier. And oh oh,
(05:06):
I should also mention new this week is a whole
new part of the movie going experience, a whole new
approach to getting your food and beverage. We have bar
codes that are on the trays at your seat, and
so if you want to skip this concession line, you
can actually, you know, go without being encumbered by all
(05:27):
of the stuff, directly to your feeder auditorium and scan
the bar code and order food and beverage that will
then be delivered directly to your seat. Within the first
twenty minutes of the movie. So if you have lots
of kids with you, I was thinking, Oh, that would
be that would actually be a huge advantage.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
I love it, you know, Emily, we've talked a lot
about community listening to the needs of the community. I
want to point out and say thank you because I
have a couple of friends that take full advantage of
this celebration cinema to sensory friendly shows, and I think
that is really something to spotlight with you guys.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Oh, thank you. You know, I think that we understand
ourselves to be We love the world of exhibition and
we try to open the doors as widely as possible
for people to experience movies in the way that they
want to. And that does take different shapes and forms
for different audiences. And so some people may love the
(06:22):
huge spectacle of an Imax screen or our ce Premium,
which is our new brand that has Dolbiet most sound
and you know, four K laser projection. The sensory shows
are something I'm really proud of. We started that in
partnership with Family Hope Foundation and numerous other community organizations
who wanted to reach out to families who have children
(06:43):
with autism or some other disabilities that wanted a chill,
low key movie going environment. It strips down the movie
so that there's fewer trailers. The lights are the house lights,
which are the dim ones are just a little bit up.
The sound is a little bit down, and there's this
really relaxed atmosphere for people who are more responsive to
the movie and who might cry out or cheer, get
(07:04):
up and want to move around. That's all okay. And
so it's also a culture of movie going that surrounds
those sensory shows that I think is really special.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Well, we'll be out there later on this afternoon. The
director of Community Affairs at Celebration Cinema, Emily were good.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Oh, there's so many good movies.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Sneak one in. Thanks for being our host for such
an important event.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Oh, thank you. Oh. I should know one more thing,
if if I may, is that you can make contributions online.
But if you drop off a turkey directly at a
Celebration Cinema, every I don't know, fiftieth or one hundredths
car is getting a pair of free movie passes. So
apart from just the joy of physically participating in it
with a dancing turkey who receives your drop off. There
(07:51):
is some other bet perks to coming by.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
There you go nice, get out there.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Thanks Emily, Thank you have a great afternoon.
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