Park Theater Group has big shoes to fill
The news that Pam Pallas is off to the Sunshine State to accept a job with the University of Florida leaves a substantial void atop the Park Theater Group leadership board.
There’s no doubt Pallas, as the group’s chairperson, will be missed. She organized meetings, planned fund-raisers and was a driving force behind keeping the throttle to the floor when it came to Park Theater restoration. Her hours of volunteer work should be commended and this community should be thankful for her insight and her non-stop energy.
Gaining momentum for Park Theater restoration was a tiresome, thankless task about two years ago. That’s when Main Street and the downtown area in general was trying to escape one of the biggest holes in its history – and we’re not talking about the unsightly eyesore known as “The Hole” that stayed on Court Square for decades.
The downtown area was struggling – still is to some extent – and the idea of returning the Park Theater to a glimmer of its past glory seemed far-fetched indeed. Sure, there could be wishful talk of tearing out the office space that was installed so the Social Security offices could move into the Park Theater, but actually doing it was another thing.
There could always be talk about holding fund-raisers and getting people involved and one day returning the Park Theater to grandeur, but we all knew that was never really going to happen. Or at least that’s what some believed.
Original members of the Park Theater Group thought differently and Pallas was a vital part of what was once a small group. In addition to some good, old-fashioned elbow grease, the group has managed to raise about $10,000 during its two-year existence. And we all know how difficult money is to come by.
Pallas provided much-needed leadership and was willing to step to the front when the group began taking its first baby steps. Much work still needs to be done, but it appears almost a certainly, rather than a question mark, that the building will once again be a prime spot for community entertainment. There was even a movie shown at the theater during the Fourth of July.
We’re confident under the direction of Sandra Haynes, the Park Theater Group will continue to flourish. Even though Pallas has decided to leave for greener pastures at the University of Florida, that won’t stop the group from striving toward its goal of restoring the historic downtown theater.
For her dedication and vision, the Standard extends a warm thank you to Park Theater Group chairperson Pam Pallas. You have left the organization in good hands and we believe more promising things are in store for the future.