(April 16, 2015) The fourth annual Take Pride in Berlin Week encourages residents to reflect on the town where they live and includes in the debut of the new “Movies in the Park & on Main” series.
Take Pride in Berlin Week runs April 18-25.
“It’s just drawing attention to the fact that folks are living in a pretty great little town here,” Deputy Town Administrator Mary Bohlen said. “We’ve always encouraged people to kind of think of how they can show their pride in their neighborhoods, in their own homes, downtown, wherever they feel like doing something for the town.”
Bohlen said the annual event also serves as a reminder to residents to “be green.”
“We always do encourage people to consider the environment when they’re doing this,” she said. “We’ve always encouraged things like reducing electricity use, neighborhood gardening projects, composting projects, things like that. It’s something we always put out there as an idea.
“As a town, we’ve tried to be as environmentally proactive as we can considering our size and the town’s budget,” Bohlen said, noting Berlin’s support of environmental groups including Grow Berlin Green, Maryland Coastal Bays and Assateague Coastal Trust.
“We try to consider the environment in pretty much everything we undertake,” Bohlen said.
Rather than offering a series of organized activities, Bohlen said “Pride” week acts as a series of informative ideas “that we hope the citizens run with,” she said.
“However, this year we are pleased that we will be having a movie night in Henry Park,” Bohlen said.
Berlin’s Arts and Entertainment committee, headed by local business owners including Heather Layton and Robin Tomaselli, first announced the “Movies” program in December.
“It was Heather Layton’s dream to begin with,” Tomaselli said. “As soon as we started the Arts and Entertainment Community that was one of the things that she really wanted to see happen, and as soon as she mentioned it everybody got on board.”
Layton said she pushed for the program because she wanted to offer a “fun, free family/community event.”
With the surrounding towns offering movie nights, Layton said she thought Berlin should do the same.
“Right now, there’s nothing like that in Berlin,” Tomaselli said. “If you want to go see a movie outside, you have to go to Ocean City when it’s available. There’s so many young families here that are looking for things to do with their kids and as a family, in particular in an outdoor setting. I can’t think of anything more perfect.”
Originally, the idea was to show the movies on Main Street only, but then organizers began to think about using the town’s parks.
We’re thinking more about what kinds of things can be done in the parks,” Tomaselli said, “and we definitely wanted to include both Henry Park and Stephen Decatur Park to try and narrow the great divide of Route 113.”
The program is funded by a state grant with the caveat that the money had to be used by the end of June. Consequently, organizers decided to begin the three-screening series in late April.
“The Lego Movie” will show in Henry Park on April 25 at 7 p.m., followed by “FernGully” on May 30 at 8 p.m. in Stephen Decatur Park and “Runaway Bride” on June 27 at 8 p.m. on Jefferson Street in downtown Berlin.
Admission is free and viewers are invited to bring their own snacks and drinks. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
In summing Take Pride in Berlin Week, Bohlen said the idea was for people to appreciate where they are and what they have in the community.
“It’s not all about the town government, it’s really about the citizens and businesses,” she said.
Take Pride in Berlin Week runs April 18-25.
“It’s just drawing attention to the fact that folks are living in a pretty great little town here,” Deputy Town Administrator Mary Bohlen said. “We’ve always encouraged people to kind of think of how they can show their pride in their neighborhoods, in their own homes, downtown, wherever they feel like doing something for the town.”
Bohlen said the annual event also serves as a reminder to residents to “be green.”
“We always do encourage people to consider the environment when they’re doing this,” she said. “We’ve always encouraged things like reducing electricity use, neighborhood gardening projects, composting projects, things like that. It’s something we always put out there as an idea.
“As a town, we’ve tried to be as environmentally proactive as we can considering our size and the town’s budget,” Bohlen said, noting Berlin’s support of environmental groups including Grow Berlin Green, Maryland Coastal Bays and Assateague Coastal Trust.
“We try to consider the environment in pretty much everything we undertake,” Bohlen said.
Rather than offering a series of organized activities, Bohlen said “Pride” week acts as a series of informative ideas “that we hope the citizens run with,” she said.
“However, this year we are pleased that we will be having a movie night in Henry Park,” Bohlen said.
Berlin’s Arts and Entertainment committee, headed by local business owners including Heather Layton and Robin Tomaselli, first announced the “Movies” program in December.
“It was Heather Layton’s dream to begin with,” Tomaselli said. “As soon as we started the Arts and Entertainment Community that was one of the things that she really wanted to see happen, and as soon as she mentioned it everybody got on board.”
Layton said she pushed for the program because she wanted to offer a “fun, free family/community event.”
With the surrounding towns offering movie nights, Layton said she thought Berlin should do the same.
“Right now, there’s nothing like that in Berlin,” Tomaselli said. “If you want to go see a movie outside, you have to go to Ocean City when it’s available. There’s so many young families here that are looking for things to do with their kids and as a family, in particular in an outdoor setting. I can’t think of anything more perfect.”
Originally, the idea was to show the movies on Main Street only, but then organizers began to think about using the town’s parks.
We’re thinking more about what kinds of things can be done in the parks,” Tomaselli said, “and we definitely wanted to include both Henry Park and Stephen Decatur Park to try and narrow the great divide of Route 113.”
The program is funded by a state grant with the caveat that the money had to be used by the end of June. Consequently, organizers decided to begin the three-screening series in late April.
“The Lego Movie” will show in Henry Park on April 25 at 7 p.m., followed by “FernGully” on May 30 at 8 p.m. in Stephen Decatur Park and “Runaway Bride” on June 27 at 8 p.m. on Jefferson Street in downtown Berlin.
Admission is free and viewers are invited to bring their own snacks and drinks. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
In summing Take Pride in Berlin Week, Bohlen said the idea was for people to appreciate where they are and what they have in the community.
“It’s not all about the town government, it’s really about the citizens and businesses,” she said.