News Photo by Darby Hinkley Sanctuary Cinema Assistant Directors Bradee Sweet, left, and Caitlynn Shadbolt, along with concessions worker Taryn McConnell pose with one of the buckets of popcorn featuring the Alpena Childcare and Development Center logo.

ALPENA — Sanctuary Cinema is hosting a “Casablanca” movie night fundraiser for Alpena Childcare and Development Center on Wednesday.

Tickets are $100 per person. Each ticket includes a special edition annual refillable popcorn bucket, a special edition movie screening of “Casablanca,” a glass of champagne, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and a stroll down the red carpet for memorable photos. All proceeds benefit the ACDC capital campaign.

“This fundraiser is being put on by Alpena Childcare and Development Center and Sanctuary Cinema,” said Shannon Woodruff, ACDC board member. “We contacted the cinema back in January about our capital campaign, and they were really excited to help us.”

The reception starts at 5 p.m., and the movie plays at 6:30 p.m.

“We encourage everyone to show up right at 5,” Woodruff said. “We’re going to have lots of good food, good camaraderie, we’ll have a couple of other things from the center that we can inform people about.”

She said this event will be a fun and memorable night for a good cause.

“We’re going to have a red carpet, with Steve Jakubcin taking pictures for everybody,” Woodruff said. “We’re making it a fun night out.”

She said it’s a great opportunity for a Valentine’s date night, as well.

“We’re taking care of the entire date night for you,” Woodruff said. “You just have to show up.”

She added that only 95 tickets are available, so purchasing tickets in advance is recommended. Contact ACDC at 989-354-3213 for tickets.

Local restaurants have supported the movie night event, with several restaurants donating appetizers or money, including Kevin Peterson of Red Brick Tap and Barrel, Court Yard Restaurant, Nowicki’s Sausage Shoppe, JJ’s Steak and Pizza House, Jimmy John’s, and North Country Candy and Gifts.

Attendees will be helping ACDC reach their goal to provide more preschool classrooms and help meet the childcare needs of community members.

“The Besser Foundation contacted Alpena Childcare and Development Center,” Woodruff said.

She said that was in 2020 or 2021, during the pandemic. The Besser Foundation told ACDC they saw a need for childcare in the area, and they offered a $200,000 matching grant to ACDC if they could raise $200,000 to build two more preschool classrooms.

“We said ‘yes,'” Woodruff said. “So, we have been working for the last couple of years to raise this $200,000. As of Feb. 1, we have raised $124,900, so we’re just over $75,000 away from meeting our goal.”

Wednesday’s movie night is the second in their slate of fundraisers scheduled for this year, Woodruff said.

“We did a pickleball tournament in January,” she said. “That started our year of fundraising. This is our second fundraiser — the “Casablanca” movie night — and then, in March, we’re going to have a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.”

That basketball tournament will be held on March 29, hosted by the Boys and Girls Club of Alpena.

“I’m working with Alpena Golf Course to have a Father’s Day weekend golf scramble,” Woodruff said. “That’s going to be Saturday, June 14.”

She said they will also host their annual gala fundraiser in the fall.

“We’re just trying to think of ways to get the community involved and attract different groups of people that maybe don’t know about our fundraisers,” Woodruff said.

She added that childcare is needed in the area, and she appreciates the support of community members in helping ACDC expand their services to more families.

“We’re just trying to provide a daycare center for 50 more families that currently don’t have a place to go for preschool,” she said.

Alpena Childcare and Development Center is located at 511 Long Rapids Plaza in Alpena.