It was a rainy Saturday in June of 1977. School was not yet out, so a rainy weekend was a loss of precious time. I spent the morning quietly bemoaning my house-bound fate and expected to spend the afternoon doing the same when my father came with a surprise.
My Mom and younger siblings would be staying home and we would be going to see a movie - just my Dad and me. This was a rare thing. We certainly didn't do it on a Saturday afternoon, and it was inconceivable not to be going as a family. Nevertheless, we hopped into the car and drove off to the movie theater one town over. I didn't even know what we were going to see.
Outside the theater we waited in the drizzle along with about a dozen others. I can still remember the red-brick wall we stood against and the scent of the rain on my father's ever-present Navy coat. We sat down in the theater, the lights dimmed and a now iconic title crawled its way across the screen. Star Wars burst onto the screen and into our shared history. It's now more than 40 years later and while my father has passed, that single afternoon with him remains firmly etched into my heart and mind.
The vitality of the memory of that day speaks to the power and importance of shared experience. How a single moment can follow us through our entire lives.
This is precisely what we seek to create at the Fleet Science Center: powerful experiences that develop into meaningful memories that stay with us for decades. We love having the opportunity to create special moments for families and provide an outlet to foster creativity, curiosity and inspiration.
To that end: I want to take a moment to thank our donors and friends who have made their gift to support the Fleet Science Center before the end of the calendar year. With your gifts, we are able to help our community develop together that creativity, curiosity and inspiration and have a place where they may build those crucial memories. In essence, your support touches the lives of the 450,000+ people who engaged with the Fleet in 2019. For this, we are truly grateful.
40 years later, the Star Wars fandom has only grown exponentially and both of my children are big fans. In fact, I purchased advanced tickets for the newest film as soon as they went on sale so my entire family can enjoy this moment together. If you would like to see the newest Star Wars film in style, please read more in our Spotlight Event column about the Fleet's party and private screening on December 19.
Thank you again for your investment in the Fleet and the importance of our work. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, staff, and volunteers of the Fleet: we wish you and your family a memorable holiday season full of special moments.
