For several years Clarence Waters has been preparing himself for the inevitable ending of the travelogue series he started as a fundraiser for the Kiwansis Club of Daffodil Valley nearly 40 years ago.
Back then, the travel films were a money maker for the club, drawing about 400 to 500 people to each showing. Now about 100 people show up each time. And, two years ago, the club lost $1,000 through the series. They broke even this year only because the Sumner Arts Commission gave a one-time $1,000 donation.
The series shows about six or seven travel documentaries each year on places like the Grand Canyon, Australian, Route 66 of Iceland.
After the club discussed the future of the program, the group voted last week to make this year the last. Some members had suggested making the series a charity for the community but they determined that just wasn’t economical.
“I hate to see it go,” Waters said. “I think ti’s had it’s day.”
The last film will be the first week of April.
“Clarence is the one who made the motion,” Kiwansis member Charlie Nordeck said, explaining Waters was given the honors because it was his baby. “He was just about in tears.”
“No one has been involved with it like Clarence has,” said Nordeck, who is also the lieutenant governor for Kiwansis Club’s division 30.
Waters brought the film series to Puyallup 37 years ago as a way to raise money for the club, pulling in about $3,000. A few years into the program, the club moved the showings to the Sumner Performing Arts Center but it didn’t stop people from participating. What made the series so unique was that the videographer would travel to the area to narrate the film. The videographer, dressed in a tux or fine dress, would introduce the film and then give details throughout the showing, stopping at points to give greater explanations.
As a salesman, there was a time when Waters had been to all of the locations, both in the U.S. and overseas, that were featured in the films. It was a joy for him to have the rest of the community share the same experiences.
But he’s known for a while that it wouldn’t last forever.
“Even last year we quit thinking about the profit aspect. Or at least I did,” Waters said.
Still, he was determined that if someone saw just one film they would want to buy season tickets to see all of the films. He would go to the South Hill Mall and hand out guest passes or invite people he ran into in the community. Visitors could buy individual tickets but the group really needed season ticket holds for the assurance of staying power.
“We’ve been selling less and less season tickets,” Nordeck said.
They also redesigned the program given out at each event
Ultimately, there are a number of factors that contribute to the reduction in attendance at the film showings. Most of the ticket holders are well into their 80s, Nordeck said, and are slowly dying off. Other seniors can’t get a rid to the Performing Arts Center in the bad weather or on the dark nights. The film type has changed to digital, which has allowed the videographers to record their narrations, leaving them with nothing to do during the showings. The cost of renting the Performing Arts Center has increased over the years. Plus, the films that were once a novelty in Puyallup are now commonplace on cable TV.
“It’s an emotional thing,” Waters said.
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