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Easterseals West Virginia Easterseals West Virginia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Easterseals plans sensory-friendly screening of 'Secret Life of Pets' at Towngate Theatre

Wheeling, WV,
Media Contact
Betsy Bethel-McFarland, Marketing Director
bmcfarland@wv.easterseals.com
(304) 242-1390, Ext. 121

Easterseals Rehabilitation Center will screen the cartoon adventure "The Secret Life of Pets" in a sensory-friendly format at Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre and Cinema at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 22.

“The next film in our sensory-friendly series will have audience members on the edge of their seats as they cheer on Max and Duke during their rollicking, cross-town adventure. The free film is screened in an inclusive and accessible format  or people with all levels of developmental and sensory processing abilities,” Easterseals marketing director Betsy Bethel-McFarland said.

Admission and popcorn are free. Registration is requested.

Register Here

“Sensory-friendly” means the theater house lights will be dimmed but not off, and the movie volume will be lowered. Guests are free to stand and move around, and they can bring their own food and drinks to accommodate food allergies and sensitivities.

The 166-seat Towngate Theatre and Cinema offers handicapped accessible parking and an elevator to access the second floor. Seating also will be available in the first-floor lobby, where there will be sensory activities and a TV simultaneously screening the movie. 

Closed captioning will be on both screens.

“These inclusive measures are being taken to provide a welcoming environment for children and adults who may not feel comfortable in a traditional movie theater setting,” Bethel-McFarland said. 

Easterseals provides outpatient pediatric speech, physical and occupational therapies and medical services for children with various physical and neurodevelopmental disabilities and delays.

The March 22 event, the fourth in the Sensory-Friendly Sunday Matinee series, is sponsored by Barbara Strauss, a longtime Easterseals board member. 

"The Secret Life of Pets," released by Illumination in 2016, is rated PG and is one hour and 27 minutes long. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. The movie starts promptly at 2 p.m. There will be no previews or trailers. 

Cash or nonperishable food donations will be accepted to help stock a food cupboard for Easterseals clients. 

Registration is requested by filling out this Google Form.

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About Easterseals Rehabilitation Center

Easterseals Rehabilitation Center has been creating life-changing solutions for children with disabilities in the Ohio Valley since 1937. Easterseals is a nonprofit outpatient center that 
provides pediatric medical services, including physical medicine and medication management; speech, occupational, and physical therapies; comprehensive autism screenings; and child development/early intervention services. These services start with a doctor's referral. We accept all insurances. Thanks to our generous community, no one is ever denied services for inability to pay.