Hull's Angels:
Who We Are:
Hull's Angels is the name of a local non-profit group dedicated to preserving Hull's Drive-In Theatre. Our group formed in 1999 after Hull's Drive-In closed following nearly fifty years of operation. After a two-year fundraising effort, Hull's Angels succeeded in purchasing the theatre business in 2001. Several hundred drive-in supporters each paying $5 annual dues now belong to Hull's Angels. We are proud to be the new owners and operators of this community treasure.
Where We've Been:
Hull's Angels held it founding meeting in June 1999. Present were fifty drive-in fans eager to find a way to re-open this beloved theatre. During the summer we explored various options and built our membership. By fall, we agreed the organization itself should try to purchase Hull's. At that point we formally organized as a non-profit corporation, elected a volunteer board of directors. By the spring of 2000, we negotiated an agreement enabling us to purchase the business anytime during a two-year lease. Soon thereafter we launched a $75,000 capital campaign. By July 2000 we had raised enough money to make urgent repairs and reopen the theatre for the season.
After a successful first season, we reopened in April 2001 for our first full sixth-month season. Thanks to the donations of literally hundreds of people, we were able to purchase the business in late May 2001. As operators of the nation's only non-profit community drive-in movie theatre, Hull's Angels has enjoyed widespread media attention for their efforts.
Where We're Going:
Our goal is to keep on operating Hull's Drive-In Theatre in the respectful, family-friendly manner of longtime owner Mr. Sebert Hull. Now that we have purchased the drive-in business, we're turning our attention to keeping this historic theatre in good physical condition, showing great movies, and extending our community outreach through special events and other charitable projects benefiting our local area.
We welcome your donations to help us with the above mission.
All donations to Hull's Angels, a registered charitable organization, are tax-deductible.
Related Links
Membership/Donation Form
Hull's Angels bylaws
Newsletters (links not active yet)
A very special Thank Youto our supporters inStaunton, Waynesboro, Lexington, Raphine, Harrisonburg, Stuarts Draft, Fairfield, Covington, Natural Bridge, Greenville, Bridgewater, Goshen, Brownsburg, Troutville, Clifton Forge, Rockbridge Baths, Weyers Cave, Vesuvius, Elkton, Churchville, Craigsville, Buchanan, Charlottesville, Steeles Tavern. Millboro, Roanoke, Bedford and all our good friends near and far!
For Press Releases and Media Features, please contact us here...
From our Angels mailbox:
"Thank you for rescuing the Drive-In! Keep up the good work!" Judith Riley, Lexington 6/01 (keep as is) "You're gonna make it, much to the relief of us back-row dweller. We're very grateful for all the effort. It'll be rewarded, no worries." W.J., Afton 6/01 Thank you for your efforts to keep the drive-in alive! M.N, Covington 6/01
Congratulations on achieving notoriety thru blood, sweat, and tears! R.T & B. .T., Lexington 6/01 "Hull's is a landmark worth treasuring & saving. Thank you so much for your interest and effort to save Hull's Drive-In. It has brought us much joy in the past and continues to as we are now able to share the experience of outdoor movie going with our small children." Dennis and Theresa May, Staunton, 6/01 Kids under 12 free is great. I have three to pay for. Each of them would make it financially impossible for me to participate. This makes for a great family outing." J.L. Fishersville 7/01 For the past three weeks, I have driven 200+ miles from northern Virginia to take my girlfriend to Hull's Drive In on Saturday night. M.B.,7/3/01
"Thanks for bringing this Drive-In back to life! I can't give money, but thought I would help out in other ways. Happy Easter! " This handwritten note, signed the Easter Bunny," was found tacked on the snack bar door early Easter morning during our first weekend open for the 2001 season. Our director had come back to clean up the grounds from the night before only to find that the entire field had already been spotlessly picked up....TRUE STORY! We discovered Hull's two summers ago, and enjoyed coming up for movies. We thought it was a piece of Americana we needed to expose our daughter to. Of course, she loved it. ... Save Hull's, please! --G.C. Bedford, VA 9/10/99 Good luck with your efforts to keep the Drive-In going. I have fond memories of growing up in Rockbridge County and watching movies at Hull's from the bed of an old dodge pickup. --J.J. Troutville, VA 9/24/99 "I've been going to drive-ins my entire life and all over the place, but I have never found one quite like Hull's. The "past" we all long for wasn't retro-fied there, it simply had never gone away. How rare and beautiful things that is; as Bradbury once wrote, "a miracle of rare device." So it was. Imagine my incredible delight only today to find you folks, obviously as moved as I am by what he gave for so many years." --W.J. Charlottesville, VA, 5/24/00 Just a note from a new Rockbridge County resident/farmer. Please preserve the Drive-In. The fondest memories I have as a child are sitting on the tailgate watching "Empire Strikes Back." --K.H. Lexington, VA 5/30/00 We here at the Drive-In Theatre Fan Club are very proud of your group and are impressed that you have overcome what seemed to be impossible odds to get the Hull's Drive-In reopen[ed]. The Hull's Angels deserve a round of applause from not only the fan club, but the entire drive-in theatre community! --Kim and Mark Bialek (editors) of Drive-In Theatre Journal, Baltimore, MD, 6/19/99
