Petersburg Community Foundation presents $1,500 check to student staff, administration and Compass Theater board, “In recognition of years of community involvement,” for the Northern Nights Theater. Pictured from left to right: Glo Wollen (PCF Board Chair), Waylon Jones, Rebecca Midkiff, Sean Toth, Payton Dreisbach, Cyndy Fry (NNT Manager), Bev Sierks (CT Board). (Photo courtesy of Glo Wollen)

Petersburg’s student-run Northern Nights Theater is the only movie theater in town. Originally launched with a grant, it has provided the community with entertainment for nearly 30 years. But the nonprofit, also called Compass Theater, is now facing a financial crisis.

The Petersburg Community Foundation, an Alaska Community Foundation affiliate, doesn’t usually make donations outside of its annual grant cycle. But when foundation board member Karin McCallough heard about the theater’s hardship, she approached her fellow board members — who decided to give the nonprofit a one-time $1,500 check.

As McCallough told KFSK’s Olivia Rose, although the donation won’t save the theater, the money at least buys it some time.  

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Editor’s Note (Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m.): The headline of this story was updated to specify the donated amount.