Nearly 800 school kids from three elementary schools took part in a "Group Hug" Friday morning in front of the historic Admiral Theater.

The event was organized and sponsored by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. Clay Eals, its Executive Director, led a group of dignitaries in the ceremony which was highlighted by a photograph and video of the attendees.

The thrust of the event was a celebration of the renovation of the 74-year-old theater.

Dignitaries in attendance included school principals Shannon Hobbs-Beckley, Alki Elementary; Gerrit Kischner, Schmitz Park Elementary; Robert Gallagher, Lafayette Elementary; Jim Kelly, Executive Director, 4-Culture; Shannon Braddock, Chief of Staff for Joe McDermott, King Council Council; Sol Baron, Faraway Entertainment, owner of the Admiral Theater and former Seattle Mayors Greg Nickels and Norm Rice.

Eals thanked his board of trustees for their behind-the-scenes work to help stage the event. They are: : Marcy Johnsen, Peder Nelson, Ron Arant, Tia Hallberg, Esther Armstrong, Jenni Bodnar, Crystal Dean, Bonnie Gromlich, Dora-Faye Hendricks, Kerry Korsgaard, Tasha Miller, Karen Sisson and Nancy Sorensen.
He also thanked museum manager Lissa Kramer

During his remarks, Eals gave some background on the history of the Admirial Theater.

"Did you know that the Admiral Theater is 74 years old, built in 1942? And that its lobby was a movie theater called the Portola, built in 1919 – just three years shy of 100 years ago?
And it was 27 years ago that the Admiral Theater almost died. It closed in 1989. And thanks to a campaign led by our historical society, the West Seattle community saved the Admiral. We saved it by persuading the city to make it a Seattle landmark. In fact, today I am wearing my “Save the Admiral Theater” button from 1989.
Our historical society’s theme this year is “Loving Our Landmarks.” That includes the Admiral Theater, the Alki Homestead, our “Birthplace of Seattle” Log House Museum, and two buildings in The Junction – the Campbell Building and Hamm Building – that we hope to secure landmark status for later this year.
Being a landmark protects a building from being torn down. And because it was a landmark, the Admiral Theater was still standing when the Gartin family bought it in 1992 and opened it back up. It has stayed open ever since.
This landmark has such a bright future that the operator of the theater is investing a lot of time and money into fixing up and improving the Admiral – including an expansion from two to four screens, all while protecting the historic features of the building."

Eals also acknowledged Jean Sherrard, who took photos from atop a scissors lift truck positioned east of the theater.