At their annual convention, held last week in Kissimmee, Florida, The United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association (UDITOA) paid tribute to two members who passed away unexpectedly in 2025: Nora Harroun of Illinois’ Harvest Moon Twin Drive-In and Denise Knapp of New York’s Black River Drive-In, the latter also a member of the UDITOA board.
Inspired by Harroun and Knapp’s shared love of animals, UDITOA member Dawn Floyd of the Stardust Drive-In called upon the drive-in community to donate stuffed animals for children in need. Hundreds of drive-ins from across the country contributed a grand total of 719 stuffed animals, which were then donated during the convention to the Oceola County Sheriff’s Department. In addition, Harroun’s mother Maria Garcia, herself a UDITOA member, donated a check to the department for their participation in the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run program.
“We are deeply grateful to the United Drive-In Theater Owners Association for their thoughtful donation of stuffed animals, given in loving memory of Nora Harroun and Denise Knapp, two cherished members lost in 2025,” wrote a representative from the Oceola Sheriff’s department. “This meaningful gesture was made with the hope of keeping their memories alive by offering comfort to children in need. Each stuffed animal represents care, compassion, and a reminder that even in moments of loss, kindness can bring warmth and reassurance. These stuffed animals will be shared with families who need them most, helping bring a small sense of comfort during difficult times. On behalf of Sheriff Christopher Blackmon and our team, thank you for turning remembrance into an act of love and support for our community.”
Reflecting on the pair of donations, Ben Harroun, husband of Nora, writes that though UDITOA exists to support drive-in theaters and represent their interests in the motion picture industry, in reality it is much more than a trade association. Rather, UDITOA “is comprised of hundreds of caring individuals that operate the some of the last remaining drive-in movie theaters while also working to support and strengthen their local communities, giving to charity and worthy causes, and showing up in times of need for others that are in the industry. These people truly are a large family with some of the most caring hearts found in any for-profit business in operation these days.”
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