By Harold Reutter
harold.reutter@theindependent.com

Accompanied by either her grandpa or grandma, Beem would enjoy the sidewalk sales or eating at a restaurant.

Beem also remembers going to the movies downtown. When she was a little older, she said, "I watched it when the ball hit the Capitol Theater and wondered what I could do."

With that background, Beem said, it certainly should be no surprise that she has been a regular volunteer at the Grand Theatre since it was taken over as an enterprise operation by the Grand Foundation.

Initially, Beem and the Grand Island/Hall County Convention and Visitors Bureau, where she works, wrote a letter of support for the idea of having a foundation take over the downtown movie theater.

Beem said Maudie Walters, owner of Maudie's Stained Glass, told her about plans for downtown interests to form a foundation to save the theater.

Over the years, Beem has gotten to know Walters and other downtown business owners through her job with the convention and visitors bureau. Promoting downtown is part of her job.

But Beem went beyond doing just her job to being one of the many volunteers who helps keep the Grand operating.

Walters noted that Renee Seifert, Liz Gerberding and Beem all of whom are on staff at the convention and visitors bureau have all worked extensively as volunteers at the Grand. She praised all three for their work. She said they all "believe in downtown," although they work to represent all of Hall County when it comes to promoting the area to outsiders.

As for Beem, "she volunteers all the time over there (the Grand Theatre)," Walters said. "When they get in a pinch and can't find anyone, they'll call Tricia. She believes in downtown."

"I have a deep passion for the Grand," Beem said. "I love the excitement of the movies, the crowds, the buttered popcorn."

Beem is certainly not the only person who has become a regular volunteer at the Grand, and that's one of the reasons she enjoys volunteering because of all the good friends she has made among those who work there.

She also likes the people who come to the movies as patrons. She said there has not been a single time that she has worked as a volunteer when a moviegoer has not shared a story about going to movies at the Grand.

Beem has some of those personal stories as well. She enjoyed taking her children to the Grand Theatre, and now she enjoys taking her two grandchildren to the Grand.

She and her husband volunteered at the Grand Theatre before it officially re-opened. She said her husband did some of the replastering that helped turn part of the theater into a museum.

Beem also has gotten involved with Open Mic Night, held the final Saturday of each month at the Blue Moon.

"This Saturday is the first one I'm going to miss," Beem said last week. Her regular job had her out of town last weekend.

Beem does not claim to be the moving force behind Open Mic Night. She credits Chad Chambers with that. She said the two of them brainstormed on ideas until she finally urged him to "just do it."

Beem said she has volunteered in various capacities during Open Mic Night, including being an emcee. She does draw the line at some chores, though.

"I don't touch any of the equipment," she said. "The sound system is not my fort."

Voluteering during Open Mic Night has been very rewarding, Beem said, noting that it provides a wonderful showcase for singer/songwriters, poets and those who want to engage in political discourse on various topics.

Beem noted that Open Mic Night has served as the public performance premiere for several singer/songwriters in Grand Island and Central Nebraska.

She said the success of Open Mic Night can be judged in a number of ways, including how much everybody enjoys being there. Beem said the last Open Mic Night she attended ran from 6 to 11 p.m.

Beem said her willingness to volunteer comes from her parents, who were always willing to volunteer for various causes. She also likes to volunteer because it's a good way to meet lots of really great people.

She has also volunteered at Stuhr Museum, Crane Meadows and other places.

In addition to her regular job at the convention and visitors bureau and her volunteer work, Beem has something of a sideline occupation as a poet.

People who've known her a long time know that she has written poetry ever since she was a young girl. Beem said she and artist Cindy Duff had talked for a long time about some sort of collaboration.

Finally, Duff said she had two art shows coming up and asked Beem to write some poetry to go along with her art.

"We did a book, cards and prints," Beem said, noting that all three continue to sell even today.

For the show, Beem put her maiden name and married name together to write poetry under the name Tricia Moon-Beem.

Again, people who've known her most of her life know that her maiden name is Moon, but for other people, the name "Moon-Beem" always prompts a question about the origin of the name.

Beem noted that Moon-Beem is apropos for writing poetry.

"It's worked out well," she said.