By Malcolm Butler
Jeannie Burns remembers the first time she ever attended the Dixie Theater in Ruston.
The year, she believes, was 1968 or “somewhere around that time.”
This knowledge, of course, is based on the release date of the movie that her and her future husband, the late Terry Burns, saw that night.
Jeannie and Terry drove from Bernice to Ruston to see the flick that night somewhere in the late 1960s. It was one of their first real dates.
“My dad finally let me get in a car with Terry and drive to Ruston,” said Jeannie. “That was a big deal for Bernice couples.”
Little did they know that more than 50 years later, a photo taken of the Dixie Theater by their son, Paul, would be auctioned off with all proceeds going to benefit the local chapter of the Domestic Abuse Resistance Team (DART).
Terry, who passed away following a battle with cancer in April of 2022, had plans of working with a non-profit after retiring from the banking industry. However, sadly enough, he never got that opportunity.
However, thanks to Paul’s photo and the generosity of some of Terry’s long-time friends and colleagues, he was still able to be the driving force behind a cause that ultimately helped a local non-profit in DART.
The idea started early one morning a year or so ago in Ruston.
“I was in town and had gone downtown to do some photography of Ruston early one morning,” said Paul, who now lives in Memphis with his wife Ashley and two daughters. “I looked up and there was the Dixie. And the sky was beautiful.
“I got back to the house, and I was editing some of those photos. Mom was like, ‘You know that Terry Burns and I went on of our first date there?’ I was like, ‘No way.’
“She really liked the photo. I could tell it brought back some memories. So I decided to call it Date Night.”
Paul, now 42 years old and the owner of Little Studio on the Square Photography, approached local DART community activist Terrie Queen Autrey — who he had known for years — about the idea of joining forces to raise some money using the photo in an effort to honor his father’s dream of helping a non-profit.
The idea turned into a plan and ultimately turned into a special night in early December that Jeannie, Terrie, and those who were in attendance will ever forget.
The weekend prior to the auction ending, Bill Hogan — a longtime colleague and family friend of the Burns — began formulating a plan. That plan eventually grew in numbers.
“So I looked at it to see where the bid was over that weekend,” said Hogan. “And I said, ‘That’s not enough.’ So I raised the bid by a good bit. Then Kyle McDonald sends me a text asking what I was going to do with with the photo. I told Kyle I was going to buy it and give it to Jeannie. And he said, ‘Well, I want to play.'”
Hogan and McDonald then joined forces with Byron Moore, who was also close to the Burns family. But that wasn’t the end of it.
“We heard a collector was possibly going to get involved in the bidding,” said Hogan. “Kyle heard it was Jared Ramsey so we contacted him and he said, ‘Well, I want to give it to Jeannie.’ So the four of us raised the bid up quite a bit so that DART could make some money in honor of Terry. And we bought it and gave it to Jeannie.”
The auction for the framed copy of Date Night culminated on December 5 as part of Lincoln Through the Lens hosted by Century Next Bank. Jeannie, who said she attended this event with Terry for years and attended that night as well, was in for a pleasant surprise. Everyone was.
“It was just so heartwarming and such a loving thing,” said Jeannie. “And it was all such a win win outcome because it was about DART, but it had a story behind it with (Terry and my) relationship. But just think how many lives can be changed from the money raised, you know. And then the heartwarming, blessed surprise of getting to receive the photo.”
Autrey said she was touched by the actions of all of those involved.
“I was so blown away that night by the generosity of all four men,” said Autrey. “And what was so incredible was how full circle the compassion and kindness of this entire effort came starting with Paul. It was such a powerful tribute to Terry and a wonderful benefit to DART.”
It obviously had a deep and significant meaning to Paul as well.
“This project meant the world to me. Ruston always comes through to support the community,” said Paul. “It was a honor to raise money for such a great cause and amazing to watch what this community can do when they come together.”
“I was touched from day one as soon as I realized what Paul was up to,” said Hogan. “I was really touched by the whole thing. Then for it to end up like it did, it was very, very cool. And Jeannie was very touched. What a wonderful family. It was just a real sweet, positive thing to have played a small role in.”
Date Night now hangs on the wall in Jeannie Burns dining room, a photo taken by her son and a daily reminder of her first date with Terry.
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Additional prints of Date Night can still be purchased at http://www.littlesotsphotography.com with all proceeds going to DART.
