Naval Air Station Whidbey Island’s Liberty Northwest Center and Admiral Nimitz Hall dining facility held a ribbon cutting to commemorate the opening of the new movie room in their facility, Feb. 25.

As the only galley Navy-wide that shares space with a liberty center, Admiral Nimitz Hall gave up one of their dish rooms to allow more facilities to improve Sailors’ morale.

“With the limited space we have out in the main area, the galley graciously gave up their secondary dish room,” said Sherry Yates, Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Liberty program manager. “We gutted it out and were able to convert it into an actual movie viewing room and we went with the oversized recliners so they can kind of kick back and be comfy.”

The project received support from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest (NAVFAC) Self-Help Division and local contractors to renovate the space to accommodate the movie room.

“We went through and walled off sections to make the room rectangular and give (Liberty Northwest) a section to put all the movie equipment in,” said Builder 1st Class (SCW) Steven Peck, NAVFAC Self-Help. “We were glad to help, it’s good work for us being here on shore duty we don’t get a lot of chances to go out and do many projects, so it’s kind of nice to be involved. I’m proud that we were a part of it.”

The opening was dubbed “Nacho Average” due to the galley providing a nacho bar and the showing of the 2006 movie “Nacho Libre” to inaugurate the facility.

Liberty Northwest has more than 300 movies provided by the Navy Motion Picture Service for Sailors to choose from for their viewing pleasure. Staff and patrons alike feel the new addition will be a morale booster for Sailors stationed on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

“They have someplace that’s theirs, they have the choice what movie they want to view, they can come in by themselves or with a couple of buddies to where they have the freedom to pick what they want to see rather than what’s been chosen for them,” said Yates. “I think we’ll really help with their quality of life because it’s as if they were home sitting down on their own recliner watching what they choose.”

“I don’t live here (on base), but I come (to this facility) every day because I enjoy it and I’m happy about the movie room. It’s awesome and it looks nice,” said Culinary Specialist 2nd Class (AW/SW) James Dorce, Electronic Attack Squadron 137. “I think the young Sailors here are really going to enjoy it because now they have another option. It’ll definitely keep them busy and it’s literally a few steps away from where they live.

The Center plans on having a contest allowing Sailors to have the chance to name their movie room in the near future.