GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — More than 2,000 Consumers Energy workers and mutual assistance crews from around the country are working diligently to restore electric service to West Michigan customers as safely and quickly as possible after ice and wind storms resulted in 230,000 outages this week.

While the important work on restoration is underway, the Consumers Energy team is offering customers a way to take a break, partnering with Celebration! Cinema to provide a free movie experience starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, through Sunday, Feb. 10.

“Mother Nature has been a challenge this past week and everyone at Consumers wants to thank our customers across West Michigan for their patience and cooperation as we work to restore power as safely and quickly as possible,” said Roger Curtis, Consumers Energy vice president of public affairs. “We invite them – as a small token of our appreciation – to enjoy a movie and refreshments on us.”

The idea for this event came from Consumers Energy employees who asked how they could help neighbors and families displaced by the effects of severe weather in ways beyond electric restoration efforts. In response, Consumers Energy is creating an opportunity for customers affected by the outage – whether staying with friends, families or neighbors, in warming centers or hotels, or riding it out at home – to enjoy some entertainment by partnering with Celebration! Cinema. Consumers Energy customers will be offered a voucher for a movie, soft drink & popcorn.

The company is making 2,000 tickets per day available at each of the following theaters in Grand Rapids and Muskegon:

o Celebration! Cinema Grand Rapids North: 616-365-2051

o Celebration! Cinema Grand Rapids South: 616-554-9966

o Celebration! Cinema Rivertown: 616-532-8902

o Celebration! Cinema Woodland: 616-285-6127

o Muskegon Cinema Carousel: 231-798-2600

“We know that severe weather has taken a toll on West Michigan families and we’re happy to work with Consumers Energy to provide an opportunity for families displaced by the effects of severe weather to enjoy a movie,” said Celebration! Cinema Director of Community Affairs Emily Loeks.

For more information on the event, customers can contact or visit any of the Celebration Cinema locations listed for more information.

To stay up to date on estimated restoration times, Consumers Energy customers can sign up to get outage alerts and restoration times sent to a phone, email or text message, Text ‘REG’ to 232273 or visit ConsumersEnergy.com/alerts. Customers can also report an outage, check the status of an outage and get useful tips for what to do after a storm by visiting ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter.