Disaster Relief Fundraiser meeting notes and discussion

[enigmacat]

Disaster Relief Fundraiser notes  9/4/05

attending:
enigmacat
telesphoros
lanseaux
megc
zeno
jayme
ilovecheese
jtrane

venue - #1
bohemian hall (outside? inside?) (enigmacat)
grace lutheran (enigmacat)
waltz (megc will contact)
fatty's (zeno)
multiple venues?

questions for venues
availability
capacity
facilities (piano, electronic)
can we bring in food?
cost (donated?)
stage?

dates in order of preference
october 8-9 or 15-16, sep 30-oct 1,

second-priority issues/thoughts/ideas/tasks
community leaders to approach re participation
peter valone
jerry kahn
robyn skylar
joya
arrow
long island city alliance
art organizations – qville, ps1, local bank account (commerce – laura suggests)
astorians for peace and justice
mayor's office
media
borough president

marketing
peach, astorians.net, emack & bolios, myastoria, craiglist, flyers, local paper
getting on the mayor's calendar (ilovecheese)

channeling $$$
red cross
arrow (enigmacat and ilovecheese)
astorians for peace and justice (zeno)
- length of matching funds program (telesphoros)

scope
live entertainment (music, film, acting, comedy)
megc, jtrane, megc's 3 downstairs neighbors, enigmacat, megc's housemate, ilovecheese's husband (writer),
silent auction
two nights or all day?

silent auction
- solicit goods and services from local individuals
sponsoring businesses?

[enigmacat]

venue committee = zeno, enigmacat and megc

venue is top priority - venue will set size/timing/capacity of event.  venue committee will check in thursday at 7.00 at the freeze peach- other members are encouraged to attend. 

thanks everyone!!!

[iLoveCheese]

what are we naming this event? Maybe "Astorians For Katrina Relief"

[blueeyes]

Sorry to be a bit late, but I don't always check this board with great consistancy.  

Depending on the date (and assuming that it is not too late to do so), we should add Brownbird Rudy Relic to the list of performers.  He is totally up for it!

I'll also check at work to see if they do matching donations as well.  It is a big enough entity, but sadly, that doesn't mean much...

ciao

[zeno]

Nothing to be embarassed about. Welcome. Keep an eye out for the next meeting or we'll send you a private message (just be sure to check your email regularly )

The idea of matching matched donations is intriguing. Every little bit helps.

See you soon,
----zeno.

[enigmacat]

I had a brief chat with Bohemian Hall this afternoon.  I'd like to swing by and look at the hall after work.  Is anyone available to go with me?  Send a pm or call me.

Bohemian Hall stats:
availability

10/8 -   available
10/9 -   not available
10/15 - not
10/16 -not
9/30   -available
10/1   -not

capacity -  400-500
facilities - no piano, but has stage and sound equipment
cost - $750 for 4 hours, $1000 if we bring in food
I broached the possibility of donating the space, not sure if he is open to it
mgr office open from 1.00 - 7.00, we will want to go have a look.

[enigmacat]

someone mentioned a list of venues published on the internet.  can you publish it please?  i will adore you forever.  or for the next half-hour for sure.

[enigmacat]

my attempt to reach grace lutheran was severely hampered by the fact that a non-english speaker answered the phone.  if someone with better language skills than mine would like to call them, the number is 718.728.0098

[iLoveCheese]

do you know what language they were speaking?

I emailed Sandra as I couldn't find her number. But she hasn't gotten back to me. I really hope she does. The more I think about it...our attendees won't be getting a tax deduction. Usually when you go to a benefit, you pay a venue for an event, they donate the money, and then get the deduction. Still the collecter has to be a legal entity that can declare the money. this would be either the venue or ARROW or a church or whatever. If it was the venue, they should get a cut - that's only fair as they might otherwise have business that night.

So, I think we should put the cabash (sp?) on creating a group and account. Getting incorperated with non-profit status can take a year, plus its a royal pain in the ass. Also, I'm thinking that Accenture is not going to match ARROW's contribution as ARROW doesn't work for them. ARROW can't hand the money off to Chris pre-contribution because ARROW would then have to pay taxes on that income and Chris will get the deduction. Chris you need to let us know about this.

As far as I see it we have to let ARROW - or another incorperated group - handle the cash with or without a match. Hopefully with.

I know it seems like one of us should be able to just collect the money and donate it, but then we have to declare that income and get a deduction for other people's donations and that's weird. This is too big a thing to do under the table.

Sorry to throw this wrench into the mix. If someone finds fault in this logic that would be great. Let me know.

[enigmacat]

spanish.  

a good cause is not reason enough to fall afoul of the irs.  we need to figure out a way to do the most possible good without shooting ourselves or any innocent bystanders in the feet.

[enigmacat]

it just occured to me that arrow has space and facilities as well.  do you think they would be open to allowing us to have the event there?

[iLoveCheese]

the problem with that is that that facility is a NYC Parks rec center. So, we might have to go through Parks, but I think I know who to talk to. I'll look into it.

[megc]

someone mentioned a list of venues published on the internet.  can you publish it please?  i will adore you forever.  or for the next half-hour for sure.

That was me.  Here is the link:
http://www.nycmusicplaces.org/

Good Shepherd UMC on Crescent near 30th looks good.  $100/performance in the Sanctuary sounds like a GREAT deal.  The Parish Hall is $50!  Wow.  It looks good (well, except for the carpet element).

[iLoveCheese]

About the Beer Garden...I really don't think we're not renting a venue. Who's paying for it? If we did we might not even raise enough money to break even. Then we're not helping anybody. If we were going to take that route, we'd first have to get enough sponsers to pay for it. What are other people's thoughts on this?

[iLoveCheese]

on second thought...uh...$50 or $100 I think we could muster.