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?

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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).

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