Hollister
– Despite efforts to use the Hollister Motorcycle Rally as a
fundraising opportunity, local nonprofits are reporting
disappointing returns over the weekend.
Hollister – Despite efforts to use the Hollister Motorcycle Rally as a fundraising opportunity, local nonprofits are reporting disappointing returns over the weekend.
Most nonprofit organizations who volunteered at the rally have yet to calculate their final numbers. But the majority said they made less money than in previous years, and some organization leaders are rethinking their participation for next year.
From 1997 to 2005 when the nonprofit Hollister Independence Rally Committee ran the event, much of it was designed specifically to fund-raise for nonprofit groups. Horse Power Promotions took over the rally this year after the old committee went bankrupt from escalating public safety costs.
Hollister Rotary member Bruce Beetz said he was disappointed with the money raised for his group. Rotary runs the two beer gardens at the rally each year.
“Sales were lower than we hoped,” Beetz said. “Just based off the number of empty kegs sitting around, I’m guessing that it was a bit on the thin side compared to 2005 – probably 65 to 70 percent of the profits.”
Beetz attributed many of the sales problems to the new rally set-up. He worried many people didn’t even realize there was a second beer garden, on Sixth street. The primary beer garden was located on Fifth street by the main stage.
“We’ll try to pump it up for next year,” Beetz said.
The Hollister Veterans of Foreign Wars, who have a chicken and tri-tip barbecue, reported poor earnings as well.
“We may take a loss because we ordered a lot of food, and a lot of it wasn’t used,” Cmdr. Jim Perales said.
VFW won’t know final numbers and whether it made a profit for another couple of days, Perales said.
While it’s up to VFW members to decide, Perales said he preferred to not use the rally as a fundraiser in 2008.
“It’s a lot of work, and a lot of times we just don’t make any profit. It’s frustrating,” he said.
Community Pantry, which volunteered at the rally for the first time, raised $275 over the three-day period through a helmet and leather check.
Executive Director Mary Anne Hughes said the amount was “way lower” than she had hoped.
The Community Pantry fireworks booth also had disappointing sales the previous week, Hughes said, raising $46,500 – a $6,000 decrease from the previous year when the group raised $52,500.
“It makes it a little harder on the budget. We’d hoped that the rally might help make up the difference,” Hughes said.
If Community Pantry participates next year, Hughes said she hopes the group would have a different and more profitable location.
“We think we know some of the problems and if we fix them, then we’ll do it again,” she said.
Still, several of the nonprofits still have the opportunity to earn money from the rally. A committee will divide up some of the profit earned from the rally – aside from rally sponsorship and vendor fees – among local nonprofits that volunteered, rally promoter Seth Doulton said. The amount earned will not be known until after the rally promotion team is billed by the city and law enforcement.
“I just hope more of (the nonprofits) take advantage of it next year,” Doulton said.
