SC - Smiley faces

[Michael F. Gunter]

>Sorry for any misunderstanding. :-) What I meant to say was that as a not for
>profit organization the money generated by a feast should not be counted upon
>as a money making activity but rather as a break-even activity. For instance,
>when given a feast budget of 1200 dollars one should endeavor to spend 1200
>dollars or less for the purpose of feeding the masses without tho't for
>profit. I always come in under budget because of the way in which I search
>out price differences when buying BUT as a feastocrat, I am not placed under
>any pressure from the shire to do so.

I understand the intent.  I plan the break-even at 50% capacity (since I
don't have paid reservations), run a tight budget and hope for a profit.
 I heartily agree that a feast should be planned to break even and that
profits should not be expected.

>Our shire's main fundraising is accomplished thru a period food booth we set
>up annually at the Lewisburg Arts festival and thru the selling of chain mail
>juggling balls and jester's hats at other public functions. 

A food booth under such conditions in Oklahoma would be required to meet
both the tax regulations and the health codes, but neither would be
particularly onerous.  The State goes out of its way to help add to the
tax base.

Our primary activity is the Medieval Fair at the University of Oklahoma
for which we receive a small stipend as part of the entertainment.  We
don't do sales activities there, so we do not conflict with the
commercial vendors.  We get exposure and over the years have done
private feasts, provided entertainment, and done the myriad other paid
gigs which have helped build up the coffers.

>The menu items are shish kabobs, gingerbread, lemonaid, and spinach/cheese
>pasties. BTW, apparently because of our NP status we have never been
>subjected to state inspection by the DHW when doing the public thing either.
>But then again PA has always been rather user friendly for NP's. :-)
>
>This allows us to have a full shedule of school demos and a nest egg that is
>not unimpressive ($2.000-$3,000 dollars in the bank at any given moment.
>Thereby the cost of events is always covered and IF a loss must be taken,
>which ias extremely rare, we have a comfy cushion with which to do so.
>
>:-)
>
>Ras

I think most jurisdictions don't do much about NPs, because it would
require a lot of work for little return.  It they go after one, they
would have to go after all, including the churches.  Besides, the money
isn't going out of town and health problems tend to be localized.

Namron has been around long enough to have built up the same kind of
cushion.  We haven't taken a serious loss on an event in years, but we
can take a major hit and still function.

Bear 

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