CNA VOICES
By Katie Ugolini| CNA Social Committee Chair
It’s spring, and fundraising is in full bloom in Concordia.
As you know, your Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) raises funds to sponsor events and activities that fit our mission to build community.
Last month, we sponsored the Spring Egg Hunt and coming up soon are our booth at the July Fernhill Concert Series, the summertime neighborhood yard sale, the Aug. 3 National Night Out celebration, the Sept. 23 Northeast Sunday Parkways and the CNA Holiday Party in December.
Only one event each year makes money. That’s the Neighborhood Clean Up, scheduled for Saturday, May 19, at the PCC Workforce Center.
Our budget also receives a modest annual donation from the city’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement and the rental income from the McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room. (Need a venue for a meeting or party? Visit ConcordiaPDX.org/community-room-rental for details.)
By far our largest expense each year is the concert series. It costs about $16,000 to pay for the bands and equipment. Yes. That’s no small amount. And one of the sources of income for it won’t be available this year.
That’s income from passing the hat during intermission at each concert. In the past, the hat provided $5,000 to $6,000 to help defray concert costs. This year, however, all funds from the “hat” will go to the Portland Parks & Recreation general fund for programs.
Although supporting all of our Portland parks activities is important, this means that one of our most dependable sources of revenue for the Fernhill Concert Series – the audience – will disappear in 2018.
So fundraising is especially important this spring and the three people who traditionally raise money – two CNA Board members and yours truly — need some recruits. Please help us keep this family-friendly Concordia summer tradition alive.
Please consider becoming a sponsor and/or making a donation. And contact me at KTUgolini@gmail.com if you can lend us some time to approach local businesses and organizations to request donations and sponsorships.