Hi '78BHS Classmate/s
Here is some background information that might
help clarify questions about the financials and related matters that have
affected choices and decisions for the reunion.
Our Survey last winter (February) indicated the
following:
-we want Mike’s Barn, Kosta’s Pig, Picnic-style, some
Other food and soft Beverages, Cash-type Bar.
This is great and, so far, we are getting a
positive response.
BUT, we also know/discover that we have to
absorb costs and labor that would normally be included in a “one person/one
price” gig at the Holiday Inn or Elks, which would also include a cash bar,
paying for soft drinks, and free water.
Factors:
-We have fixed costs, regardless of how many
people show up. (Barn, Pig, Website, Bar/Delivery Labor, and other
incidentals.)
-The non-Kosta food,
dishes, non-liquor bevs, Liquor bevs,
ice can slide up and down some depending on attendance.
-In order to plan properly, it’s best for us to
know as much as we can about how many people will attend, and how they will
partake, especially in Liquor. Or not partake.
-In ’08, just over 100 people attended the
dinner and etc. We paid $30 per head, and all bought
drinks at the bar.
-We’re working with 100 as the projected
number this time for budgeting purposes.
-While we aren’t trying to make money, we are
also taking care that we don’t lose money—as with most non-profits, if we lose
money on the event, we’ll all have to figure out how to make it up. With
that in mind, we shoot a little high with expense calculations and a little low
with income calcs.
-We have about $800 in the bank right now.
We want to carry some forward for future projects, death remembrances,
etc. Hopefully at least $800
Non-Liquor Costs:
-Using the fixed costs we know, and making a
pretty close guess on the adjustables.
-As we get registrations, we will adjust the
adjustable costs as needed.
-Our current food plan includes: Pig w/
beans, Add’l sides (Cole slaw, fresh fruit), Cookies,
Lemonade, Water, included in the ticket price.
-Again, other fixed/necessary costs have to be
covered by the food ticket.
Income:
--Prepaid Tickets with registration on the
website.
--Inviting “Underwriters” to provide additional
support to offset costs. Last time we had several hundred dollars worth of these.
Liquor
Costs:
-as we’ve noted before, we enter a new existence
when we sign on for providing our own “cash” bar. It’s not a bad thing,
just different!
-Bar Businesses purchase much of their stuff in
bulk and/or at wholesale-ish pricing. We will
get closer to wholesale by getting some at Sam’s Club, but we will also be
paying retail on some things.
-There is a standard-liquor-calculation for this
type of event. We have used it to determine working numbers for
costs-per-person, per-drink, and guesstimates for how much of which kind of
drinks people will want to have. The typical average liquor
consumption rate in the US for an event like this is about 1-1.5 drinks per
hour.
-We are working with Beer, Red Wine, White Wine,
Liquor (Vodka, Bourbon/whiskey, gin, Rum. Maybe one more…)
-The event registration page includes questions
for our attendees about what kinds of things each person is most likely to
drink, so we can plan and purchase accordingly.
-We will try to engage merchants/suppliers who
will take returns of these items if they are not opened.
Liquor Income:
-Because of things like wide-ranging pricing,
movement away from checks and cash in favor of payment cards, increasing “we’ll
buy our own” models for such events, there is a new and wise strategy growing
in Event Industries—a PREPAID DRINK TICKET.
-People will be able to (and need to) purchase
this ticket when registering on the website. Not available on the ground
at the event.
-In addition to the planning aid, this also
makes it possible to capture a good bit of cash ahead of time dedicated to
liquor. This avoids the necessity for someone to have to float out 2000+$
on liquor prior, etc.
-Current calculations suggest the
following: a $20-$23 ticket pre-paid will be good for either 5 or 6
drinks or wine/liquor or 8-ish beers; a $12-ish ticket for 3-ish drinks or
5-ish beers.
-Purchaser will receive a punch card for said
number of drinks. Bartenders will punch each time it’s used.
-People can also use CASH ONLY (no checks, no
credit cards) onsite the night of the event, including anyone who doesn’t
purchase a drink-ticket, and anyone who wants/needs more than the what the
ticket includes.
-Cash price onsite: $5. Probably for
anything. Remembering that a] we aren’t a business, and b] our bar-staff
will be friendly-and-good amateurs….the LESS we have
to handle money, the better. Especially $1 bills.
-The hope is that many/most people will buy
these tix, even if one might not drink all the drinks, b/c it helps defray
event costs and allows the person to not worry about cash!!
-We hope that people will not ‘game the
system’…manipulating the pre-pay cards for more gain is only at the expense of
the Class of ’78. No one is making money on this; but we have to break even.
If your eyes start to cross and such with those
things, here is the bare-bones summary:
Based on 100 paying attendees:
|
Item |
Debit/Cost (Totals) |
Per-person cost |
Credit/Income |
Per Person Payment |
|
Dinner
+ non-Liquor |
4090 |
40 |
|
|
|
Registration |
|
|
4000 |
40 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liquor
(70 of 100) |
2010 |
29 |
|
|
|
Prepaid
Cards |
|
|
1610 |
23 (Optional) |
|
Cash
onsite for bar |
|
|
250 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
in Bank |
|
|
800 |
|
|
Totals |
6100 |
|
6660 |
|
For the ’78 Planning Team,
Tom Woldt
|
Wanna see the details?
|