By STACY TREVENON, Half Moon Bay Review
The Phoenix Rising fund-raiser back on July 13 may not have raised any cash it could give to employees of Cunha's Country Grocery store, but its organizers have, since then, gracefully recouped plentiful goodwill.
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Organizers, headed by Half Moon Bay resident Donna Pacini, had maintained that proceeds would go to Cunha's after the costs of putting on the event were paid. But those costs - including security, portable toilets, printing costs for T-shirts and posters, and other bills - claimed all the funds raised.
"I personally accept financial responsibility as the (concert) producer," Pacini said.
Almost all of the $6,400 raised at the concert came from donations, including a $10 suggested donation at the door of the I.D.E.S. Hall.
Additional cash was expected to be raised from sales of T-shirts, posters and food.
But not many of the estimated 600 T-shirts were sold, and food vendors barely broke even - if they managed to stay out of the red themselves.
One of those vendors was the I.D.E.S. Society itself, which provided hamburgers, hot dogs, linguica, sodas and water.
After fronting $3,000 or so for food, the society made roughly $300. They sold some of the leftover burgers to members, kept the sodas and waters, and contacted suppliers to try to return the remaining meat and buns, which they kept in coolers after the show.
The society donated their slim profits toward maintenance of their grounds and buildings. "What we sold, we kept," I.D.E.S. President Ken Ormonde said. "What (the suppliers) can't take back, we lose."
Representatives from the other two eateries, Baskin-Robbins and Ono Hawaiian Grill, said that they too had not done well, due largely to the low turnout.
After being told to plan for crowds in the neighborhood of 10,000 people, Baskin-Robbins manager Jim Wang said he'd ordered an extra shipment of ice cream and waters. But salaries for three employees all day, $200 for dry ice, truck rental and food came to $890, and returns were about $735.
"There wasn't a line anytime," Wang said.
None of the food vendors could pony up the 25 percent of net profits they were asked to donate to the cause. But Wang's mother, Serena Wang, who owns Half Moon Bay Baskin-Robbins, planned to give Cunha's owner Bev Cunha Ashcraft $100 out of her own pocket, and also bought T-shirts for her employees.
"She understands what's going on," Wang said of his mother's gesture. "And it's for a good cause."
Ono Hawaiian Grill owner Mike Lacy said that his business had done a little better, making an estimated $1,500 but having to take $1,000 of it for time, labor, a permit, tent rental, food, beverages and flowers.
He had been told, he said, that the concert would be "bigger than the (Main Street) block party" benefit that took place shortly after the fire, and set up his booth accordingly.
He attributed the low sales partly to the lack of beer and wine, which were prohibited at the concert. "People expect beer and wine to go with" outdoor concerts, he said.
But he wanted to give something to the employees. "I plan to give Bev a donation from out of the proceeds," he said. "It's what it was for. Gotta honor that."
The total proceeds, including money collected in several glass jars, were slated to go to the I.D.E.S. Society, which sponsored the event. As a nonprofit organization, I.D.E.S. was an appropriate vehicle through which benefit funds could be channeled.
"They have to have it accounted through a nonprofit, which is what we are," Ormonde said.
That money was kept in a safe by Pacini's roommate Tim Christensen, who turned it over to the I.D.E.S. treasurer about a week after the concert.
But that cash wasn't nearly enough to go around.
Upon hearing of the deficit, several of the musicians, who had donated their time to play, dug into their pockets to give donations totaling around $300. Pacini herself said she had already fronted money during the concert's organizing stages.
In the meantime, Phoenix Rising organizers said they are looking ahead, possibly to putting on a benefit for local schools or setting up a directory of local bands and their gigs, Pacini said.
"The organization is set up, and ready to do further events in the future," said Christensen.
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