Financial management for the Firewise Festival, a large outdoor fund-raising event at Lake Wildwood on June 1 sponsored by the Fire Safe Council to directly benefit Nevada County Firewise Communities, will be handled by the Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities and Festival committee volunteers, it was announced today by the board of directors of the Fire Safe Council.
“Management and staff of the Fire Safe Council will not be involved in the Festival finances”, said Steve Eubanks, Vice Chair of the Council’s Board of Directors and Chair of the Firewise Festival.
“Due to recent news regarding the Fire Safe Council, we want to reassure event attendees, sponsors and participants that the original purpose of the event has not changed: Firewise Communities that participate in the event will be the recipients of the total net proceeds of the event after paying expenses such as the caterer, table and chair rental and insurance.” said Eubanks.
Coalition and Festival Committee volunteers are in the process of setting up a separate checking account into which all ticket income and sponsorship revenue will be deposited. The account will have four authorized check signers: two from the Festival Committee and two from the Coalition of Firewise Communities.
Fund management and accounting will be handled by the Coalition volunteers, who will provide a spreadsheet of income, expenses and distribution of the net proceeds and post it on the Coalition website within 30 days after the event.
Like last year’s successful event, Firewise Communities whose members attend or help with the event will receive a ticket for each participant. At the Festival, proceeds will be totaled up from sponsorships, silent and live auction and ticket and beverage sales. Tickets will then be drawn at the event to determine the distribution of funds and the participating Firewise Communities will receive anywhere from $100 to more than $1,000 to put toward wildfire prevention and preparedness projects in their neighborhoods. Checks will be disbursed within 30 days.
The all-volunteer Festival planning committee has members from these Firewise Communities: 6B & Friends, Banner Mountain, Casa Loma, Floriston, Greater Champion, Greenhorn, Lake of the Pines, Lightning Tree, Squirrel Creek Ranches and You Bet.
Firewise Festival includes dinner by Bill’s Chuck Wagon and two drink tickets, live music, vendor booths, speakers, auctions, a visit from Smokey Bear and more at Lake Wildwood on Saturday, June 1 from 4:00pm – 9:00pm. Tickets are almost sold out and available here: https://www.areyoufiresafe.com/events-1.
Sponsors and donors of products or services for the event’s silent or live auction are still being accepted. Donations can be made online:
https://www.areyoufiresafe.com/sponsorship-registration-agreement-form
About the Fire Safe Council in Nevada County
The Fire Safe Council is a non-profit, local volunteer organization. We are dedicated to making Nevada County safer from catastrophic wildfire through fire safety projects and education. We accomplish this mission by providing valuable training, community outreach, and fuel reduction services at no cost, or very low cost to the residents of Nevada County.
About the Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities
The Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities is an all-volunteer organization formed in 2017 to bring together Firewise Community representatives to share ideas and information and to amplify the county-wide effort to educate residents on wildfire preparedness. More information: www.nccoalitionfwc.com.