A Little Information About SWFBA Finances and Memberships

Have you ever wondered how the SWFBA can provide over 36 hours of quality bluegrass shows a year for a $20.00 annual membership per family? For a family of two that breaks down to about 83 cents per person for a 3 hour show. With the admission price of festivals escalating and other costs rising, that has to be the best bargain around! Of course, the association has to pay for insurance, sound equipment, rent, copying costs, and annual incorporation fees out of your $20.00 annual membership.

The key ingredients that make it possible are the musicians who so generously provide their talents for our enjoyment, plus the many volunteers who work throughout the year to keep things running smoothly. The musicians are given a small travel allowance, but it doesn’t compare to what they would receive anywhere else. Of course, that amount also has to come from the $20.00 fee you pay for membership. Aside from the small amount that we get from selling T-shirts and caps, the only money the SWFBA takes in each year comes from the annual membership fees, daily admissions, and the 50/50 drawing proceeds. No money is made from the education rental library. All of the deposits are returned to the renter when the item is returned.

You are probably wondering by now what is the point of all of this. The point is that we run the association on a small profit margin. We need the membership funds to continue to operate. That is why we have started putting more emphasis on checking membership cards for admission to our shows. We are just like any other membership-based organization. We need to verify that anyone given admission is either a paid-up member or has paid the daily entry fee. We also need to stamp their hand so that we won’t have to verify their membership again every time they enter the show area. Please be prepared to show your membership card or hand stamp to the admissions person when you enter the show area. If you have misplaced your card the admissions volunteer has a list of the paid-up members and can issue you a new one. We are doing everything we can to continue providing over 36 hours of great bluegrass entertainment annually for less than the price of a meal at many restaurants. Please do your part by paying your membership fees on time and presenting your card when it is requested. Keep in mind that the volunteer who is working the admissions/membership table and the other volunteer positions are not being paid and they pay membership fees just like you do. The only difference is that he or she has volunteered to work to provide a show for you instead of sitting down and listening to the music. If you would like to help, we are always looking for volunteers.