Summer Hummer Report

by Betty Roberge

The Summer Hummer Committee is finalizing the budget to present to the BOD via email before the Annual Meeting. This is done so we have time to plan next year’s event. Of course, we always talk about attendance. Let’s make a serious effort to get our own members there next summer. The pavilion will be up and if nothing else, we will be able to show it off. Plan on bringing your region up to see where their donations have gone and the improvement that will be added on ABATE Acres. I am looking forward to seeing it in person. I am also looking forward to the construction of the Cornerstone Brick Wall that will accompany the Pavilion. Let’s hope we get enough donations for that project to have it built before June.

Back to the budget. The 2023 Hummer numbers are based on last year’s performance. As a result, we will definitely curb some of our expenditures to be more in line with the numbers from 2022. One way we can increase what we can offer is through sponsorship. Do you know of a business – or an individual – that would like to sponsor part of this event? We are always looking for band sponsors, sound and stage sponsors, really any part of the Hummer is up for sponsorship. I am again challenging each region to find $500 in sponsorship money. What I mean by the word “find” is not to pass a hat or run an event and send in our own money, but to find, as Marlene used to put it, “citizen money” – or money donated from outside of the organization. Each region knows many businesses that they have worked with. Would some of those establishments sponsor $100 – you would only need five of them to reach your goal.

Packets containing sponsorship brochures and magnets will be available to each Regional Rep at the Annual Meeting. Be sure to pick yours up. In order to be advertised in print via posters, etc. the deadline for returning sponsorship information and money is January 1, 2023. That gives us time to develop a poster with sponsors listed on them to be distributed at Officer’s Training in February. We are counting on you to spread the word and help us bring in sponsors. Who in your region has the gift of gab? That’s the one you need out there to solicit! Good luck to us all.

The Friday night band has been booked. It is a ZZ Top cover band called the Eliminators out of Chicago. We are also bringing back Gregg Hall, the guitarist that played during the Taste of Summer. We have a few more irons in the fire, but nothing solid yet.

I wrote about day passes last month. We are going to offer day passes each day. The cost of those passes will be $30 per person per day and anyone purchasing a day pass will be restricted to a specific area for parking vehicles.

Again, our vendor coordinators are always looking for new vendors. Those invitation letters will be going out as soon as October, so if you know of someone who might be interested, be sure to forward that info to Lauri Shakal (715) 306-1148, Betsy Jennings (715) 589-8067, or Kay Johnson (715) 512-0062. Fall seems to offer a lot of pre-Christmas craft shows. If you see a vendor that you think would be a good fit, get their information and send it in.

To recap – now is the time we are looking for musical/other entertainment – sponsors – and vendors. If you have ideas, let us know.

As always, forward any and all Hummer ideas, comments – good or bad – and suggestions to: Robert.grasse59@gmail.com or news30letter@outlook.com.

SEE YOU IN JUNE 2023!