In a show of support for the Rotary Club of Carmel and its year-long work of planning and putting on the annual CarmelFest July 4th Celebration, the Carmel City Council has agreed to sponsor a special claim for $7,500 to help with the finances of putting on one of the City’s biggest events of the year.
Rotary Club of Carmel supplies and oversees an incredible army of 300 volunteers for the two-day event, which the non-profit organization has run since 2004. However, a combination of factors this year led to financial losses for Rotary, prompting them to request some assistance.
The extreme heat in July had an impact on the number of families who came to CarmelFest and spent time enjoying the rides, games and attractions, including a new teen area known at the ExtremeZone. In most years, Rotary reimburses the City $7,500 for expenses related to the annual fireworks show – money typically raised by the sale of “Spark buttons” and corporate sponsorships.
“It was a tough year for crowds, thanks to the heat, but our Rotary Club still worked hard and tried to grow and improve the event,” said City Council President Kevin Rider. “We want to show that we not only appreciate their efforts, we also don’t want a challenging year to jeopardize the future of their involvement in this celebration that has become part of the fabric of our community.”
The claim, which will be voted on later this month, serves to waive that reimbursement for one year so that the Club can avoid having to divert member dues and donations to make up for their loss and continue its work on the next CarmelFest. The money will come from the City Council budget.