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Black Swamp Benefit Receipts Top $141,000




The 2012 Black Swamp Benefit pulled in total receipts of $141,780 this year, said Verle Short, treasurer.

That’s up $1,468, or about 1.05%, from the 2011 total of $140,312.

It breaks a trend of steadily declining revenue that’s been going on since 2007.

While the final expenses are not known, Short said no significant differences from the 2011 final expense report are anticipated.

In 2011, total expenses were $29,909.

He said benefit officials are expected to issue checks of about $55,000 each to Sunshine, Inc., and the Mennonite Central Committee.

MCC provides disaster relief, medical relief, teaching, and training worldwide.

Sunshine provides care to those with disabilities in Fulton and Lucas counties, including group homes in both counties. Sunshine also provides support services to those with disabilities living on their own.

Numbers

There are four auctions that are part of the benefit. The Saturday auction raised $61,713, up $3,503, or about 6.02%, from 2011.

The silent auction and Friday night auction were down in total revenue when compared to 2011, but the children’s auction raised $666, or $173 more than the $493 generated in 2011. That works out to an increase of 35.09%.

Overall, auction revenue was $67,526, which was $2,786, or 4.3%, more than 2011, when the auctions raised $64,740.

Food sales were off by 9.4% from 2011. Total revenue from food sales was $21,816.

Penny Power, the program that collects spare change and then matches the amount raised, had its total collections increase about 8.45%, to $30,392. That’s $2,369 more than 2011.

Revenue from other sources, such as the Oozeball (mud volleyball) tournament and Bullfrog 5K run, was $22,346, down $1,124, or about 4.79%, from 2011.

Past Records

The Black Swamp Benefit was created in 2001, from the tradition of the Sunshine Bazaar & Quilt Auction and MCC relief sales.

In terms of gross receipts, the best year ever for the benefit was 2005, when the total was $203,613.

In 2007, gross receipts were $198,676.

Since its inception, the benefit has raised about $1.5 million for MCC and Sunshine.



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