For Brent, LA and Navs:
Inspired by the need to raise money for Gawad Kalinga – Singles Village Tarlac, members from SFC Valley Golf Chapter who appreciates Rock and EMO (Emotional) bands proposed to organize a fund-raising Rock Concert. At first, it was a long shot for us because none of us in the chapter were experienced in organizing nor producing a concert. More so with creating sponsorship letters, making ex-deals and other logistical stuffs.
As early as February or March, the concert was already proposed by the boys of Palmera. They were all hyped and psyched, they can organize this concert with the help of the chapter. The other boys pledged their support as well if ever we would push this through. Knowing these, the proposal was lifted up to the upper leaders of our chapter and even had a meeting with the boys. Set a target date for the concert, followed up draft letters for sponsorship and inked down projected expenses for the concert. But that was also the last meeting with the leaders …
The Struggle
Weeks passed, the target date for the concert was drawing near and all we had were the projected expenses, the contact for the bands to play, verbal agreements with them and the vision to accomplish this event and raise the money. The boys needed to move the target date from April to May and make arrangements with the bands as well. The date couldn’t be moved to later date because of the target sponsors and pledgers. Most of them, Politicians! Plus the busy schedule of the bands and the previous many verbal rearrangements with them.
Three weeks to go and the concert will happen. Solicitations, Sponsorship letters, Tickets, Band agreements, Sounds, Tarps, Streamers, Venue, Security, Concessionaires. Just some of the unlimited concerns 3 or 4 people would need to solve before the event. I still remember that a week before the event, there were still a lot of logistical concerns that needed to be addressed for the event and we were still in debt and needed 28,000 to break-even and earn money for the donation.
Two weeks to go, we had a potential sponsor and were expecting big cash from that company. We drafted the letter and asked people from our chapter to check and revise it to make it more formal. We announced the concert to all the family ministries including our non-community friends, flooded the mail, posted it on bulletin boards and even had text brigades. By this time, some of us were already having issues inside the chapter regarding this concert. One major concern was the support we were getting. But the boys were optimistic that this was all possible even though there were a lot of things to be ironed out. Bands were already informed, tickets printed out, contracts signed and venue reserved.
A week to go and we were already visiting SFC chapters to promote the event. We visited the Rosario chapter and Vista Verde chapter while we were having our CLP. Back at Sibol school, after plugging and promoting our event to the other chapters, the chapter had an unexpected service meeting. It was like a hot seat for the people doing all the preparations for the upcoming event. The chapter even had a deliberation whether we should push through on the date itself or move it to other date because of the little time and lots of things to accomplish. There were a million reasons thrown why we should move the date but in the end, because of the consideration of the band agreements and contracts, the concert will push through on May 5. This time, with the help of the whole chapter.
Pledges and solicitations from different people were coming in, tickets getting sold, and band receivables still to be expected. Strings were pulled and last minute requests for assistance were made. SFC chaptermates delegated with roles, others coming from retreats, weddings and work.
The Work of God
Came event time, schedule was delayed, bands not yet showing up and audience nowhere to be found. These kind of problems always come up along with other unexpected situations. But with the help of God, the few crews we had for the event (doing two or three jobs at a time), were enough to make the event a successful one. Before the end of the show, we had P21,660 Cash on Hand. At first look of the number, we already celebrated because we thought we just need to less 5 thousand for the Sound System. We forgot that we still need to less 10 thousand for the loan we had. So we came to a P6,660 profit on hand. We were already feeling down about the situation that we didn’t reach our target profit and ready to accept the harsh reality. After thinking of ways or people how to earn the other P6,000 , we suddenly remembered something. We still had the P7,000 receivables from the pledges. That’s a total of P13,660 profit all in all…Enough for the donation to GK Tarlac – Singles Villages
The Celebration (part 1)
After the concert, we all gathered at the band room, reported about the incidents that happened, reminisced about what happened during the preparation for the event, joked about it, honored the boys for doing all the messy stuff, applauded the whole team and chapter for the sacrifices they’ve done for the event and all the help they gave. After that, we offered the night with a closing group prayer for our Lord with everyone saying all the things they wanted to thank for and pray for. After the intimate prayer, we celebrated the night with a wacky group picture, and then drove our chaptermates home.
A lot of realizations came to us that night, First: That anything that is intended for the work of God will be possible and workable. Second: That God gives us the strength we need to accomplish all the work we need to finish for him. Third: That our chapter, with a clear goal and vision, will be a strong force working for the Lord (even though we are small in number).
My hopes for my chapter is that this will just be the beginning.
