Beach Impeach III is going to cost about (big gulp!) eight thousand bucks.
Parking $ 2,830
Insurance $ 435
Event permit $ 1,000
Security $ 500 (?)
Helicopter $ 600 (?)
Supplies $ 300 (?)
Postcard Mailing $ 600 (?)
Printing $ 400 (?)
Porta-potties $ 1,000 (? from $500 to $1,500)
Miscellaneous $ 500 (?)
_________________________
Total $ 8,165
I’m putting this event together under a corrolary of the “If-you-build-it…” Theory: “If YOU build it and charge everything to your credit card, THEY will not only come but will also help you pay for it.”
Some background: In October, 2006, when I first came up with the idea of Beach Impeach (I of course thought it would be one-time-only – now I thoroughly see it as three-times-only), I decided that rather than fundraise, since I hate fundraising as much as the next guy does, I would just pay for it. My contribution to making the world a better, more fun place... Beach Impeach cost in the neighborhood of $3,500.
And when it came off so absolutely brilliantly (photos), and when people starting asking me, “Well, what’s next?” I suddenly felt responsible. And empowered. And as though I had stumbled upon a mission and a calling. I took $20,000 from my savings, which are not large, and I threw myself into the Impeachment Movement. Between organizing a Mall Impeach event in Washington, DC (not terribly successful), renting a storefront in Oakland for two months (not terribly successful), and organizing Beach Impeach II in April, 2007 (a whopping success), I spent all $20,000 plus a bit more.
I also received right about $6,000 in donations from people who wanted to support my efforts, and I was very, very happy for that. Two people each gave me checks for $1,000 -- that helped a lot. On the day of Beach Impeach II, I came home with $2,500 stuffed in my pockets and in the donations buckets. (One person gave me a check for $500. Someone I’d never met pressed three rolled-up $100 bills in my palm and said thank you and disappeared and it wasn’t until I got home and emptied my pockets that I noticed the demoninations. Other people stuffed checks and bills in the donations bucket and it all added up to $2,500. I’ve set that money aside to spend on a special trip or event with my wife and daughter, probably next year.) And other people sent in just over $500 to the address below.
So that’s the money. I haven’t kept a precise tally, but the numbers are close enough. I tell you all this because it’s the sort of thing I would want to know if I were not the organizer. Who’s paying for all this? People who don’t know me might think I’m rich. I’m not. There’s not a snowball’s chance that I’d be able to do any of this on my cab driver’s income (about $30- 35K per year) and royalty income from my books (about two hundred dollars a year – but usually less). I’m lucky to have a wife who has a regular job that supports our family.
So, please. I’m asking. I could really, really use some help paying for this one. There will again be a donation buckets at Beach Impeach III. Or you can send a check to the address below.
I understand completely that I couldn’t have organized any of this without counting on people to show up -- and thank you for having done that. Thank you also for your past financial contributions. And if you can help me out again here on either or both counts, I will appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you,
Brad Newsham
4096 Piedmont Av -- #723
Oakland, CA 94611