GILROY – The Gilroy Garlic Festival Association announced Monday it has surpassed the $9 million mark in revenue earned by local nonprofits during the festival’s 33 years of operation.
The total $9,345,322 amount illustrates the direct, ongoing benefits to local nonprofits that participate in the event’s Volunteer Equity Program, which directly allocates profits to the festival’s volunteer work force.
“The dedication of our volunteers is unmatched, and reaching the $9 million level stands as a testament to their predecessors who kept the torch moving for three decades,” said 2011 Festival President Kurt Svardal. “But this number reflects only a portion of the impact the Festival has had on our community. Beyond the annual awards generated by the Volunteer Equity Program, this event has significantly impacted all aspects of our community, from the lodging industry to area merchants to the positive light cast upon us each year from the global media attention Gilroy receives.”
Of the 184 nonprofits working the festival last July, the top five beneficiaries in 2011 are the Gilroy / Christopher High School Alliance Choir with $13,575.36; South Valley Community Church Youth Group with $11,509.29; the Live Oak Emerald Regime with $9,675.63; the Orchard Valley Soccer Pumas with $8,040.02 and the Gilroy Gators Swim Team with $ 8,027.95. The Gilroy Garlic Festival returns July 27-29, 2012.
“The dedication of our volunteers is unmatched, and reaching the$9 million level stands as a testament to their predecessors whokept the torch moving for three decades.”