GILROY
– After 25 years the Garlic Festival has raised more than $6
million in profits thanks to more than 4,000 volunteers, and some
of the more profitable groups have a few pointers on their key to
success.
GILROY – After 25 years the Garlic Festival has raised more than $6 million in profits thanks to more than 4,000 volunteers, and some of the more profitable groups have a few pointers on their key to success.
Friday offered a good start to the festival, and profits were soaring as many of the different booths reported it as the best Friday they have ever seen. The Gavilan Foundation, which made more than $17,000 last year, once again was selling wine coolers by the cook-off stage.
“We have 36 volunteers who work the two different shifts each day,” said Donna Pray, the foundation’s executive director.
Pray was beaming because the wine was selling fast, saying the booth is successful for two reasons.
“We sell a product that is in very high demand, and we have many volunteers to keep the lines moving fast all day long,” she said.
Since the Gilroy Foundation awards scholarships from an endowment, Pray said the group uses the money it earns at the festival for office expenses and overhead costs, which basically keep the nonprofit running each year.
Nonprofit groups such as The Gavilan Foundation are “independent contractors,” which means they petitioned the Garlic Festival committee for booth space at the festival. These independent contractors fill out applications describing what they are selling and how much it will cost. If they are approved, they must pay a booth fee that averages around $1,300.
These groups are responsible for finding their own volunteers from their organization to work hours at the booth, Garlic Festival Treasurer Jodi Heinzen said. Each independent contractor is allowed to take the money earned at these booths and use it solely for their organization.
If Friday was any preview of their profits, Pray says she thinks they will exceed last year’s totals.
The San Benito Chamber of Commerce is another independent volunteer group that sells apricot smoothies to quench the thirsty festivalgoers.
“We have 34 volunteers who will help us all weekend,” volunteer Matt Papenhausen said.
He says the secret to the chamber’s success each year is having lots of their ingredients donated by local businesses, which means overhead is low and profits are high.
The other money made at the festival comes from noncontracting groups that aren’t selling their own products. Groups like the Gilroy Elks, The Gilroy High School Chamber Singers and Rebekah’s Children’s Services all have volunteers working in different areas throughout the festival. These volunteers are awarded money strictly based on the amount of hours they work, Heinzen said.
The Gilroy Elks work in Gourmet Alley every year at the peppersteak sandwich and pasta booths, and last year they made more than $17,000.
One of the keys to a successful festival for them is to bring in volunteers from all over the United States, whether they are Elks or not,” said Phil Quast, the Elks’ Gourmet Alley liaison.
“We have friends and family members helping us this year – some are from out of state – and last year we even had family members from Japan helping,” Quast said.
The Elks supply 8 percent of the volunteer base, with more than 320 volunteers helping during the three days. When the total is tallied at the end of the festival and they get paid for their hours, Quast says the group donates most of its money to local charities and high school scholarships.
Money is collected all day long from the different booths, and at the end of the festival a grand total is calculated, said Chris Filice, office manager at the festival.
Each group is responsible for keeping track of how many hours their volunteers worked and turns it into the festival organization.
The money is first used to pay for festival expenses and overhead costs, and a little is set aside to get the ball rolling for the next year.
“Then finally we can divide up our total between all of the volunteers, and they get their money,” Filice said.
All of the volunteers are successful in their own way, but food, fun and earning a profit is what this festival is all about, festival President Janie Mardesich said.
“The money the volunteers raise keeps this community alive,” she said.
