Looking for alternatives

MT. PLEASANT - For the first time in 70 years, local groups and organizations that rely on the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion as a fundraising opportunity will be heading into the new year without funds from their largest annual event.

Old Threshers CEO Terry McWilliams said more than 125 local groups and organizations work directly with the event, with others setting up booths to sell food and other items during the five-day Reunion. Following its cancellation in response to the coronavirus pandemic, organizations are looking at how to move forward without the profits from the event.

The St. Alphonsus Church raises approximately $20,000 to $30,000 at Old Threshers through its food booth, selling dinners with sides and short order dishes. Father Paul Connolly said how much the church raises fluctuates depending on weather.

'Last year, we had a good year. The weather was really good, but the year before was rotten,” he said.

Funds raised through the Reunion contribute to various needs of the parish including repairs of the church building. Connolly said part of the funds from this year's Reunion would have gone into a building fund earmarked for a new roof for part of the church.

In addition to fundraising at the Reunion, the church's second largest fundraiser is their fall dinner and auction, which also has been canceled.

'We can't really do any dinners and stuff presently unless it's carryout. We've just put everything on hold,” Connolly said.

Currently, the church is subsisting off savings and will be financially secure through the coming year; however, Connolly said it would be difficult for the church if the economic downturn continues.

'We're rather frugal. We aren't living hand to mouth but we can't go too many times like this,” he said.

Connolly added that even though the church was 'worried” about the cancellation from a financial standpoint, the church understood 'it was the right decision.”

'We just didn't want to expose anybody [to the virus]. We don't want to risk anybody's life trying to make money,” the pastor added.

Like St. Alphonsus, the New London Lions Club is a service organization that profits through Old Threshers. The Lions see fluctuations depending on the weather as well but is generally the club's largest fundraiser.

'The income this year is zero, but the community support has been great. We're trying to reallocate fundraising in other forms,” club Treasurer Julie Brown said.

As a service organization, the funds the group raises goes toward local charities including ones specifically geared toward vision health.

'We donate to groups that help with cornea transplants and those that provide glasses for people,” club Secretary Connie Hutchcroft said.

Brown added the group provides scholarships to local students, contributes to Camp Courageous as well as Lions Club International.

Hutchcroft said the club is continuing with serving food as a fundraising opportunity. Most recently, the club offered breakfast in the park on Aug. 29, where the Lions were able to raise approximately $1,500, Hutchcroft said.

'If we could do that three to four times a year, we wouldn't have to do Old Threshers,” Hutchcroft said.

The club secretary echoed Connolley's sentiments about the Reunion's cancellation.

'Many of our members are advancing in age. I'm 70 years old and one of the youngest members. We were worried we wouldn't be able to get our workers up there. I was also kind of on the line about serving, if it moved forward,” Hutchcroft said.

With the pandemic, the club wasn't sure how many people would show up, which would affect how much food they would have had to buy and prepare.

'It would have been like a shot in the dark,” Hutchcroft said.

The club secretary added the Lions will continue looking for alternative fundraising opportunities and will move forward with their annual holiday greenery sale. Additionally, the club has a surplus from last year's Reunion.

'We made more money last year than we ever made in one year. Those funds have helped us. Our club has no fixed costs, so all our funds goes to the groups we support,” she said.

Like the Lions Club, the Business and Professional Women of Mt. Pleasant, who have sold popcorn at the Reunion for more than 50 years, spend all of their funds to support local scholarships and charity groups. Each year, the group contributes to a statewide scholarship as well as two $750 scholarships which go to high school seniors in Henry County.

Nancy McCleary, a member of the group, said the business women's group averages about $3,000 to $4,000 in profit through Old Threshers. Outside of the Reunion, the group buses tables at Pizza Ranch twice a year as a fundraising event.

'The local organizations and charities we support vary year to year, but we always make sure to contribute to the three scholarships,” McCleary said. The Business and Professional Women has donated to the local music boosters, Help 2 Others and Cradle of Hope.

McCleary said the group is in better financial standing than expected after being asked to run a cookie and hot chocolate stand at the Midwest Old Threshers Haunted Rails last year, the first time the club was tapped to contribute to the Halloween event, which also has been canceled for 2020. The second event allowed the group to raise an additional $3,000.

With the additional funds, the group will be able to continue offering scholarships at the end of this academic year and the following but have decided to forgo their usual contributions to local groups.

'We feel really bad about not being able to contribute as usual. We want to make sure we can offer those scholarships to young women,” she said.

Like many others, McCleary added she hopes the cancellations do not continue.

'We want to be able to help those local charities and social groups,” she said.