Carla Clark | For The Republic Our Hospice of South Central Indiana President Laura Leonard and Dr. Roy Goode talk during the rained out Our Hospice concert, Saturday, September 3, 2022.
OUR Hospice of South Central Indiana staff is working to recoup projected funds washed away by Saturday’s rain and fundraising concert cancellation Saturday at Mill Race Park in downtown Columbus.
Organizers estimate about a $10,000 shortfall from an expected $125,000 to $130,000 be generated, according to Laura Leonard, the nonprofit’s executive director. Proceeds come from corporate sponsorships, cookie sales, raffle and T-shirt sales and other fundraisers.
Raffle ticket sales still were wrapping up Tuesday at the newspaper’s deadline. The Indiana Gaming Commission allowed those sales to be extended.
Organizers canceled the annual Labor Day weekend event about four hours before it was expected to begin after it had rained off and on the previous four hours — and the forecast called for more thunderstorms, with the possibility of lightning, just after the concert opening through maybe the first hour of 40 Years of College or headliner Yacht Rock Revue.
“We don’t mind a little bit of rain, but we can’t risk lightning with metal equipment and a metal stage out there,” Leonard said of safety issues for performers and others. “Also, it was very muddy — so very muddy.”
A shortfall is especially significant since a medical organization such as Our Hospice has seen its census increasing by about 10 percent especially in surrounding counties in recent years. It treats patients needing everything from palliative care to more intense, end-of-life care.
The 2021 concert was canceled due to the pandemic. But without the expense of stage rental and set-up and band and day-of event expenses, last year’s fundraising generated a record $170,000 for the cause, according to Julie Davis, hospice’s events and volunteer services coordinator.
Also, Our Hospice carries a weather insurance policy, but staff may not know for days if enough rain fell at the park to recoup any money.
State stage inspection guidelines since 2012 — after the 2011 Indiana State Fair stage collapse — must be done days ahead of a concert event, so moving the concert to Columbus North’s Memorial Gym is no longer a realistic, day-of option, organizers said. When the Three Dog Night concert was moved there in 2012 when the spinoff from a hurricane brought excessive rain to the Midwest, it was decided the Wednesday beforehand.
Plus, only 3,000 people attended that event — thought to be about 4,000 to 7,000 fewer than the outdoor event attracted most years at that time. That still left hospice with a substantial shortfall.
This time, as hospice volunteers and those with Forvia Faurecia began the concert layout and set-up the day before, everything seemed ideal.
“On Friday, it was beautiful,” Leonard said, adding that Saturday’s forecast was for sunny skies then.
For now, she says the best way people can help the local organization, considered the state’s first of its kind in 1980, is to make donations at ourhospice.org, buy T-shirts at that site, or to support the American Legion Post No. 24’s planned tenderloin dinner beginning at 10:30 a.m. Friday at 2515 25th St. In the past, the post’s fundraising dinners for hospice have generated $8,000 to $9,000. That organization has become known for its successful fundraisers for a range of area nonprofits.
In its first 25 years, Our Hospice saw only one concert rainout — in 1988, when the show with The Drifters and The Platters was moved to Memorial Gym and drew a packed house estimated at 6,500. Then came three rainouts in a row — 2011, 2012 and 2013, when rain began with crowds already assembled or assembling at Mill Race Park.
In 2014, rain fell much of the day of the concert with Dennis DeYoung of Styx, but stopped and only misted as opening band 40 Years of College took the stage. The estimated crowd of 6,000 was slightly smaller than expected.
Organizers have pointed out through the years that forging ahead with a concert when rain is forecast at show time creates the problem of crowd safety later if people must be ushered from the park in an orderly manner in a thunderstorm.
Leonard praised her staff and volunteers for their work not only that began Friday for the concert, but their passion on a daily basis.
“It is very disheartening not to have been able to hold the concert,” Leonard said. “It is certainly a huge project, but we enjoy it with the community. And we love the opportunity at the concert to tell everyone about the work we do.”
For the past six years, the Indiana Department of Health’s inspections have awarded Our Hospice of South Central Indiana its top rating with no deficiencies.
How you can help
For now, organizers say the best way people can help Our Hospice of South Central Indiana is to:
Make donations at ourhospice.org or buy remaining event t-shirts at that site.
Support the American Legion Post No. 24’s planned tenderloin dinner beginning at 10:30 a.m. Friday at 2515 25th St.
A Grand Funk and more
A look at rain in recent years and COVID-19 that Our Hospice of South Central Indiana has faced with its popular concerts (rain impacted only one concert in the first 25 years):
2011: Rain moves in as opening band 40 Years of College performs while headlining band Grand Funk Railroad waits under the stage.
2012: Three Dog Night concert moved to Memorial Gym three days beforehand.
2013: Rain cancels the Tommy James and the Shondells concert as a crowd is still assembling.
2014: Nearly all-day lighter rain turns to a mist as opener 40 Years of College forges on with the concert with headliner Dennis DeYoung of Styx before a smaller crowd.
2020: COVID-19 forces headliner Yacht Rock Revue to do a live, streaming concert with no audience at the 6,000-seat Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta, Georgia, where the band is based.
2021: A sudden spike in COVID-19 cases forces the late concert cancellation on Aug. 24 of the Sept. 6 event.
