Puja Contribution

<a href="http://ethnomediallc.com/wpress/?pp_album=1&pp_image=creditchaanda_wt_web.jpg" target="_top" title="creditchaanda wt web"><img class="alignleft" src="http://ethnomediallc.com/wpress/wp-content/photos/thumb_creditchaanda_wt_web.jpg" width="194" height="200" alt="creditchaanda wt web" /></a>First I want to congratulate Sudipta for providing us with a very useful public forum to discuss our community affairs. As past Chairman of Durga Puja committee and president of Kallol, I must emphasize the Durga Puja expenses are ever increasing and becoming very difficult to budget in accordance with the expected attendance. The variable expenses such as facility rent, tent rental and goat meet dinner is getting difficult to estimate because of either increasing cost or unforeseen township enforcement for fire code and or other code requirements.
I am not going to pass any judgment on what our patron should pay to enjoy the three- day festival in terms of their donation. The spirit of Durga Puja should not be compared with service provided to our community but the cost of the puja should be met with appropriate revenue collection and managing controllable expenses. Let’s us see the Puja cost vs. revenue:
Revenue
Let’s say the average 500 families attend Kallol Durga Puja celebration. If we estimate 2.5 persons per family then the total attendance are 1250 people. If we appeal $75 donation per family, we raise $37,500 as gate collection. Please note, beginning 2002 the committee was successful in collecting brochure advertisement in excess of $17,000 and average $5,500 from vendors. This gives us a total collection of approximately $60,000. 
Expenses
Hall rental for 3 days with tent 	               $ 22,000 (variable)
Food for 500 family		    	15,000 (variable)
Entertainment                              	10,000 (controllable)
Printing and mailing 		       	2,000 (controllable)
Stage light 			3000 (controllable)
Puja exp                                          	3,000 (variable)
Contingent			        	5,000
Total                                            	$ 60,000

Above calculation are based on past experience. Please note if the gate collection fall or advertisement revenue does not meet projected amount Kallol has to sustained losses. This is why pressure always mounts on the executive committee. There are no specific solutions, but effort should be made to raise sufficient revenue so that Kallol does not sustained any losses. In my opinion $75 donation per family is fair and reasonable.

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