April 8,
2004

Committee rethinks how to disburse Haunted Hayride income

By Danielle Meunier
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

The first wagon left on a dark October night in Northfield, Vt., with nothing between its passengers and the creatures of the night.

Again and again, the wagon filled with the residents of the town, who left their fate in the hands of the skilled drivers who weaved their way through trails plagued with ghosts and goblins lurking with outstretched hands, hoping to clutch a fine "Northfieldian" for their prize.

SNAFU performs A Norwich faculty performing group known as Snafu include (l-r) Mike Bozonic, Victor Ehly (a faculty member from Vermont College), Fred Tallman, Bill Clements, Jim Ryan, Reina Pennington, Fran Chevalier, and Jason Jagemann. The group performed a variety of musical numbers April 5 in Milano Ballroom.

Little did the passengers know that those outstretched hands would eventually weave their way back into the community in the spirit of kindness.

On Feb. 19, 2004, all of the proceeds from Northfield's Haunted Hayride were be given back to the community who helped support it. The check disbursement was under the direction of Heidi Passalacqua, the representative of the Haunted Hayride.

"We decided that the proceeds, because we're nonprofit, should be divided into three groups," Passalacqua said. "We decided each group is going to get $ 2,500."

"Those groups are Norwich University, usually a student; the Project Graduation at the high school; and what's now called the Northfield Boys and Girls Club," Ara Banks, director of Residence Life and Haunted Hayride member, said.

"The money that we give to the community comes from the money we make: ticket sales, popcorn, everything," Banks said. "We leave a little in the pot to operate on, because we've already started next year's hayride."

"We've been fortunate in the last two years, writing grants to the Northfield community and receiving grants to put on the hayride, which has been an enormous help," so that more of the proceeds can go back to the volunteer groups as opposed to the production of the hayride, Banks explained.

"The money comes from whatever money the Haunted Hayride takes in after expenses, and that's why sometimes the amount fluctuates," Banks said. "Only, we've been fortunate enough that the hayride has been so successful that we've been able to increase it."

The decision as to how much money is going to be disbursed happens, "At the end of the season, when the books are cleared and we see how much money we have left," Casey Robbins, member of the Haunted Hayride, said. "The check disbursement is just a tiny little part of the hayride."

"Each organization [got] $2,500 minus any costs, like, for example, one of the sites cost us over $300 to have it cleaned up, because the organization didn't come and clean their site up, so that organization will get $2200," Sally Davidson, Project Graduation spokesperson and member of the Haunted Hayride, said. "It will be minus the cost that the committee [incurs] because of lack of responsibility from the group or organization."

The hayride is a volunteer project that is open to anyone in the community and was designed to enhance community spirit. The monetary aspect was just an underlying bonus.

"It mostly came about based on the groups that were involved, and we did it as an incentive to get people to volunteer," Passalacqua said.

"We were already doing a haunted house for Project Graduation," Davidson said. "[We decided] if we worked together, we could make it a bigger and better event, because it would be the same timeframe, and it would divide the community for which one to go to. So we joined forces, and we eliminated the haunted house."

Involvement was the key word at the onset of the project and an ideal that the committee believes should remain.

"Now we've decided that we're going to take another look at some of [the requirements] for the following year," Passalacqua said. "The high school has a lot of things going on, and the Boys and Girls Club aren't as involved as they used to be, and that was one of the reasons we got started in the first place."

"This year, they are getting their portion, but as for the future, I don't know; it would depend on the involvement," Robbins said.

"We're going to have to look at what we require of each group to receive proceeds," Passalacqua said. "It can't be us working our butts off to just give the money and not have more than two or three volunteers show up for it or participate in clean up or organization."

Questions are being raised about the future of Project Graduation as a whole, as well.

"If there is no Project Graduation, it will go to a scholarship fund and go to a senior who will be graduating to go to the college of their choice." Davidson said. "It still always goes back to the graduating class."

As for Norwich University's portion of the proceeds, "Other discussions have gone on to take the money and put in a fellowship to take scholarships out of," Banks said. "It's a lifetime thing, not just when the Haunted Hayride goes on, so that if the Haunted Hayride should ever stop, there will be a build up of money and interest, and the scholarship can go on."

"The stewardship office is given a number of names of students who have to be sophomore or above, corps or civilian, that are involved in the hayride, preferably," Passalacqua said.

"It goes to a student who has demonstrated a high personal commitment to community service," Banks said.

"The financial aid office decides financial need, and then, if they're qualified, if there's four or five kids, then the money is divided up based on that, or it fills a category that the financial aid office has a formula that they work on," Passalacqua said.

"If we feel there's a student who's worked on the hayride all four years, and there's nobody else who qualifies, then they get a substantial amount of the money," Passalacqua said.

"I'm part of the core committee which meets throughout the year, planning the events, money and coordination and people," Robbins said. "This is the first year I've been involved in the check disbursement, and we discuss the student or group who has put a lot into it."

"If I ever find a situation where I might have too much prejudice for or against, I'll pull out. I think it's unfair," Banks said. "So I haven't been a part of making the decision for who gets it."

"Since the hayride started, we've given out over $12,000, so that's pretty good, considering we're a small, low-key operation," Passalacqua said. "Last year, we gave $2,500 to each group, and before that it was only $2,000, and before that only $1,500, and that's thanks to the sponsors and grants which allow us to do our costs up front, first."

"It's not like a big corporation. We're just trying to give back the money to the people who give to it." Robbins said.

The Norwich Guidon is a twice-monthly student newspaper distributed at Norwich University. It provides laboratory experience for students in the Communications program. Claims asserted by letter writers, editorials and other articles do not represent the positions of Norwich University. The Norwich Guidon welcomes signed letters to the editor. They should be no longer than 300 words. Unsigned letters will not be printed, but names may be withheld upon worthy request. All letters are subject to editing for length and good taste. Mailing address: The Norwich Guidon, Communications Center, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 056632. www.norwich.edu/guidon. If you have any questions or comments about the paper, please contact Professor Ken Bush at kbush@norwich.edu.