How do booster clubs work with cheer gyms?

Date: Fri Aug 29 6:07 AM, 2008

RE: How do booster clubs work with cheer gyms?

Date: Fri Aug 29 8:13 AM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

what if the booster held a raffle, and the prize money was put on a peson account who had a very high past due balance, is the illegal? Whe the rest of us pays our account on time.

or goes to pay for accounts that haven't been paid for years and years....

[My first question to you would be "How do you know that person has a very high balance?" Did the owners of the gym tell you that, or are you assumming? Because you know what they say about people who assume things. Secondly If you do know that because a gym owner or coach told you that, BE CAREFUL OF WHAT BUISNESS THEY ARE TELLING OF YOURS, because no matter the apperance, EVERYONE has skeleton's including YOU!!!

and my final thing, if the person purchased a ticket, and the raffle was pulled in front on people, say at booster or team meeting then, NEXT TIME BUY MORE TICKETS AND MAYBE YOU WILL WIN[

Yah, the problem is, no one saw the drawing! It was done in private, that's why its interesting WHO "won"

Well sounds to me like your bitter or jealous of the person that won the raffle if your only concern in life is this. If you dont work maybe you should get a job, if that is not appealing maybe you should get a hobby or go to church since it sounds like you need "Jesus" to be so worked up over a obviously needy family wining the booster club raffle

hey everyone in this economy is needy, cheer is not a necessity like food, shelter, and clothing. People's priorties seem so screwed up this days.

Yes this is true!! And it would seem that your priorities are screwed up for being so concerned about who pays thier cheer bill and who doesn't. If you are not the gym owner, mind your own buisness, you dont go knocking on your neighbor's door asking if they paid thier light bill or if they are on an extension, so you could call the light company and complain, so treat this as the same. Maybe you needed this person to be out of the gym so your kid could get thier kids spot or something. But with your spare time, come up with so solutions to help families in need, GET ON THE BOARD OF YOUR BOOSTER CLUB! Make yourself useful.:idea:

wouldn't you be pissed if the money you paid for your season was going to someone else.

Date: Fri Aug 29 9:42 AM, 2008

Try some deep breathes in and out. Think calming thoughts. It's just cheerleading, folks.

Date: Fri Aug 29 10:26 AM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

wouldn't you be pissed if the money you paid for your season was going to someone else.

This doesn't happen just in cheerleading.

You are doing this when you purchase a product or service every single day. When you pay your car insurance. You are helping to pay for someone that didn't pay for theirs. When you pay for groceries, you are helping the grocer make up a lose from some loser writing a bad check. When you pay interest rates on your visa, department store charge cards, you are helping the retailer make up for the lost they took when some decided to not make good on their credit accounts. Every day sales taxes, are helping pay for those who can't or flat chose not to pay for food, shelter, etc.

Retailers, business owners, service providers, need to make rent, pay utilities, pay their employees, employer taxes, and a gazillion other state expenses, and still keep a smile on their faces to make sure their clients are happy.

WOW!!!! Maybe it's time that everyone become a business owner, employ about 7-10 people and find out exactly what it takes to keep the Feds, state, employees, account, landlord, and everyone else happy. You might, just might, realize that whey prices keep going up.

Date: Fri Aug 29 3:13 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

wouldn't you be pissed if the money you paid for your season was going to someone else.

This doesn't happen just in cheerleading.

You are doing this when you purchase a product or service every single day. When you pay your car insurance. You are helping to pay for someone that didn't pay for theirs. When you pay for groceries, you are helping the grocer make up a lose from some loser writing a bad check. When you pay interest rates on your visa, department store charge cards, you are helping the retailer make up for the lost they took when some decided to not make good on their credit accounts. Every day sales taxes, are helping pay for those who can't or flat chose not to pay for food, shelter, etc.

Retailers, business owners, service providers, need to make rent, pay utilities, pay their employees, employer taxes, and a gazillion other state expenses, and still keep a smile on their faces to make sure their clients are happy.

WOW!!!! Maybe it's time that everyone become a business owner, employ about 7-10 people and find out exactly what it takes to keep the Feds, state, employees, account, landlord, and everyone else happy. You might, just might, realize that whey prices keep going up.

Thank you this person obviously needed that reality check, also if you are that pissed and sound like unhappy, you should take you kid or kids to another cheer gym, that will assure you this will not happen. Good Luck!

Date: Fri Aug 29 8:43 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

wouldn't you be pissed if the money you paid for your season was going to someone else.

This doesn't happen just in cheerleading.

You are doing this when you purchase a product or service every single day. When you pay your car insurance. You are helping to pay for someone that didn't pay for theirs. When you pay for groceries, you are helping the grocer make up a lose from some loser writing a bad check. When you pay interest rates on your visa, department store charge cards, you are helping the retailer make up for the lost they took when some decided to not make good on their credit accounts. Every day sales taxes, are helping pay for those who can't or flat chose not to pay for food, shelter, etc.

Retailers, business owners, service providers, need to make rent, pay utilities, pay their employees, employer taxes, and a gazillion other state expenses, and still keep a smile on their faces to make sure their clients are happy.

WOW!!!! Maybe it's time that everyone become a business owner, employ about 7-10 people and find out exactly what it takes to keep the Feds, state, employees, account, landlord, and everyone else happy. You might, just might, realize that whey prices keep going up.

If you don't pay you gas, water, electric your stuff gets turned off period, and you have to pay in order to have it turned on. If you don't make your house mortgage, or your rent payment your out on your butt. Why does cheerleading have to be any different, if you can't afford than don't do it, don't rely on others to make it happen for you. Because owners have to eat tooo.

Date: Fri Aug 29 9:31 PM, 2008

I realize that it is extremely frustrating to be paying your share and more while others don't. But like one of the previous respondents stated, we do it everyday for everything. The biggest difference is we don't always know who is not paying their share; there is not always a face and or a name to blame. It seems in some gyms, parents know too much about someone else's financial situation which is why this information should be private. I am sure that there are people in my gym that are not fulfilling their financal responsiblities but instead of worrying about them, I take pride in the fact that I am a responsible person and am able to recognize what I can and can't afford. I thank god everyday that I am currently in the position to be able to provide not only the essentials for my children but also the "extras" like cheerleading. Some people are not so fortunate and unexpected things do happen. I am so thankful for the kids on my daughters' teams and know that the loss of even one child for whatever reason is a loss for the TEAM. Since that hurts the team, that hurts my child so, selfishly, I will do what I can to prevent it by buying raffle tickets or whatever else is being sold and that can be done without naming names. I am so thankful to the gym owners that are able to give some families a break when needed and for Booster Clubs, which when run correctly, can be the difference between a child cheering or not. So, while I do understand and appreciate your concern, please just give yourself a pat on the back for being such a responsible person and don't worry so much about others. I think you will be much happier for it.

Date: Fri Aug 29 9:35 PM, 2008

Date: Sat Aug 30 12:22 PM, 2008

Amen!! Could you have worded it any better than that, I dont think so! biggrin

Date: Sat Aug 30 12:28 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

I realize that it is extremely frustrating to be paying your share and more while others don't. But like one of the previous respondents stated, we do it everyday for everything. The biggest difference is we don't always know who is not paying their share; there is not always a face and or a name to blame. It seems in some gyms, parents know too much about someone else's financial situation which is why this information should be private. I am sure that there are people in my gym that are not fulfilling their financal responsiblities but instead of worrying about them, I take pride in the fact that I am a responsible person and am able to recognize what I can and can't afford. I thank god everyday that I am currently in the position to be able to provide not only the essentials for my children but also the "extras" like cheerleading. Some people are not so fortunate and unexpected things do happen. I am so thankful for the kids on my daughters' teams and know that the loss of even one child for whatever reason is a loss for the TEAM. Since that hurts the team, that hurts my child so, selfishly, I will do what I can to prevent it by buying raffle tickets or whatever else is being sold and that can be done without naming names. I am so thankful to the gym owners that are able to give some families a break when needed and for Booster Clubs, which when run correctly, can be the difference between a child cheering or not. So, while I do understand and appreciate your concern, please just give yourself a pat on the back for being such a responsible person and don't worry so much about others. I think you will be much happier for it.

Patting myself of the back for fulfilling my responsiblities in the cheer world!! Amen to the best post yet! biggrin

Cheryl · Newbie

Quick question for you......MOST of your fundrasing money is going for "public" benefit and entered into your general booster fund. The kids get to sell some tickets ahead of time and therefore there is a insubstantial "private" benefit. Does your fundraising practices comply with IRS 501c3 non profit law? (I know that it repeatedly states that all fundraised monies have to be deposited into the general booster account.)

Second, the sponsorships are a great idea. Just make sure that parents/families/friends/businesses who sponsor individual athletes and help pay their expenses know that they are not able to take a tax deduction on their sponsorship money. It's called inurement. If, however, these same people DONATE money to the booster club's general account, then the money they have donated IS tax deductible.

Let me know about the fundraising. We are trying to provide some incentive to children that fundraise, but because of the 501c3 charity status, this is very difficult to do. We do not want to create anything that looks like a tax shelter for income.

Cheryl · Newbie

Actually, I would check carefully with the IRS regulations. Almost ALL fundraised money, "the substantial amount" is required to go into the general fund. An "insubstantial" amt. may be individual credited to accounts. BUT, this is very dicey. The percentages you have are reversed at best, and not at all correct at worst. It appears that your athletes are making INCOME and then sheltering it under a non profit 501c3. Chances that your organization would be caught are probably slim, but if you are the fines are high. Check with your lawyer/or at least ready Harvey Mechanics non-profit law questions & responses via google. Good Luck.

Cheryl · Newbie

I think that the point is that a NON-PROFIT booster club MUST share ALL fundraising monies with ALL team members. This is even if the families/athletes choose not the fundraise. So, all team members benefit equally. That's why it is called a non=profit CHARITY. If only the booster club members benefitted from the fundraising, then the booster club would not be approved by the IRS if audited. They could be fined heavily.

Cheryl · Newbie

Actually, the booster club has to share its fundraised monies with all TEAM members, not just with all booster club members. Google "Harvey Mechanic Non Profit Law" for an explanation of this. If the money only benefited "members" of the booster club, then it would be a tax shelter for income instead of a charity. Charity, by definition, gives money out to people who need it (not just to yourself).

Edgy · Newbie

What I've always been curious about and is probably just a new topic, but why aren't the gyms just set up as a non-profit anyway? A non-profit doesn't mean that the "owners" can't make a salary. They would just become executive directors. It would make it so much easier for parents to fundraise.

And as far as the IRS and Acedad's article.....call your state congress people and tell them to get the IRS off of the everyday people's back, and get back to going after Corporations that are making mega millions!!! Unless we stand up for ourselves it's never going to get any better.

AmericanOwner · Member

A lot of gymnastics gyms back in the 80's and early 90's did incorporate as non-profits. Now you rarely see it. Simply put there are to many negatives. Non-profits are the property of your state and subject to state law and control. Non-profits don't have an owner or investor with a "risk" in the financial outcome and therefore have a difficult time getting bank financing and more importantly when things get financially difficult the members tend to run away since they have no stake in the deal.

Additionally, if you start a non-profit club... invest your money and time... and it grows into something successful, guess what? You can't sell it or the assets when you want to move on! Because YOU don't owen it. The state does.

There's more I could add, but simply put, non-profit clubs have a huge failure rate compared to owner, or shareholder, controlled clubs.

lifelovelive · Member

the way the law reads is that the 5013c can not have individual accounts. it all has to be under one account. so most cheer gyms and gymnastics gyms booster clubs are breaking the law when they have individual accounts such as jane doe fundraising for her own account and then it gets credit to her own account. Most people really dont know that they breaking the law by keep track of individual accounts but they are and some parents who have this information have threaten the gyms in the past that they will go the the irs if they do not put all the money into a big pool and divide it among all kids. But the argument has been that not all kids contribute to fundraising so why should they benefit off of other people fundraising.. So must booster clubs take that chance because its really not fair to the families who do work hard in fundraising for their child's accounts.

Cheer4Life · Member

Im AN executive director of the Biggest non profit organizations in Northern California for cheer, dance and gymastics. It is best that gym owners stay out of the non profit scene due to conflict of interest, finanical crossing and parent drama. This is why my organization was created. We have serveral gyms, dance studios and tumbling facilties that work with us.

When you talk about indiviual accounts... say a group of parents work an event..or work bingo. The facilities or vendor pays the non profit a lump sum and that money IS TO BE DIVIDED EVENLY between the members that worked that event. So this pretty much works.

The non profit that I am apart of has been extremely sucessful. We have grown from 30 members to over 100. We have families that have been able to fundraise an entire cheer season. Our parents are wonderful! They have fun and love to volunteer at events. At competitions parents hang out together. There isnt the attiude of "Oh I'm not talking to you because your with Gym A".

Non profits can be a sucess if you run it right and have patience and time for it.

jbjrmom · Senior Member

Cheer4Life wrote:
Im AN executive director of the Biggest non profit organizations in Northern California for cheer, dance and gymastics. It is best that gym owners stay out of the non profit scene due to conflict of interest, finanical crossing and parent drama. This is why my organization was created. We have serveral gyms, dance studios and tumbling facilties that work with us.

When you talk about indiviual accounts... say a group of parents work an event..or work bingo. The facilities or vendor pays the non profit a lump sum and that money IS TO BE DIVIDED EVENLY between the members that worked that event. So this pretty much works.

The non profit that I am apart of has been extremely sucessful. We have grown from 30 members to over 100. We have families that have been able to fundraise an entire cheer season. Our parents are wonderful! They have fun and love to volunteer at events. At competitions parents hang out together. There isnt the attiude of "Oh I'm not talking to you because your with Gym A".

Non profits can be a sucess if you run it right and have patience and time for it.

-- Edited by jbjrmom on Monday 27th of June 2011 05:21:05 PM

-- Edited by jbjrmom on Monday 27th of June 2011 05:22:45 PM

lifelovelive · Member

so your non profit umbrella's different gyms? what a great idea!!! Because really its about the kids being able to continue doing what they love to do and helping families while doing this. If you dont mind me asking when you write a check to the gyms how do the gyms know to spilt it up among the people who work...(IE if more than 2 families worked the same event and they attend the same gym) and do you still take out general fund dues? This is such a good idea because of people choosing to leave gym A to go to gym B but gym B doesnt have a booster club gym A wont allow that parent to take the funds they have raised with them because there is no booster club. Or if parents are fed up with a gym and they all choose to leave and then there is no one to take over a booster club then that gym suffers because they dont have any reliable parents to take it over because no one knows who is staying or who is leaving.