SAMSPA Update – Episode 8
May 22, 2020
SAMSPA Members,
This past week we held our first General Meeting using Zoom. All things considered, I thought it went off pretty well. Thanks to the team working behind the scenes to help make it effective.
The General Meeting had three main objectives:
1. Present the 2020 Budget for adoption and review the financial position of the league
2. Formally introduce the Fundraising Initiative and provide more details to members
3. Present a high level framework on our Return to Play reopening strategy
Budget
The budget was based on a key assumption that we would not play ball this season, however I did report that our forecast models for several partial season scenarios did not affect the bottom line in any significant way. In other words, the added costs to play will be fairly evenly offset by the revenue generated from fees and concession.
Bottom line on the budget: we are in good shape for 2020 thanks to the Incentive Program however we face significant challenges in 2021. As we move closer to 2021, we have a range of options to review and consider to address the financial challenges ahead. The Board remains confident that we will meet and overcome these challenges and restore the league to a sound financial position in the coming years.
Fundraising
I am pleased to report that we have received our first Grand Slam donation of $1,000 or more (Warren Stevenson – MFP Resources) and have quickly surpassed the $5,000 mark of our $20,000 goal. The virtual recognition wall can be found on our league home page at www.samspaslowpitch.com. Raising funds for SAMSPA in the COVID-19 era is vey important for our league sustainability and helps to minimize the economic pressure we will face next year.
I would encourage you to reach out to your teammates, members of the community and local businesses and spread the word about this fundraising initiative. Many organizations are struggling right now and need to raise funds to stay afloat; SAMSPA is no different. Achieving our goal of $20,000 will make a huge difference for SAMSPA.
You can also follow the “SAMSPA Survived COVID-19” campaign on our league Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/samspastalbert.
All donations will be recognized on our virtual recognition wall immediately for the next three years. They will also be formally recognized on sign boards at the diamonds for a minimum of three years.
Return To Play
We have received word from the City of St. Albert that our facility is targeted for full opening as part of Stage 3. This stage does not have a date set, in fact there is not an official date for Stage 2 although that looks like it will occur around June 19. Best case scenario for Stage 3 is probably mid-July at this point but that timing will be determined by the effectiveness of Stage 1 and 2.
We have a committee led by Erv Krawchuk that is developing a strategy and action plan for returning to play under a range of safety consideration. There is much more work to be done in this area, but we have made an excellent beginning. We will keep you posted throughout the process. In the coming weeks, this will become the focus of my updates.
Good News
After navigating the CEWS wage subsidy application process and nervously awaiting the arrival of the first month’s wage subsidy, payment has finally arrived. We had built in about $26k of wage subsidy revenue into our budget so it was a relief to have that first payment come through thereby validating the process and our overall eligibility. This is great news for SAMSPA as it allows us to keep our facility well maintained and our operations running smoothly.
Have a great weekend. Please pass this on to all your teammates.This message will also be posted on our website and Facebook page.
Stay safe and remember to isolate.
Best Regards,
Joel McGovern
SAMSPA President
