Committee Budget Requests Due Now for Saturday; Worship Requests $3,275, Some of which Returns from Offerings

October is the month that the Budget process begins for the new financial year. Just like many non-profits, funds for the basic budget are not easy to raise. People are just automatically more inclined to give toward building projects than the more boring areas of maintenance and utilities. Even after the budget is prepared, approved, and being used as the financial guide for the year, unexpected things happen to alter a budget such as the current year's plugged storm drain on Genesee Ave. and the Bees Hive in the Epworth column.

Then there are those who get behind with their regular taxes upon which our basic budget is based, and once behind, it is usually not easy to get caught back up. Although the Institute has payback plans, that dramatically cuts into a budget because the amount scheduled to arrive doesn't arrive and some scrambling has to be done to meet the planned expenses with less cash. It is better for all to get back taxes paid by the end of the current financial year in order to avoid extended penalty fees and to avoid causing undue stress on our volunteer treasurer and the Executive Committee.

The only committee the Blog has heard from is the Worship Committee whose budget request was raised this year to reflect actual expenses. In some previous years when members of the committee donated food, printing materials, postage, and hot dogs, the donations were not always reflected in the Worship Budget. 

This year the request contains most of what was donated last year and may still be donated this upcoming year. In addition, the Worship Committee receives up to $2,000 from the regular offerings in services and hundreds of dollars which gets returned to the Institute from our United Methodist Guest Speakers who feel a strong connection to the Camp and Institute. That may not always be the case as we reach out to a more vast variety of speakers to provide a broader overall worship experience during our summers.

Whatever the circumstances, Worship is confident that the new Treasurer and any new Board members will discover that the Committee rarely spends what it requests because of our generous people. By the way, your SilverLakeInstitute.org Blog is a fully independent and self-supporting entity and draws no funds from the Institute.

If, and as we receive other Budget Requests, we will be happy to report on them for you so all the work won't be left until Saturday. Committee chairs should include some highlights and/or rationale for changes either up or down.