Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 21, 1990 TAG: 9005210086
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium
Soon after last year's Labor Day weekend party, called Greekfest, the city moved forward with an investigation of looting and rioting between police and oceanfront partiers, most of them young blacks. When that was finished, officials began drafting preparations for this year.
But it took more than eight months to finish the process. Stuck without a firm festival plan until last week, volunteer fund-raisers have been largely unable to pitch their program outline to potential sponsors, such as banks and corporations.
Now playing catch-up, those fund-raisers for the city-appointed Labor Day Community Coordination Committee have received only $1,000 - a small dent in their $100,000 goal.
A strategy for this year's event was approved by a 9-2 City Council vote last week. Organizers expect to meet or exceed last year's attendance figure of 100,000 youngsters.
"There is a lot of money that needs to be raised," William W. Harrison Jr., co-chairman of the private sector subcommittee, told the council this month, "and the time is growing nigh in which to raise it."
Fund-raisers say they will pitch the Laborfest '90 plan to a variety of businesses. Early in the campaign, they intend to solicit three large corporations: Sovran Bank, Norfolk Southern Corp. and Landmark Communications Inc., which publishes The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star as well as the Roanoke Times and World-News.
The group hopes to secure about $25,000 for lighting, staging, fencing and other preparations at Red Wing Park; about $30,000 for staging at three sites at the Oceanfront; nearly $15,000 for a parade and opening and closing ceremonies; about $2,500 for an art show, and about $2,500 for a basketball exhibition.
Mindful that much of the community would object to taxpayer financing for an event that resulted in calamity in 1989, the City Council in February prohibited the use of tax money for this year's festival events.
Looters did extensive damage to oceanfront businesses last year and fund-raisers aren't sure those store owners will pitch in the $30,000 that organizers hope for. Harrison said donations from the resort strip were vital because other sponsors were unlikely to participate if oceanfront hotels, restaurants and retail shops are unwilling to contribute.
"People are asking: `What are the people that have the most to gain giving?"' Harrison said.
by CNB