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Dear Members, Friends and Supporters,
Italia Unita has celebrated the Italian Festival in East Boston for the past fourteen (14) years. The board of directors and festival volunteers work extremely hard to produce the largest event in East Boston and one of the largest cultural events in New England.
Through the years, Italia Unita has relied on fundraising, corporate sponsorship, grants and donations. This has been the primary source of revenue utilized to operate the festival. Because of the current economic climate locally and nationally, Italia Unita has been unable to secure financial commitments from corporate sponsors, substantial fundraising revenue, donations or grant funding. In addition, the expenses associated with operating the three (3) day festival have also increased, averaging between $80,000 - $90,000. These expenses include, but are not limited to City of Boston permits, police and fire details, insurance, electricity, professional clean up, power washing and outdoor sanitation to name a few.
July 2009 was to mark the fifteenth (15th) year of the Italian Festival. However, because of the poor economic climate, declining revenue sources and rising costs associated with operating the festival, the board of Italia Unita has decided to postpone the festival this year. Please be assured that Italia Unita remains committed to preserving and promoting the Italian culture in East Boston and the surrounding communities. The board of Italia Unita will work diligently to secure funding in order to celebrate the Italian Festival in July 2010. For now, Italia Unita will continue to focus on more cultural events and on Italian Language and cultural courses.
Your support is extremely valuable and always appreciated. If you want to be a part of the 200 plus membership in Italia Unita, please join our organization. If you want to volunteer or express your ideas to help build Italia Unita we welcome all suggestions.
Italia Unita from the bottom of our hearts wants to say thank you. Without your continued support, Italia Unita would not exist.
Sincerely,
Italia Unita Board of Directors
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