Response to articles 8/2 city funding for community events and 8/3 our opinion.

First let me make it known that the Suffolk Boosters Club is a non-profit organization. The $3,000 in question is reimbursement of the up-front cost (if you will) for buying the food and condiments for the community day in pack. We do not gain personally from the money. All that’s being done is re-using that same $3,000 again next year. The past day in the park was the sixth one.

As we all know, prices go up and the cost for us has increased every year. But we are only reimbursed the $3,000. This affair is all about giving back to the neighborhoods and communities.

We have been involved with community’s youth, senior citizens and different charities for over 40 years. We have given thousands of dollars in charitable gifts and to our area high school students to further their education. All while being a non-profit organization.

One council member said, &uot;It’s about accountability with city money.&uot;

Can I ask, who was accountable for the three million dollars leaked away on Constant’s Wharf that we hear nothing about? Also, I find it hard to believe that only one council member is aware of in-kind services available to be tapped for each borough. If that’s the case, then they didn’t seek this information out.

Mr. Prutsok, we see you choose the word party to describe our day in the park. Mr. P., you may or may not agree with me. But when a party is mentioned, alcohol comes to mind. The only drinks there were water, ice tea, sodas, and lemonade. Also, we don’t recall an election being held.

Your word party is really wide open, but we like the meaning that the Webster’s II New Riverside Dictionary gives: a group of people participating in a common activity or task.

In the upper portion of your article, you wrote council members were right to complain. But in closing, you wrote &uot;those councilmen&uot; who blew the whistle; shouldn’t that have been council members?

In closing, I’ll say this is not just about $15,000 or $3,000. P.S. about the accountability with city money. May I ask, who is the city? Is it not the people? What about the hundreds of thousands spent for in-kind services for Peanut Fest, TGIF, Suffolk festivals and the most recent Italian event?

We, the Suffolk Boosters Club, a non-profit organization thank you for the space used.

Suffolk Boosters Members

Wilbur Holland Jr., President