03/01/09 — In a jam: Funding for series lacking

View Archive

In a jam: Funding for series lacking

By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on March 1, 2009 2:00 AM

The global economic crisis came home to Goldsboro Friday as the deadline

for Center Street Jam sponsorships came and went without enough money

pledged to run the full summer lineup.

Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. executive director Julie Thompson

said it cost more than $30,000 to pull off last summer's jams - but that

raising the money has never really been an issue in the past.

The going this year, though, has been tough.

"Right now, we don't have (the money)," she said.

And if more money doesn't come soon, some of sponsor-funded events would

likely be cancelled.

"That's probably the reality," Mrs. Thompson said.

But she isn't counting out potential sponsors just yet.

And other DGDC staff members believe the community will rally behind

downtown's summer traditions once they hear there is a need.

"If we don't have the money to do them all, we would have to start

canceling," said Lara Landers, DGDC promotions coordinator. "I don't think

the public would want us to do that."

For more information about helping to sponsor Center Street Jam, contact

the DGDC at 735-4959.