The North Carolina Holiday Flotilla Committee met for the final time Monday, Oct. 27, with flotilla weekend approaching Nov. 28-29.
After extensive efforts to nail down a grand prize, chairman Pres Davenport suggested the committee offer a cash prize for Best in Show.
The committee unanimously voted to offer a grand prize of $5,000.
In place of a single title sponsor, Davenport said he was finalizing several sponsorships in the area of $5,000 from businesses that agreed to donate only if a portion of the funds went to the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program at D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy, which helps students develop skills and research careers in these fields.
“It’s a very underprivileged school; they’ve got a big STEM academy that they’re launching this year,” Davenport said.
Castle Branch Incorporated initiated the effort and Davenport said the company was helpful in recruiting other major sponsors.
Eric Irizarry, principal of D.C. Virgo, will also serve as one of the boat parade judges.
Davenport said at the very minimum, this particular fundraising effort would raise $8,000.
“Sixty percent of that we give away, 40 percent of we keep, so [we keep] roughly $3,000 or $4,000, but give potentially another $10,000, so that’s exciting,” Davenport said.
Committee member John Andrews, who is in charge of merchandise, said he thinks the donation is a wonderful avenue because people wonder where the sponsorship money goes.
“[D.C. Virgo is] a young school in desperate need of help, with a lot of young people who want an opportunity,” Andrews said.
Andrews said the 2014 flotilla logo would be a retro compilation of the best elements from the 30-year history of the festival. The logo would be placed on long- and short-sleeved shirts.
Jimmy Gilleece reported seven boat captains have confirmed for the boat parade, but committee members agreed announcing the grand prize might persuade many who were on the fence about entering.
Davenport said, in years past, Facebook advertisements were successful in recruiting captains for the parade.
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