WINNEMUCCA - Winnemucca Convention and Visitors Authority (WCVA) board members were pleased with many of the plans the new executive director of Shooting the West presented for the event this year and in the years to come.
Executive Director Brenda Heintz also got a big vote of support from WCVA Board Administrator Kendall Swensen, who had gone over financials of the photography event with Heintz.
Heintz has an extensive non-profit background, which she said she plans to put to full use in cutting costs and raising revenue for the photography event.
Heintz has been on board as executive director for a little over two months. She acknowledged that the event was created 26 years ago to stimulate the economy in Winnemucca, adding that it brings in from $100,000 to $150,000 a year.
Heintz told the board she has applied for grants to support the event from other sources, in addition to asking for WCVA funding.
Shooting the West will be one day longer this coming year, said Heintz, and the price for the full event will increase by $15. Those who don't sign up for the full event, but pick and choose workshops will pay a $5 to $10 more for individual workshops.
Heintz shared good news that the photos from "Give it Your Best Shot" (where area photographers can enter their best work) will be displayed at an exhibit in Elko's museum. She has plans for an on-line store, and has ideas to promote Shooting the West on free social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.
This year, one of the workshops will take the photographers around town at night to shoot nightlife photos. And Heintz said other Winnemucca organizations are getting involved; both the museum and library will be involved, as will the Winnemucca Airport.
Board members said they were encouraged to hear the new plans, adding that WCVA's continued support of the photography symposium depends on its being able to more fully stand on its own financially. For several years, the WCVA board has expressed concern over their return on the investment in the event.
For the last few years, WCVA has supported Shooting the West with a grant for $10,000 as well as $5,000 in underwriting. WCVA also has given a facilities grant worth over $6,000. Amounts given for underwriting are supposed to be paid back, if the event makes any money, which hasn't happened for the last several years.
This year, Heintz requested a total of about $6,000 more than last year, in the form of a grant of $15,000 and underwriting of $5,000, in addition to the facilities grant, which this year is worth about $7,000.
-See GRANT, Page 23 -
WCVA board chair Terry Boyle was not inclined to support an increase in funding, saying that - at most - he felt the board could offer the same funding as last year.
Board member Rodd Stowell said "We've been hoping to see this event 'turn the corner' financially."
Swensen told the board, "I was really impressed when Brenda came to visit me. I think you're going to see a big improvement."
Boyle told Heintz, "I appreciate what you're doing and what Kendall (Swensen) said." He noted that Shooting the West has always requested donation of motel rooms for the presenters, which works against the very funding source that funds WCVA, room tax.
In addition, this year the event will be in town at the same time as a large youth wrestling event, which is expected to fill many motel rooms.
The board voted unanimously to support Shooting the West another year with a $10,000 grant and $5,000 underwriting for the March 2014 event.
This year, Shooting the West - The Winnemucca Photography Event, will have some competition since Las Vegas has decided to hold a similar annual event. Board members agreed with Heintz that there are still plenty of people who would rather attend a photography symposium in a small-town setting, and wished her the best with the coming years' event.
WCVA also approves several other grants
In addition to the grants and underwriting for Shooting the West, the WCVA gave support to several other events and facilities.
The Winnemucca Chamber of Commerce was granted $500 to help pay for corn starch color packets needed for the Chamber's "Color the Mucc" fun run (and walk). Participants, who will dress in white t-shirts for the event, will run through a number of 'stations' along the 3K or 5K course, where color packets will be thrown at them. Each 'station' has a sponsor, and in addition, runners will be given a number of color packets to throw at each other as they enjoy the fun run.
The event is a Chamber of Commerce fundraiser; Chamber manager, Debbie Stone said they're hoping for 200 participants for this first-year event. Color runs have been sweeping the nation and cities all over the world, Stone said the Chamber has an Internet presence for the upcoming event with online registration.
WCVA also granted support to the "Fall Farm Festival" being held at a new start-up venture near Winnemucca called the Lazy P Adventure Farm. The board voted to allow Lazy P Adventure Farm to use equipment belonging to the WCVA to help set up their Fall Farm Festival to be held every weekend in October. The WCVA board also agreed to include promotion for the Fall Farm Festival in their advertising. The Winnemucca Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the Fall Farm Festival this first year, thus granting it non-profit status. The equipment grant includes tents, a portable restroom and trailer, electrical boxes, sound system, and tables. Kim Peterson, owner of Lazy P Adventure Farm, told the board that Lazy P Adventure Farm has received a Nevada Tourism Grant as well.
WCVA gave a facilities grant to the State 4-H Leaders Forum to be held in Winnemucca next February 28 - March 1. State 4-H Activities Coordinator Jessica Ponte told the board they expect about 100 4-H leaders and older youth to be in Winnemucca for the forum, about 60 of them from out of town. The facilities grant included use of the Convention Center West Hall for two days and the kitchen for two days, totalling $1,400.
Humboldt County's Shooting Park, a local shotgun, rifle, handgun, and archery practice facility, received two grants. One grant was a renewal of a $1,500 yearly grant from the WCVA for maintenance. The other grant, for $8,650 will be the local match for a nearly $26,000 grant the shooting park received from the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to add a restroom at the facility. The Humboldt County Shooting Park is located to the right of Winnemucca mountain, just past the Winnemucca Regional Landfill.
Kent Arrien, who is heavily involved with the Park told the WCVA board members that 4-H regularly uses the facility, as do several gun clubs, the BLM Rangers, Highway Patrol statewide training, as well as many locals. The NDOW grant is actually usage tax money collected on tuns and related items, and passed from the federal government, which collects it to the state division of wildlife, which makes it available for successful grant applicants. The restroom will be the cement vault-type facility such as those located in Water Canyon.
Support was granted for last weekend's Buckaroo Breakfast put on by the United Methodist Men. The group requested $100 in funding and a grant to cover the West Hall kitchen facility rental.[[In-content Ad]]
