Spring Fling does not guarantee profits for clubs

Katherine K. Gardiner Arizona Daily Wildcat Danny Black (left) and other crew members of Ray Cammack Shows, the company operating rides for Spring Fling, wash down the Force 10, which will be in action at this weekend's carnival. Spring Fling was started 23 years ago as a way for UA clubs and organizations to make money.

Last year, the food, entertainment and game booths generated $73,144 in revenues, 85 percent of which was retained by the clubs. The other 15 percent was kept by Spring Fling to cover operating costs.

Spring Fling, the largest student-run carnival in the nation, was started 23 years ago to raise money for University of Arizona clubs and organizations. It cannot guarantee that the participating clubs are going to make a profit, said Elizabeth Millunchick, Spring Fling's marketing director.

Alicia Roberson, the treasurer of Beta Alphi Psi accounting honorary, said the opportunity to make money at the four-day event depends on how well the organization thinks out the booth it plans to operate.

Roberson said the honorary lost money last year when it sold popcorn at the carnival.

"Our expenses were just over what we made, so we lost a little," she said.

This year, the honorary is signed up for Bank Shot, a commercial game booth provided by the ride company Ray Cammack Shows.

"We wanted a commercial game booth because we heard they make a lot more money," Roberson, an accounting junior, said.

Roberson said it was easy to get the booth it wanted because 20 groups requested the 10 game booths and Spring Fling assigned two clubs to each booth.

The revenue generated from admission and rides remains with Spring Fling to cover the cost of running the carnival, Associated Students Accountant Gail Tanner said.

Tanner said Spring Fling has spent more than it has earned for the past seven years, although on paper it looks like it breaks even because ASUA covers the losses.

Spring Fling's budget of $190,000 is down $20,000 from last year, she said.

Clubs and organizations, fraternities, sororities and residence halls comprise the groups that will have booths at Spring Fling this year.

Spring Fling booth director Ron McCullough said booth profits depend on the clubs and organizations and how they sell their products.

"You get out of Spring Fling what they put into it," said McCullough, a chemistry and biochemistry sophomore.

Lynn Woolever, a veterinary science sophomore, said the pre-vet honorary also did not make a profit last year on its Pot Shot game booth.

"We had toilet seats that looked like frogs, which people tried to throw rolls of toilet paper through," Woolever said.

The group uses Spring Fling as a fundraiser for scholarships for club members given at the end of the year, Woolever said.

This year, the honorary hopes to make a profit by selling cotton candy, she said.

Mortar Board, a senior national honor society, sold Domino's Pizza last year. Domino's Pizza sales netted a profit of $1,300, which was divided between the four groups that sold the it, Deepa Wadhwani, a biochemistry senior and member of Mortar Board, said.

Wadhwani said the money raised from Spring Fling, in addition to the group's primary fundraiser of selling commencement flowers, is spent on its service-oriented functions.

She said a lot of work went into Spring Fling. Preparations include building a facade for their booth, attending the four required meetings and filling out paperwork.

"You learn responsibility and the way business is done on a company level," Wadhwani said. "You get to spend a lot of time with your club and that makes it worth it."

Wadhwani said Spring Fling is important for clubs because they do not get a lot of initial funding from ASUA and the carnival provides a good opportunity to earn funds.

Alisha Harris, a pre-medical technology sophomore and member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority, said, "I don't know what else you could do during the year that would make that much money."

Zeta Phi Beta will sell soda sponsored by Kalil Bottling Co. for the second year in a row.

Marketing director Millunchick, a communication senior, said the soda and commercial game booths bring in the most money.

The carnival runs tomorrow through Sunday on the McKale Lawn. Tomorrow and Friday, the carnival will be open from 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, noon to midnight, and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Tomorrow only, wristbands can be purchased for $18 at the gate and $15 at Fry's Food and Drug stores. The wristbands include admission and unlimited rides.