Miami Lakes elder committee flags $4,000 in event spending, seeks sponsors for August bingo

The Town of Miami Lakes Elder Affairs Committee on July 8 reviewed its treasury and fundraising plan after the group’s balance was reported as $4,006.80. Chair (speaker 1) opened the discussion by saying, “as of today, we have $4,006.80,” prompting members to probe an apparent $4,000 decline from the previous month’s balance.

Members described several recent event expenses — including a movie and a play — but could not immediately reconcile where roughly $4,000 was spent. One member said the theater “took all our money,” and another noted different line items for tickets and food that left gaps in the committee’s accounting records. Speaker 3 said they would look for receipts and follow up: “I sent you an email that it was ready for pickup at the front desk,” and other members agreed to help reconcile online ticket proceeds.

To replenish funds, members discussed sponsorship tiers and outreach. The committee reported one silver sponsor secured at $500 (Humana was named during discussion), and members outlined options for sponsor visibility — tables at events, short presentations after bingo rounds and banner placement — while noting restrictions on commercial lectures unless arranged through the town’s nonprofit channels. Speaker 2 and other members said they were pursuing additional sponsors, including local clinics and insurance providers, and debated whether full-event sponsorships or smaller table presences were preferable.

Chair emphasized the need for prompt follow-up to ensure the Aug. 13 bingo and upcoming senior events are fully funded and organized. The committee instructed staff and volunteers to reconcile receipts and confirm sponsor payments before the events.

Next steps: members will reconcile the event accounting, confirm sponsor commitments (one silver sponsor noted at $500), and continue fundraising ahead of the Aug. 13 bingo.