Emilia Whitmer
Staff Writer
CCSGA recently granted PlayHard Productions $7,500 to fund their spring event, planned for April 12in Cornerstone.
Combining the total funds allocated for both of their events this year, CCSGA has awarded PlayHard a total of $19,822, nearly reaching the $20,000 Llamapalooza and Blues and Shoes each received.
“We’ve gone from a small club on the fringe to being, well maybe on the fringe for some people still, a club that throws really big events that appeal to and are attended by a large segment of the student body,” said Julian Katz, a leader of PlayHard.
CCSGA’s distribution of funds for school wide events has been a widespread topic of discussion among the students this year.
PlayHard entered the discussion last semester due to debates surrounding the money they were awarded for their fall event: Ice Age.
“It shouldn’t be our job to dream small, it should be our job to dream big and if CCSGA wants to pull us back down that’s their job,” Katz said.
The $7,500 PlayHard received was less than the initial $11,000 they asked for; However, members of PlayHard believe they will still be able plan a quality event.
The funds will be used in a similar manner to Ice Age, primarily paying for the security as well as renting lighting and sound equipment. Most of the specifics are still in planning stages.
“Since we’ve gotten our budget approved, a lot of things are going to be happening in the next few weeks, “ Chloe Banning, another of PlayHard’s leaders, said.
The biggest remorse in their planning process has been the school’s lack of proper venues large enough to fit more students.
“We would love for it to be a bigger capacity. Cornerstone’s only 500 [people capacity limit], which is a quarter of the school’s population,” Banning said.
Despite the space limitations they faced, the attendance of their fall event in Cornerstone exceeded 750 people, with students coming in and out as the night progressed.
“We were very excited about the turnout,” Banning said. “We’re hoping that, throughout the course of the night, even more people will come to the spring event”
Grubbs and members of PlayHard explain the fact that they are receiving as much funding as Llama and Blues and Shoes as a result of their hard work, responsibility, and quality of organization.
“They are responsible with their funds,” Bethany Grubbs, senior Student Life Specialist and faculty advisor of PlayHard, said.
Grubbs notes that PlayHard consistently provides detailed budget proposals and has proven organized and adept in planning their events, allowing them to pursue more funding and create bigger events each year.
“The goal will always be to throw big, high quality events,” Banning said. “I hope that doesn’t change. As music interests change maybe it will shift a bit, but PlayHard will definitely be around next year and for years to come.”