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Description: In September of 1975, bass player Tom O'Neill circulated a proposal to a group of people whose names had been gleaned from the personal address books of his bluegrass and old-time music playing friends. He sent out a preliminary newsletter announcing The Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA), based on the San Diego Bluegrass Club and its newsletter format. MBOTMA got started with its first official newsletter, mailed to a new membership of 40, that October. During the first year there was a heavy workload to bear but the Association's membership grew steadily and in August of 1976 MBOTMA was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in Minnesota. During the first three years membership grew to over 400 and many events were put on to try to raise money for the fledgling organization. The goal of moving the two summer festivals to a new home was realized in 2002 with a move to El Rancho Manana, a campground and riding stables located in the rolling hills of central Minnesota west of St. Cloud. The venue is large enough to accommodate increased interest in bluegrass and old-time music and offers amenities such as horseback riding and a swimming beach. Volunteers designed and contributed much of the labor to build a new concert area and stage, larger then the old, that is now considered one of the Midwest's most beautiful outdoor festival grounds. The Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA) is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code as an organization described in section 501 (c) (3). We are registered as a charitable, non-profit organization in the State of Minnesota and as such we are governed by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 317A and others. Our mission is to promote and preserve bluegrass and old-time string band music in Minnesota. The MBOTMA - Tom O'Neill Endowment Fund was established in 1998. Proceeds will be used for mentorships, scholarships, workshops, classes, and other educational activities related to bluegrass and old-time music. The fund is named in memory of the late Tom O'Neill, one of MBOTMA's founders. We benefit from his foresight in recognizing the need for an organization like MBOTMA, and from his help in getting it up and running. Much of MBOTMA's success is the result of Tom O'Neill's dedication and volunteer efforts. Producers of bluegrass and old-time music events will occasionally wish to work with MBOTMA to promote their events. To facilitate this, the MBOTMA Board of Directors has defined the following levels of cooperation: An event which is "Presented by MBOTMA" is MBOTMA’s event. MBOTMA puts it on and MBOTMA finds the volunteers to work the event. MBOTMA is responsible for liabilities and revenues. Examples are the Winter Bluegrass Weekend, Minnesota Homegrown Kickoff and Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival. The MBOTMA - Tom O'Neill Endowment Fund was established in 1998. Proceeds will be used for mentorships, scholarships, workshops, classes, and other educational activities related to bluegrass and old-time music. The fund is named in memory of the late Tom O'Neill, one of MBOTMA's founders. We benefit from his foresight in recognizing the need for an organization like MBOTMA, and from his help in getting it up and running. Much of MBOTMA's success is the result of Tom O'Neill's dedication and volunteer efforts. The Tom O'Neill Endowment Fund is established as a designated fund of the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association. Only investment income will be used; the principal is set aside in a reserved fund, and will always remain to provide investment income in future years. The fund has three trustees: Bill Bushnell, Paul Christianson, and Louis (Bud) Claeson. The trustees will dispense investment income annually to the MBOTMA Board of Directors. This income can only be spent on educational activities related to bluegrass and old-time music. The Board is responsible for deciding which activities to support. Your contribution, large or small, will help promote education and understanding of bluegrass and old-time music. Our goal is to establish a fund of $25,000. From this, investment income of about $1,250 per year will be available to MBOTMA for educational activities.

Contacts:	Our mailing address: Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association P.O. Box 16408, Minneapolis, MN 55416 Hotline: 800-635-3037 email: info@minnesotabluegrass.org
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Posted:	09 February, 2010 07:28
Site Title:	Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association - Welcome
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Category:	Annual Celebrations, Fairs, & Festivals
Specialized in:	Association's Membership - Beautiful Outdoor - Central Minnesota - His Bluegrass - Minnesota Bluegrass - Minnesota Statutes Chapter - Summer Festivals - The Mbotma Sponsored Links
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