WMAN receives grant for new youth-focused activities at Mt. Airy Day

West Mt. Airy Neighbors was recently awarded a $1,500 grant to help expand Mt. Airy Day’s activity offerings.

The grant, bestowed by the Philadelphia Activities Fund, will specifically go towards materials for music-focused activities and workshops geared towards youth attendees.

The grant comes as a relief to WMAN. The annual event, which the civic co-organizes with East Mt. Airy neighbors, is quite costly, making it difficult to add new attractions.

Marilyn Cohen, WMAN’s executive director, said the price tag for police and city services – which vary based on what the city says is needed – can be in the thousands.

In 2011, the most recent year for which figures were availble, the one-day event cost over $10,400. The price tag the year before was not much less.

The free event, to be held May 5 this year, serves as a fundraiser for both WMAN and EMAN, who split the profit from table and booth fees, as well as the rock climbing wall and other ticket-required activities.

As reported by NewsWorks, the 2012 edition of Mt. Airy Day generated a $7,000 profit.

WMAN vice president of finance Martin Schmieg told NewsWorks in May that the organization was running off a $94,000 deficit in 2011, but has since lowered that total to $48,000.

In his report at the board meeting Tuesday, Schmieg reported that WMAN is currently at a $7,000 net loss.

The figure iis not expected to be problematic because the organization’s two main fundraisers—Eat Your Heart Out, which raised $5,000 last year, and Mt. Airy Day—have not yet taken place.

EMAN has also seen its share of budget issues.