Halloween 2014 Post Mortem

Ok, before we go any further, watch this:

That was the start of a run that lasted more than 10 minutes. I put down the iPad because Eric was running out of bags and I wanted to give him more to work with. Then I picked up the iPad and took more video a little while later, during the same run of people. It was mad, I tell you, mad! Pure insanity!

Ahem.

Here's the Too Long, Didn't Read version: 933 bags of comics and candy, a big bowl of candy after we ran out of those, and we still had to turn off the lights and close the door at 8:20 p.m.

The longer version:

So, as you all know, I ran an IndieGoGo campaign to get enough money to buy comic books for children this year. We also got candy with the money, and that ended up being important. We also got donations of several bags of candy which all got given away.

• Total raised: $550
  
  • IndieGoGo Fees: $49.50 (9%) - refund of $27.50 (5%) = $22
    
  • Other payment Fees: $10.50 (3%)
    
  • Paypal Fees: $8.22 (2.9% + 30 cents for each payment)
    
• Total for Halloween (minus fees): $509.28 (204% of $250 goal)
  
• Total Spent: $481.60
  
  • Mini-comics: $256.45 (details) +$4.35 (expedited shipping) -$14.97 (refund for missing comics) = $245.83
    
  • Candy: $121 (fun-size from Safeway)
    
  • Bags and Candy (Cash&Carry): $112.61
    
  • Decorations (Dollar Tree): $2.16
    
• Leftover: $27.68
  

Yes, we have leftover money. We haven't decided whether to use that as seed money for next year or not. I'm not sure what else to do with it... Anyway, I want to take a moment to give some people some kudos for their donations:

Thank you Kate Kelsay!!!

Many thanks to Tom Truszkowski!!!

Kudos for the help of Two Brew Review!!!

And thank you for being generous, Shawn Marier, and linking to Anglicon 2015!!!

Also thanks to Stuart, Brenna, The Jensens and everyone else who donated. Two people opted for thank you videos, so in the middle of the insanity I stopped the kids and had them thank particular folks. Here's the two (very short) thank you videos:



Ok, I have a lot more to say, but this was the important bit. So, we got most of the comics in early October, but Diamond Comics Distributors shorted my online comic shop and we didn't get 14 of the packs, a total of 280 comics, in that first shipping. When they did send the comics, I didn't receive all of them, so we ended up short 60 comics. We also pulled out seven comics, one of each type, to read.

There was a lot of candy and we did not eat one piece of it. The candy went to the children. We made packs with the bags and candy - one comic and two pieces of candy for every child. Well, at least the first 933 children.

Next, I'm going to put in a break and post the remainder of the videos, which pretty much tell you everything you need to know, I hope...