Hello Susan,

The 15 dollar fee includes food and bottled water.  From the $15 fee $5 goes to Alfredo's and $10 goes to Drum For Love.  At each Drum Circle we have two paid performers.  This Sunday we have a talented trumpet player, and fire dancers Sirena Serpentina that are getting paid to perform at our event.   We also include live painters.  Drum For Love is not just a drum circle.....it used to be but it has changed and evolved and will continue to do so.  We have done numerous charity events where my wife and I take time off from work to be able facilitate.  We are independent contractors so if we don't work, we don't get paid.  We have lost thousands of dollars already by just taking a Saturday off here and there within the last year and a half.  We still want to continue to do charity events and having funds set aside to buy instruments for the children and hire performers, etc. is necessary at this point.  Drum For Love has a non-profit mind-set and we are strongly considering filing for 501-C3 status.  We strongly feel that everyone will receive something very valuable that they can take with them when they attend a Drum For Love event.  We value ourselves and we feel  100 percent at ease including a fee at this point.  I understand that there may be a number of members that will not agree with the fee but we are including those by allowing volunteer opportunities at our events.  We have already included a number of consistent members with volunteer opportunities.  We have the intention of expanding Drum For Love to reach out to other communities and also including our consistent followers that have been with us from the beginning. 

Much love,
Armando and Yve Hart