The Elora Festival and Elora Singers have lost their charitable status.
“I can confirm that our charitable status was revoked due to our failure to file within the appropriate time fame,” said Elora Festival and Elora Singers chair Charlotte Logan in an email statement.
“This administrative issue was compounded by the fact that notifications from the [Charities] Directorate, which would normally alert us to this error, were not received by us.”
According to the Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) the Elora Singers’ charity status was revoked on Jan. 27 due to failure to file.
The most recent Elora Singers report available on the website is dated Sept. 30, 2015.
“As soon as we became aware of the situation the required information was filed within three days and we have been assured that the current delay of reinstatement is solely a matter of ‘process’ rather than ‘substance,’” Logan said.
The Elora Festival and Elora Singers will be holding their annual Elora Book Sale fundraiser from May 4 to 6 at the Elora Curling Club.
“The book sale is not impacted in any way by our charitable status as patrons are not making donations but rather are purchasing books,” Logan said.
Volunteers work throughout the year to collect, catalog and sort thousands of gently used books, CDs, records, DVDs, games and more. Last year the sale raised $56,000 for the Elora Festival and Elora Singers.
This year sale hours are:
– May 4: 5 to 9pm with a $5 admission fee;
– May 5: 9:30am to 5pm with free admission; and
– May 6: 9:30am to 4pm with free admission.