Loachapoka will be less sweet this October.
The annual Syrup Sopping Day in Loachapoka will not happen this year, marking the first time in 42 years the town has not hosted the event.
Mathan Holt, one of the organizers of Syrup Sopping, has been involved with the event since its inception. He said they are not having the event this year because some people said the citizens of Loachapoka did not receive benefits from the event.
"I've heard comments from different members of the town council that they don't see where they benefit from Syrup Sopping," Holt said. "One of the rumblings that I've heard was, 'Well since the town of Loachapoka has the lease on the property, we can stop them from having Syrup Sopping.'"
Loachapoka leases the property Syrup Sopping is held on from the railroad, so they can control what happens on it.
Holt said a lot of work goes into planning the event, and he does not want to put in all of the work it takes if the town does not allow them to have the event.
"We just all have to do whatever has to be done to make it a success," Holt said. "We volunteer to do this because we love it ... this is part of who we are, we grew up doing this."
Holt said they have not publicized donation-giving because the organizers do not want to brag about their philanthropy. He said anyone who thinks they make a profit from the event is wrong.
"We have been accused of putting the profits in our pocket, which is the furthest thing from the truth," Holt said. "It's even a lie."
He said the event was originally held to promote unity in the community.
"Years ago, when it started, it was an event that promoted the community involvement and just developing a rapport between the citizens that we could all get together, do something together and work alongside each other together," Holt said.
Sheila Eckman, who sits on the Lee County Commission for District 1, said organizers did not give an exact reason to her for canceling Syrup Sopping, but said she believes organizers canceled it so they wouldn't have to report earnings from the event.
"I don't think they want to share their financial info," Eckman said.
Eckman said the organizers will not say if the event is for profit or nonprofit. However, Eckman said citizens are not aware of many of the benefits.
Holt said "rumblings" about citizens not seeing the benefits of Syrup Sopping is not news to him.
Holt said the organizers of Syrup Sopping have donated to several charities in Lochapoka for years, including Lochapoka High School and the volunteer fire department. He said they have even paid the water bill at the town hall.
Holt said the event was started by the Loachapoka Ruritan Club and the Loachapoka Ladies Improvement Club. He said another major contribution from year to year is maintaining the area near the train tracks where the event is held. He said it used to be a mess, but they use funds to clean and maintain that space to look nice for the community.
"We have, from the very beginning, we being the Syrup Sopping group, are the one and only group that has improved that property and maintained that property," Holt said. "It takes a lot of money to do that."
Holt said he can prove the Syrup Sopping is a nonprofit event.
"Beyond a shadow of a doubt," Holt said. "Anybody that says different don't know what they're talking about."
Eckman said the event used to be a nonprofit corporation, and funds built things such as the community center in town. She said the club that originally ran the event disbanded 15 years ago, and it hasn't been clear since then if the event is nonprofit or for-profit.
She said she believes it is unethical to promote the event as a nonprofit if it is not one.
"The people that are running the syrup sop are running it as a for-profit entity," Eckman said.
Eckman said the County Commission was not involved in the decision. However, they attempted to set up meetings with the organizers. She said the organizers canceled the first meeting and did not show up to the second one.
"They just have been unwilling to come to the table," Eckman said.
Eckman said people in Loachapoka are relieved their town is not hosting the event.
"It's a huge inconvenience for people that live in Loachapoka," Eckman said.
Holt said he respects all elected officials, from the local to the national level, even if he doesn't agree with them. He said pointing fingers would be counterproductive to his goal of unity.
"My goal is the same goal that we had over 40 years ago," Holt said. "I want to present and try to put a unity together in the town of Loachapoka. I want us all to appreciate each other, and work together and learn each other, even though we do have differences about things."
Holt said he does not have any plans at this point to revive Syrup Sopping in future years.
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