INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Controversy emerged over the weekend after promotion materials for the Incline Star Follies appeared to include an advertisement for a private International Baccalaureate nonprofit fundraising organization.

An e-mail promoting the Follies was sent over the weekend in an e-mail blast from Incline Village International Baccalaureate, the nonprofit dedicated to raising funds necessary to provide the Washoe County School District with teacher allocations required for the implementation of IB into Incline schools.

“IBIV is causing confusion with fundraising efforts in Incline,” said John Eppolito, an Incline resident and father of four who has emerged as the leader of the movement to oppose IB implementation.

On Monday, IBIV issued the following e-mail blast in response to Eppolito's and other criticism: “IBIV is sending this e-mail of clarification at the request of the Star Follies. IBIV's intention of cooperation and support of Star Follies by sending this e-mail last week has been irresponsibly misinterpreted. Individuals who are not in support of IB are trying to negatively persuade the community to not attend Star Follies by making the implication that Star Follies funds will support the IB efforts in Incline. This is false information. Funds earned from Star Follies are granted to Incline Schools through the Star Follies Board and has no financial relationship with IBIV...”

In a Tuesday interview, Ron Stichter, President of Incline Star Follies, made it clear the Follies — which funnels proceeds from ticket sales into Incline's public education system to pay for a variety of items — has no affiliation with IBIV.

“This whole thing is an innocent mistake,” Stichter said. “Our organization has no affiliation with any particular methodology. We are neither for or against IB. We want to remain absolutely neutral.”

Stichter said the intent of using the IBIV e-mail blast was to use all available avenues in an effort to boost ticket sales. Proceeds from the Follies — which take place Friday and Saturday at the Cal Neva — will not be donated to IBIV.

“That's not in our by-laws,” Stichter said. “We give the money to the principals of the school, who, in turn, distribute it for supplies on an as-need basis.”

Nancy Dey Porten, vice-president of IBIV, also said the incident was merely an innocent mistake

“I'm involved in Star Follies and ticket sales have always been a concern,” Porten said. “Certain people want to make this a divisive issue, but both IBIV and Star Follies both have the end goal of improving Incline schools.”

Nonprofit concerns

Eppolito said he and others are concerned that nonprofits including the CYMBAL Foundation, Incline Village Schools Academic Excellence Foundation, the Jog-a-thon and Star Follies are being hurt by a perception in the community the organizations are in favor of IB.

“Some people that don't like IB will not be willing to attend Star Follies,” said Eppolito. “In fact, IB is killing the idea of fundraising for the schools in general.”

Kathy Eastman, former chairman of fundraising for CYMBAL, shared a similar concern.

“If I were donating money to any of the nonprofits in Incline, I would want to verify that the money is being used toward what was intended,” she said. “As a donor, if I had an inkling they were passing the money on, I would stop giving.”

IBIV will not tap other nonprofits for funds and will maintain a distinct and separate fundraising apparatus, said IBIV Fundraising Chair Tom Bruno.

“We are in no way connected with the other nonprofits in town,” he said. “We do not want to take anything away from them or compete with them for money. ISAEF, CYMBAL or Incline Star Follies will not funnel money through us. We wish them the best of success, but we are not in camp with them.”

Bruno said IBIV has solicited funds from different donor groups than those traditionally used by the other organizations.

Bruno and Porten both declined to disclose specific donors or the amount the nonprofit group has gathered so far in donations.

More reaction

Allen Ferris, Chairman of the ISAEF board, said he is not overly concerned about competing with IBIV for funds.

“Generically speaking, other nonprofits can always present a challenge to the fundraising objectives of a given organization, but in this specific instance, I don't really anticipate a problem,” Ferris said.

In fact, ISAEF initially supported IB implementation efforts, donating $2,500 at the end of 2009, before IBIV was officially established as a separately functioning nonprofit.

“I personally support IB as does most of the board,” Ferris said. “But, we have no intention of raising money for IBIV. They have their own fundraising initiatives.”