I think this thread has crept away from it's original discussion and that is not becoming of any of us.

Sol, I think the benefit is a great idea and I applaud you for doing it. I hope to be there. I think it is noble that you and your wife are spending the time trying to get donations so that Mystic will get every penny they can. I also applaud all the musicians who are traveling to participate and help out.

With that said, I still stand by my original post that I think you are wrong to fault Shop Rite for requesting a certificate of insurance. I think their request probably has less to do with saving their ass from a lawsuit and probably has everything to do with making sure their donation goes to a legit cause.

It does seem like you are trying to have it both ways. In this thread you are claiming it as a "private party", but your flyer and your postings do not mention "private" AND you also call the club a "totally nonprofit group". By totally "nonprofit", that infers that you have 501c3 status and can legally accept donations.

Insurance? It is your choice and gamble. Insurance is not as expensive as you might think.