Cori Grimm's performance group dances the quickstep at a Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars 2023 fundraiser for Sparrow Clubs in Southern Oregon.

An embattled online ticket company has made good on promises to repay Sparrow Clubs USA after the nonprofit was shorted more than $15,000 following last year’s Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars.

Seattle-based Brown Paper Tickets made regional and national news headlines beginning in 2020 for unpaid event revenues. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson ordered the company in 2021 to pay $9 million to approximately 45,000 event organizers.

Events.com officials, who previously reported that Brown Paper Tickets had fallen behind during the pandemic, emailed the Rogue Valley Times last week to confirm that a payment had been issued.

“We’re happy to let you know that Sparrow Clubs USA’s payment has been paid as part of our ongoing payment schedule,” the statement read.

Since the initial phases of Events.com’s acquisition of Brown Paper Tickets, the statement reported, some $75 million dollars has been disbursed to event organizers worldwide. While payments were anticipated to be completed by March 31, Brown Paper Tickets now anticipates repaying the previously unpaid revenues by the end of May.

The statement said the ongoing repayment efforts “demonstrates Event.com’s continued commitment to the acquisition of Brown Paper Tickets.”

Sparrow Clubs USA executive director Matt Sampson of Medford said notice of pending deposit for the missing payment was an unexpected blessing. Sampson went public with his frustrations in November about the loss of funds, which helped fund Sparrow Clubs USA’s general fund.

Founded as a nonprofit in 1994, Sparrow Clubs pairs local businesses with schools, allowing students to perform tasks to raise money to support a family in medical crisis. Sampson said most funding goes directly to the families served by Sparrow Clubs. However, the annual Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars is one of a few fundraisers that helps the nonprofit cover operational costs through the general fund.

Sampson’s pleas in November were met with an online campaign, launched by Rogue Credit Union, and community members and businesses owners who stepped in to replace the missing $15,000. Receiving notification of the payment from Brown Paper Tickets would provide needed funding for the nonprofit, Sampson said.

“It’s almost been an entire year … Last year’s show was May 6,” Sampson said. “But we got paid! The money is in our account… all $15,122.77 of it!”

Kena Sampson, Southern Oregon director for Sparrows Clubs USA, applauded Brown Paper Tickets for “doing the right thing.”

“This incident is a great reminder that, sometimes, bad decisions are made, but it’s a beautiful and wonderful thing to right a wrong,” she said.

“These are characteristic traits we want to teach young people, and as adults it’s our duty to lead by example. We are grateful to have received the funds, and we will in turn do much good with it.”