Helena’s 2010 Buck Creek Festival raised more than $18,500 for Shelby County non-profit groups and service organizations, City Councilwoman Cris Nelson said during a June 14 Council meeting.

The annual event, which was held May 8 in Old Town Helena, brought in as many as 25,000 visitors and raised $18,553 for 12 local entities, Nelson told the council.

The 2010 event marked the ninth edition of the Buck Creek Festival, which has raised nearly $140,000 for various charitable and service organizations throughout the years.

“That really says something about our community and our committee,” Nelson said. “Last year, the Regions ATM (at the festival) did about $5,000. This year it did $11,000.”

After paying for the event’s cost, festival organizers donated all money raised during the event to organizations like the American Cancer Society and the Helena Kiwanis Club.

During the June 14 meeting, Nelson announced the city had donated $8,300 to SafeHouse, $3,387 to the Kiwanis Club, $419 to the Helena Middle School band and $247 to the American Cancer Society.

Nelson also announced festival organizers had “a little bit of money left over,” and distributed checks to representatives from several local organizations.

Nelson distributed $300 checks to the Helena Fire Department Explorers and the Buck Creek Civitan Club, and donated $500 each to the Helena Library and Christ Community Church.

Representatives from Helena Middle, Intermediate and Elementary schools, along with the Helena Police Department Explorers, walked away with $700 each.

Nelson also donated an extra $700 to the Police Explorers for allowing the city to use its shuttle van during several Buck Creek Festivals.

“We have been taking advantage of the Police Explorers’ shuttle, and they have never been properly compensated for that,” Nelson said. “That has been a tremendous help to us, especially this year.”