Describing the July 18 Nitty Gritty Dirt Band fundraising concert as a success may be a bit of a stretch, but Kellsey Jean Hogan Memorial Fund volunteers pledge they’re “not giving up.”

“We’re not just asking for a handout — we are giving back to the community,” said Vicki Legried, fund vice president and promoter.

Calling the Dirt Band and D.C. Drifters’ performances “superb,” Legried said despite the poor turnout at the event, the fund is still planning a couple fundraisers in the next four months. They have made no decisions about whether or not to have a third concert next summer.

Some KJH Fund supporters believe the non-profit could use more backing from the community, especially at big music events seldom seen in Austin.

“I had an opportunity to take my girls to the event,” Hy-Vee manager Todd Hepler said. “It wasn’t so much we were going to an event for the music, I wanted them to hear the story of the young girl.”

The fund was established after Kellsey Hogan, a sophomore at Pacelli High School, was killed in a moped accident in 2006, and has since focused on giving back to the community in the form of scholarships, donations to music and the arts, private contributions and other means.

“It was never a money-maker,” explained Hepler, who had a family friend recently die in an accident similar to Kellsey’s. “It was an event for scholarships and moped safety — they give a lot of money to that.

“That’s what the community missed out on,” he said.

Kellsey’s mother, Reenie, is also an employee at Hy-Vee, which has held two “Shop ‘n’ Share” days, when the store contributes a percentage of purchases to a cause when customers present cards at the checkout. The events have brought in about $2,000 for the KJH Fund.

“I thought it was a perfect tie-in for Hy-Vee to support one of our employees,” Hepler said of the July 18 concert.

Another Austin supermarket, Jim’s Supervalu, donated to the concert by supplying some of the food for backstage.

“I thought it was fun,” store owner Jim Baldus said.

“I think the town needs to support it more,” he added. “If they want stuff to come here, they have to go.”

Baldus said he believes the tickets were very reasonable at $25 for “an excellent cause.”

The Kansas concert last summer brought in approximately $50,000 before expenses, fees and other various costs. Kansas played their event for free; the Dirt Band, however, did not.

The KJH Fund would not reveal ticket sales or income from the most recent concert.