Fund Raiser Coming Soon

[dougd]

Hello All, It's that time of the year when I am going to start the annual fund raiser for the site. I wanted to give us all a chance to recover from the holiday madness...way too much traveling on my part, before I kicked it off. At the beginning of Feb I'll post details about it. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up!

dougd

 

[Guest]

I’m not even waiting to send a check. I have Doug’s address, and I recognize what the Canoe Tripping community is worth to me.

I don’t do Facebook or Twitter or etc, and my engagement in social media is limited to (blessedly no-advertiser, self-supported, not selling my information) Canoe Tripping, plus CCR and very occasionally a local canoe board where I have some long standing club history. Those few sites are enough.

I know I blather on needlessly at times, stoned at the keyboard, and occasionally over-share, but the good people here have always given me a pass. What is CT worth to me? No-advertisement site hosting isn’t cheap.

The check’s in the mail.

Details just send us a link and buy a rack.

I trust DougD not to spend it on new equipment, despite needing new roof racks. Not to mention a new vehicle to put them on. I do wish he wouldn’t dip into his own funds to keep this site afloat.

We got lucky with Robin stepping up to the plate when all was lost, and then with Doug taking the helm; both gentle-handed site administrators. Support your local sheriff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icxh5FMcQRE

 

[sweeper]

As in 'Raking in the money' Mike, my guess is Doug has a Roof Rake.

 

[Guest]

The check is in the mail. I have Doug’s address saved, and need to support my daily CanoePorn habit. Bwa-ha-ha, something else in the mail for Doug’s bemusement. And for his wonderful mail lady to ponder on delivery.

I immensely enjoyed the past fund raiser raffles, especially Robin’s shop videos of the blind draw, but I recognize that those raffles were a PITA to conduct, especially with folks paying postage to send donated raffle items to the site admin, and the admin then having to rebox and pay to ship “prizes” to the winners.

Incurring that shipper and re-shipper packaging and postage, and sometimes inter-Country postage and customs forms back and forth across the border twice, made zero fund raiser sense.

I have a raffle proposal for Doug. I made bunch of these UL weight (3 oz undressed) two-holer Canoe Consoles (and have more minicel blocks waiting in the wings), and will box and ship one directly, admin hands-free, to a raffle winner in the US.

PC191451 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Not exactly the Tiffany’s of raffle prizes, but in-country shipping would be easy, cheap and un-Custom-form-ized.

And the boxed console would arrive with a Duckhead coozie and other lightweight geegaws items filling the voids; nylon pads eyes (ordered and used by the hundreds), weird slit-tennis ball line throwing weight, some pieces of (discontinued/unavailable) High Intensity reflective tape, maybe some unfinished half-truss seat or kneeling thwart drops depending on the winner’s outfitting desires.

Or some abrasive cord mistaken for cannon fuse. It would be fun to fill up a prize box with weird/handy got-lots-of shop stock.

In the name of equity this raffle plan would be dependent on someone north of the border contributing a raffle prize, and paying the postage to a Canadian recipient.

All the site admin would need to do is pull names from a hat (or from the grungy depths of the Almighty Coffee Pot) and PM a shipping name/address to the donatee to send off.

 

[dougd]

Funny you mentioned this, Odyssey threw up the same offer! I didn't do much with it last year as it was my first time being admin and was still learning how to get around doing that. I thin we could make this all work as when Robin did a raffle it was pretty epic, the legendary Ripster!

When things get going with the new fundraiser I'll get things on the board and go from there! Thanks both of you!

dougd

 

[Jim Dodd]

Just a thought ! Years ago, as a member of an Archery club, we asked Manufacturers of Archery supplies to make Donations for Door Prizes at our 3 D shoots ! I was amazed at the goods we received !
Is that something that would work here ?

I know many of the manufacturers would request membership rolls. And Our club encouraged winners of the door prizes to write Thank You's !
Again just a thought !

Jim

 

[Waterspyder]

Just a thought ! Years ago, as a member of an Archery club, we asked Manufacturers of Archery supplies to make Donations for Door Prizes at our 3 D shoots ! I was amazed at the goods we received !
Is that something that would work here ?

I know many of the manufacturers would request membership rolls. And Our club encouraged winners of the door prizes to write Thank You's !
Again just a thought !

Jim

Not sure that's a good idea. Seems like a slippery slope that could lead to manufacturers asking for "advertising space" and complaining if the site has negative comments about their products. I also don't see any benefit of possibly giving out membership rolls. Once you open the door a crack it is really hard to close it.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I like the minicell cozies! With pencil holder please!

 

[Robin]

We got lucky with Robin stepping up to the plate when all was lost, and then with Doug taking the helm; both gentle-handed site administrators. Support your local sheriff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icxh5FMcQRE

Thanks Mike, appreciate that.

When I took over this orphaned site the costs where really not that much, we had a couple of hundred members and there was not all that much activity iirc. I was able to run the site with my own funds and really preferred to in case my efforts failed. I even returned a very generous donation from one member. That show of support was a real eye opener in the early days, that and the support of the small active membership made me realize that my efforts where appreciated.

As the site grew so did the cost of running it. After mulling over different ideas on how to support the growing hosting fees and professional support fees, the idea of an annual fund raiser was hatched. I was surprised at how well the response was for the first go around, and how well it has become a reliable means of keeping the site running smoothly.

We now have a canoe website that fills a nice niche in the canoe world, with many members who are more than happy to share their knowledge, experiences and above all a friendly welcoming attitude that is contagious.

Thanks Doug for stepping up and helping an old friend out when he needed it, and Thanks to all who who support the site with your continued activity and financially.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Not sure that's a good idea. Seems like a slippery slope that could lead to manufacturers asking for "advertising space" and complaining if the site has negative comments about their products. I also don't see any benefit of possibly giving out membership rolls. Once you open the door a crack it is really hard to close it.

It worked great for our Archery club ! If a manufacturer doesn't want to, that is fine ! What they are getting out of it is Publicity.
I'm curious what you mean by " Open the door a crack it is really hard to close it." I don't think we need to share any more info than is already available from this site.

Advertising space ! I know several other sites that receive funding from advertisers, that would certainly benefit us as well ! We could pic and chose who we accepted ! An advertiser could pull their support if they feel we are not doing them any good.

Again I feel it is worthy of investigating. I guess I don't see the problems you see.

Jim

 

[sweeper]

We could have a forum just for advertisers that they could buy into and the site wouldn't have banners hanging all over the page.

 

[BWCA66]

Not sure that's a good idea. Seems like a slippery slope that could lead to manufacturers asking for "advertising space" and complaining if the site has negative comments about their products. I also don't see any benefit of possibly giving out membership rolls. Once you open the door a crack it is really hard to close it.

Maybe it's only if the manufacturer agrees to just a donation. I know from Merrimack I would donate a set of paddle straps, a set of our hood tie offs and a hat expecting nothing in return. I'll also pay shipping to the winner.

 

[Odyssey]

Interesting side topic, advertising in outdoor pursuits. I am subbed to various Youtube channels. I see a pattern of postings, whereby a vlogger starts out sharing trip experiences, and as they become more popular they begin to post gear reviews more and more. These are hugely helpful but at times feel nothing more than product plugging and product placement. It's a fine line between the two, and may in fact be all in my head, the difference between good gear reviews and advertising payback to a sponsor. Maybe I'm too sceptical and negative. Wouldn't I love to be fully outfitted by my favourite canoe and gear manufacturers? heck yes. Does that mean I've sold my soul? Let me think about it.
How this relates to this site I'm not entirely sure, but I'd hate to see CT homogenized-diluted-complicated by commercialization. But maybe that's not an entirely bad thing either. Let me think about it.

 

[BWCA66]

Interesting side topic, advertising in outdoor pursuits. I am subbed to various Youtube channels. I see a pattern of postings, whereby a vlogger starts out sharing trip experiences, and as they become more popular they begin to post gear reviews more and more. These are hugely helpful but at times feel nothing more than product plugging and product placement. It's a fine line between the two, and may in fact be all in my head, the difference between good gear reviews and advertising payback to a sponsor. Maybe I'm too sceptical and negative. Wouldn't I love to be fully outfitted by my favourite canoe and gear manufacturers? heck yes. Does that mean I've sold my soul? Let me think about it.
How this relates to this site I'm not entirely sure, but I'd hate to see CT homogenized-diluted-complicated by commercialization. But maybe that's not an entirely bad thing either. Let me think about it.

This an interesting topic. On the flip side you wouldn't believe how many instagrammers and you tubers think I should build and ship them a free canoe for their use and they offer pics and stories back in return. Some have even only offered to give me a discount on there normal rates

 

[Odyssey]

Your perspective is really valuable BWCA66, it's good to hear it. The perfectly respectful relationship between customer and provider ought to be simple one.
Sounds like your potential customer didn't appreciate that, nor fully respect you and your talents. I've also been on the receiving end of that.
I don't really know how this might work for CT. I have neither the experience nor the knowledge in these matters. But Doug count on my support and trust FWIW.
Hoping this fundraiser is smooth and successful. And another Thanks Robin, Thanks Doug.

 

[Jim Dodd]

How ever this pans out ! I'm more than willing to add my support !

I'm just throwing out an idea, that I thought might be helpful !

Doug, what ever you decide ? I'm in !

Jim

 

[dougd]

I certainly appreciate everyone's input but considering I still have to work a job, spend a lot of time monitoring the site, pay the bills on time, vetting new members, helping others with login problems, searching for a long while for a new IT person who knew VBulletin for upgrades and trying to get my own projects done I just don't have time to get into a third party interaction that would eat up more of my time. Besides, Robin set this site up as Ad Free and I am with that 100%. If you go to some of the other canoeing sites the amount of ads is crazy and I so want to avoid that.

The fact that two members here are willing to offer something to a raffle is wonderful and generous as heck! I will also throw in one of the last T-Shirts I have, Large only! If down the road something comes up like Jim suggests maybe I'll look into it but for now I really don't want to open that door.

dougd

 

[snapper]

Doug - Whenever your ready to receive the funds, let me know. I'm definitely on board with my continuing support of this forum. It's the only place I visit every time I get on a computer; and most places I'll avoid (LOL).

That's all for now. Take care and until next time....be well.

snapper

 

[Guest]

The fact that two members here are willing to offer something to a raffle is wonderful and generous as heck! I will also throw in one of the last T-Shirts I have, Large only!

I am relieved that you are ok with the idea of donated (and donatee directly mailed) raffle prizes; I was hesitant to suggest anything that might be additionally admin burdensome.

That raffle prize solution will require admin recordkeeping of donatons, with at least names to pull from a hat, even if the prize donator’s then simply PM the winner directly for real name & shipping information. Which could produce some interesting Canoe Tripper person-to-person contacts.

It’s a shame that, for sensible shipping costs, this will work best US-to-US and Canada-to-Canada; if Odyssey won I could finally make him that folding blue barrel Crokinole tabletop.

I really like the idea of home-made, hand-made, custom-made stuff. Not necessarily Ripster-exquisite, but we have a lot of hand-crafters on the board who make very cool stuff. Paddle straps and hood ties from BWCA would mean far more to me than a surplus pack or any store bought gear.

Wood carvings, boat parts, hand-tied flies and other DIY’s; folks here make some really unique stuff. If that raffle version is going to happen the hand-made DIY’ers may need time to craft a prize offering.

So, if I send you fifty separate checks for a dollar each, am I entered fifty times?

Bwa ha ha ha, I have a check book, postage stamps and envelopes. And a printer for faux-shipping labels.

 

[stevet]

I’m in...just let me know where to send the check! Worth every penny.