Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
Jim Shaver - Oakville, Ontario
>Wood Central Support Auction
Hello,
I would like to start an Auction here for the next short while amoungst our selves to support Wood Central and its needs.
We all saw what we were able to achieve as a community in supporting the Katrina Auction.
Ellis really went above and beyond in his services to support our drive for Katrina. He’d not be willing to tell you of his sleepless nights and lost income and out of pocket expenses but it is all true.
So I think in the kind and supportive spirit we foster in our community that if we ran an auction of our own items for a few weeks that the proceeds should be directed directly to Wood Central in a format that suits the buyer, Paypal, Credit Card donation or cheque. I’d offer to cut his grass for him, but mine needs it worse I’m sure.
I have posted the first item for auction on the Benefits Page and we’ll see where it goes.
I would like to encourage anyone who would like to join in to do so...
>I don't understand, Jim. How did Ellis lose money in the Katrina auction? I seriously doubt that anyone who participated anticipated or intended that to happen. For example, most benefit concerts deduct for costs before passing on the remainder.
Pam
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
The benifit for Karina did add cost to Ellis, there were issues that required his time and output to help it happen.
I know he'd not want to disscuss, but nothing comes for free as we all know, besides, I think for all we get from this site there should be NO issue about trying to raise some funds to help it along...
take care,
Jim
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
>The benifit for Karina did add cost to Ellis, there were issues that required his time and output to help it happen.
I'm not questioning that, Jim, simply asking why not deduct those costs before passing on the remainder.
I know he'd not want to disscuss, but nothing comes for free as we all know, besides, I think for all we get from this site there should be NO issue about trying to raise some funds to help it along...>/i>
Lectures I can do without. I wasn't raising any "issues," nor have I been cheap with WC.
Pam
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
>Never mind, seems that you hit me on the right day. This is no place for me to be. Bye. It's all yours, no need to have this pesky person who's always asking questions about. I'll just let you stumble along same old, same old. Let's make sure Ellis continues to lose time and money on these charity efforts.
Pam
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
>I had to pay my helper, Charlotte, for more than 55 hours of overtime paperwork, emailing of receipts, balancing of four separate accounts (the Katrina account, my PayPal account, my main account, and our two merchant accounts)--to the penny, lest IRS prove that no good deed goes unpunished when I file my tax return. In addition to that, on the advice of my accountant, I absorbed the merchant fees from the more than $5,000 worth of merchant transactions (including PayPal), rather than have the IRS nail me for some obscure infraction. Hmm, I haven't even toted that little item up yet, but it's likely to add another $150 or so to the out of pocket expenses.
Then there was the time that I spent making trips to my bank to set up the special account, and the numerous calls and e-mails to my accountant and lawyer to finally figure out what the IRS rules for charitable contributions were. Then there was the matter of setting up the bookkeeping for the whole shebang. Then of course the requisite pilgrimage to Red Cross headquarters for the presentation and photo op. Then, the e-mailing of copies the Red Cross thank-you letter and the reconciled and receipted spreadsheet to all the persons whose transactions we handled. My gas alone probably added up to fifty bucks. Not to mention the bowl I donated to the auction. (It sold for $150.)
Even if my time were worth nada, we're talking about close to a thousand dollars worth of out of pocket costs, not to mention the opportunity costs of the major delays on everything else I had planned for September, including, ironically, our annual (formerly semi-annual) fund drive, which, incidentally, I have still not had the opportunity to launch.
In the plus column, twelve thoughtful souls donated a total of $1,005 in either cash or auction proceeds to help me defray some of the costs. I've written off my unfunded hours to the good feeling I got from being in a position to offer the auspices of this website for such a worthy cause.
So, let's just call it a wash. No regrets. We did a wonderful thing, and I thank everyone who participated, of whom Jim Shaver is a shining example of the kind of selflessness that made the effort happen. I would do it over in a heartbeat. Let's just not ask for another natural disaster. :-)
Ellis
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
>I never asked for a strict accounting. I honestly don't know why you guys are so hard headed. Maybe it's just that you have low expectations when talking to me (not that I think this would be justified)?
All I was saying was that it's commonly understood that donations funneled through a middle man will accumulate some cost, that the total amount donated won't make it to the charity. In short, take out what it costs you before paying the Red Cross. DO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT?
I'll also note that because of these costs, I typically donate directly to Oxfam, the Red Cross, political parties, etc. I wouldn't see anything wrong if you no longer accepted donations intented for third parties. Of course, no more photo ops, etc. ...
Pam
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
>Clearly you don't pick up well on the subtle. I didn't answer your question because I didn't want to. I'm also not crusading here, except for some rationality to be applied. Clearly you don't have much of that either. What do you have to add, Scott. Why did you find it necessary to speak in this thread?
Pam
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
>Hey - no one ever accused me of rationality or subtlety. I'm just a hick from St. Joe - oh, wait...
I ask 'cause about once a year you bid goodbye to WC with all sorts of grandeur and fanfare, only to be back at it in relatively short order. It's tiresome, is all. Just wondering if you meant it.
No harm in asking, eh?
;^)
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
>...as you know, this is not a gender issue, nor am I hard-headed, and nor did I misunderstand you, which is what you must have surmised when you shouted at me just then. You made the not unreasonable assumption that I could/would write off some of the costs. That is what I thought at the outset. According to my accountant, I could not. And nor would those fees have made much of a difference in the overall cost of this effort.
Maybe the lesson here is that I should be shopping around for another accountant. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Ellis
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
>on behalf of all of us, thank you for your wonderful generosity and hard work in putting together the effort. I'm confident the donations will accomplish a great deal of good.
Folks, we've probably said all that needs to be said on the subject, probably more. So no further responses to this thread are necessary.
Best, Ted
Re: Re Post - WC Support Auction On Benefits Page *LINK*
>Sorry if I descended to the level of fruitless argument here. I just needed people to know that, yes there were costs, no it wasn't a big deal for me -- I was glad to do it-- and all donations were gratefully accepted.
