MEMBERS PLEASE READ>>>>>WE ARE ON OUR WAY

[CharlieDaTuna]

Hi everyone.

AIN'T THIS A GREAT PLACE TO BE

NO DUES>>>NO ADS>>>NO BANNERS>>>>JUST A CLEAN FORUM

First, if you have not read the original post, please do, just click the link

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=560.msg3751#msg3751

Also, if you would, take a look at the “GTA Contributing Members” page

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,676.0.html
 
I have created that separate special “GTA Contributing Members” on the website with a list of all of the contributing members by name or handle with no dollar amount shown for the initial setup and annual fund. It will also be used for depositing the future raffle contributions.

As you can see, there are quite a few members that have already contributed to our cause and for that we are gratefully. You can also see the names and a percentage bar graph as to where we are at if you click on the “Donation” tab. Gene and I would like to thank all of you for your support both moral over the last couple of months as well as the financial support now.

As most of you know, we, meaning Bob and Gene, for the past five years have been paying all of the cost and expenses for the GTA out of our pockets. Up to this point in time, it has not been too costly but because the major changes and the memberships desire for retaining our past history and better service, it has become rather (to say the least) expensive.

The biggie was we had to retain the services of outside resources to build a transition program just for us because there was nothing else available that would work and then download our data, disassemble it and reassemble it with the new program before it could be merged into our new forums data.

In the past, and as we promised from the outset, we do not have advertisements, banner ads and other things splashing on the screens on the GTA like many other forums do which are a nuisance and distracting. The GTA forum has always been TRASH FREE and we certainly want to keep it that way.
 

 As I mentioned, there are two expenses involved. The initial setup costs and then the annual VPS fees/costs.  


The initial costs.

The initial costs consists of the big changes, updates, and the cost of our VPS server as well as the outside resources that we hired for the programming and file transfers. That is the biggie of course. That is right about $1250 (don’t have the totals yet) that we have put out of pocket. Keep in mind though that it is a one time expense.

The second is the annual expense.

The second (annual) expenditure is the ongoing annual VPS server fees. That will run between $350 and $400 a year depending on what the final package is.  

Here’s the plan.  

Gene has opened a Paypal account dedicated strictly for the forum. You can now make a contribution of whatever denomination that you like, whether large or small. Please keep in mind that every little bit helps.  If we reach our goal and enough comes in to cover it, that would be fantastic. If there is not enough to cover it, then Gene and I will need to pay for it out of our pockets and be grateful for what has been contributed. If there is an excess, the difference will be used to offset the future annual fees.

The annual fees and how to address them.  

A great many of you have mentioned the raffle concept and I do think that is a great idea. Once again, if there is not enough to cover it, then Gene and I will need to pay for it out of our pockets and again be grateful for what has been contributed.

See the raffle information is in the previous post:

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=560.msg3751#msg3751
 
 That’s it gang …. Very simple, easy and eliminates the need for dues, ads and sales banners or any other way to raise fund from the outside. We are in our own house, we take care of our own and it’s the pride of ownership and the membership sharing and carrying its own load.


By the way, for those that prefer not to use Paypal and have asked for a mailing address

To donate cash or by personal check or money order make it payable to   "Gene Curtis"     and mail to

GTA Forums
PO Box  153
Belton, SC   29627-0153


Thank you one and all

Bob and Gene