[Robin Palmer]

Hi jean.
I hear you loud and clear I have small problem I live in england and paypal is a real pain over here. I would agree with the post from irland please set up some place we can leave cheques and I will send one off post haste. Unfortunatly the british banking system is in many respects in the stone age where dealing with foriegn banking is concerned. I have enjoyed the benifits of belonging to this site and have tried to send funds several times only to fall flat due to our banking systems inability to understand what I want to do.

Yours Bob.

PS spell checker not working.

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Jean Thibodeau]

Almost up to $1000 at $943 as I type and 1/3 of the way to the objective.

Thanks, to everyone who has already contributed and thanks again to those who want to contribute but are not in a comfortable financial situation to do it right now.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Over $1000 at the time of writing and a "Bump ". ( Trying to avoid too frequent " Bumping " but getting over $1000 is like breaking through a resistance point in the Stock Market. : Thanks again ! ).

[Jean Thibodeau]

Well another " BUMP ".

Looking at site statistics there are close to 20,000 registered members now I'm guessing that this reflex the total number of people who have registered to have access to the site and have more access to special features like looking at larger versions of article pics. I also assume that there are a lot of people who " lurk " and haven't bothered to actually register but I consider these people as part of this place if they enjoy what they can learn here and add to their knowledge, and even more if they often come back to see what is new in content or discussion.

Now, a lot of these " lurkers " ( Not meant in any negative way as I lurked myself for at least 6 months here before I joined in and I lurk at many other site where I haven't bothered registering ) could also join as upgraded members and contribute this way. ( NOTE: Also welcome to join for the free membership, this place isn't primarily about making money but a " FUND DRIVE " obviously has to try to get contributions. ).

Anyway, 1% of the 20,000 registered membership is just 200 people ! An average contribution of $25 by 200 people would add up to $5000 and close to twice the objective for this Fund Drive.

So we don't need a very large number of contributors proportionally to the number of " officially " registered members !

Realistically most organizations have only 2% to 5 % who are very active as volunteers giving their time or money so there are I estimate ( Figures out of thin air. ) between 400 to 1000 members who are frequent enough readers of this site to be considered " potential " donors with enough of a stake in this place to at least consider making a donation.

Year to year the actual donors are closer to 40 to 100 and a handful of them responsible for about half of the donations.

Now, without sounding " preachy ", my focus this year is to try to get people who have never contributed to contribute small donations but in larger numbers than previous years: This does two things 1) It spreads the heavy lifting over a larger contributing pool making it easier for everybody to meet the objective without having to contribute large amounts during a difficult economic time. 2) Wider contribution also means that more people show their appreciation for the learning and enjoyment they get coming here, and this is certainly motivational to the very " SMALL " team that keep this place going which is mostly " JUST " Nathan putting in " HUGE " amounts of his free time doing all the coding/programming, keeping spam and " BOTS " from contaminating the site and other " Tech. Stuff " ! In addition there is only a small team of volunteer " Moderators " helping with the Forums and getting articles/reviews/pics.

( NOTE: Disclaimer, numbers and statistics are just guesswork on my part and Nathan may have to correct any errors of fact in the above, so don't take the above as more than musings, opinion and best guesses. ).

[Luka Borscak]

I would love to donate here, this site is a huge value and I would hate to see it die, but being a student and having no income and no credit card makes it too difficult...

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Jean Thibodeau]

Well, the regular " BUMP " and although I want to encourage small but numerous donations that doesn't mean that a few " large " donation are not welcome also especially from those who almost live here on the site. ( Again if their financial position permits it ).

Oh and if some really " rich person " wants to give a huge amount I guess that would also be O.K.

Anyone who wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they didn't have this site to go to every day i.e. a serious dependancy/addiction to " myArmoury " should find it in their best interest to keep the site in good financial health.

So how many of you share my MAD syndrome. ( Another of these acronym mental health issues needing some " BIG PHARMA " to invent a pill for to overcharge the public ).

M: My
A: Armoury
D: dependance
Syndrome

" Yes, I'm MAD and I donate to " myArmoury " ( Every donation campaign needs a silly/fun " call to battle " slogan. ).

( MAD/Happily insane not MAD/angry ).

[Darryl Aoki]

Something about this reminds me of NPR pledge drives, in the best of ways. Amusingly, that perspective's influencing me more toward the "donate" side of the question.

[Barry C. Hutchins]

Premier is less than a dollar a week (USD), well worth the time and effort to support this site.

And the upgraded membership cost is still less than a case of Guinness Extra Stout..

Seriously, in the short time I have been on this site, I have found volumes of useful information related to collecting, refurbishing, and creation of arms and armour; certainly worth even the minimal investment.

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Jean Thibodeau]

Think about giving $10 and a chance of winning a really high end custom spear head but also think about how small this amount is if one saves a dollar a day by having a slightly cheaper meal or skipping one coffee and putting that dollar in an envelope ..... after 10 days, Paypall a donation and pay yourself back from the envelope.

Not really something one will feels much in the pocketbook unless one's situation is really very grim ! At that point, don't worry about any donation(s) since you are in survival mode and the $10 bucks means one less lunch for the kids !

Again, it doesn't take very large donations if a lot of you make a $10 donation and if you frequent the site almost daily you are getting as much out of being here as your much more expensive cable or cell phone monthly bill or a movie DVD rental and even less than a Movie + overpriced stale popcorn.

Also, if you like the place giving a little is like putting a bit of gas in the tank to be able to take a trip you are going to enjoy instead of running out of gas and not having any fun walking back home. ( Or in this case NOT having a site you like still being there ........ eventually ! No immediate danger of this happening that I know of, but long term, as in years, I don't think that Nathan should be paying all the bills out of pocket or have to sell parts of his collection, as he has done before, to pay the bills ....... There, I did it used " Fear & guilt " ..... Joking but only " half joking. ).

[Luke Zechman]

This site has been an valuable recourse to me. About a year ago I decided that I was really going to follow my dream to one day be producing weapons mainly as a hobby. I have been collecting tool and materials for quite some time now. This site has helps me make steps toward that dream. myArmoury and the people here have inspired me to do, and not just to think about doing. It has given me the confidence and knowledge, and for that I am grateful.
At this point in my life i don't have a lot of money to give. I do believe that giving what is economically reasonable for me is very important. Yes it would be nice to win a beautiful spearhead, but it is even more important to keep this community going together. Thanks again to everyone that has helped me, and be sure that I will be around pestering you all with questions for a good time to come.

Luke

[Jean Thibodeau]

Le " BUMP ".

Oh, well a bit over half way to the target.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Up to $1565 as I write this, another $35 to a nice round number of $1600.

At $1800 we will be 2/3 of the way to the objective.

Note: I assume that almost everyone reading this Topic has also seen the " Official " Fundraising Topic and the prize of a Michael Pikula spearhead for donations. ( Conditions of the contest on that Topic thread ).

Here is the link to that one just in case people not reading the entire Topic thread or the other entire Topic thread:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=17330

" myArmoury " is like a friend giving a friend a lift every day to share an activity enjoyed by both like going to play golf or tennis or to the same gym: At the end of the year shouldn't one offer to share the cost of gas for the car if one can afford it.

Now this " myArmoury CAR " has thousands of friends getting a lift, so the cost to each can be very low if a good bunch of us contribute and the objective is easily achieved by numerous but small and not too painful contributions.

[Nick Larking]

Well i have been lurking for a while and registrered just recently so im gonna help by upgrading my account. I should still have some money on my paypal.
And if not ill just rob a bank

I never thought it would cost this much to run a forum i was always thinking it would cost maybe like 200 a year instead of 3000.

[Chad Arnow]

[Jason Daub]

Two thirds of the way there, and a wee bit. I do so like the nifty extra features.

[Carl W.]

Note especially to first time donors (like me)... think of part of your donation as buying a raffle ticket on a great spear-head. That thought helped me finally jump over the fence. ps - click process was easy.

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=17330

Normally I'm quiet & not much of a cheerleader, but this is a great site, plus Jean deserves support & thanks for his generous prize gift!

[Daniel Sullivan]

Wish to thank Jean for beating the drum and calling us to muster. Our local Public Television people could certainly use someone like him..

As mentioned in another post, it is like buying a raffle ticket. On the other hand, If Jean is annoying you, ante up with a few bucks and he will go away....well......at least until the next time!

Regards,
Dan