Contribution Request for an Exception to NCWW Policy

[McRabbet]

Gentlemen:

At 7:25 PM tonight, I received the following email (and have included the rest of the string so you have some history) from Bill Anderson regarding the offer by Anderson and Roy Underhill to contribute four (4) seats in forthcoming classes at the Woodwright's School in Pittsboro for the Raffle that starts this coming Friday.

Robert and Tracy: Roy has asked me to take care of this donation negotiation with NC Woodworker, as he is too busy with filming at the current time, etc. Therefore, the discussions we have are basically from my point of view only. Roy is willing to donate the four slots in his schedule.

My feeling is that while Roy is operating a business, it is really a community service oriented business directed specifically to the base that supports NCWoodworker.net. Up to now, Roy has not been advertising his school in any media other than email announcements. I think that it would be very reasonable and in the best interests of NCWoodworker.net to provide 6 months of sidebar advertising for this donation. This does not have to be a general rule, but could apply specifically to schools and programs such as this. I would like you to consider this will all due regard.

Bill Anderson
Edwards Mountain Woodworks
57 Woodside Trail
Chapel Hill, NC 27517-6077
phone: 919.932.6050
http://www.edwardsmountainwoodworks.com


From: ROBERT PAYNE [mailto:rrpayne@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 3:29 PM
To: Willard Anderson
Cc: Tracy Pardue
Subject:

Bill,

We are very pleased that you and Roy Underhill have agreed to collaborate on a most generous prize to assist the North Carolina Woodworker, Inc. in our spring fundraiser -- I am certain that the winners will be elated that they can attend a class for their modest investment in a raffle ticket. Many of our members have already taken advantage of the myriad of classes that you both offer and I've sure that this offering and the advertising will generate even more interest.

We do have a point of confusion concerning the sidebar advertising. As I read your email, the value of the total prize is $540 and we can offer three months of free sidebar for that level of contribution. Here is what I said in the letters to both you and Roy:

"As a bit of an incentive this year, our Board has agreed to provide a free three-month sidebar ad for any vendor that provides at least $500 in prizes (a $150 value)."
If that is acceptable, we would like to accept your contribution; unfortunately we cannot offer six months of free sidebar ad. Please contact Tracy Pardue, our webmaster, for details on the graphics requirements for the ad. I have copied Tracy on this reply.

Thanks for your generosity.

Regards,

Robert R. Payne, Exec. VP
North Carolina Woodworker, Inc
919-210-5914

On April 8, 2011 at 1:15 PM, you wrote:

The Woodwright’s School has decided to donate 4 one day student slots to NC Woodworker.net to support the website. This is a $540 value.

The Woodright’s School is a tremendous community resource for handtool woodworking, and the preservation and use of traditional tools and techniques. In exchange, the School would like to have a 6 month sidebar for advertising the classes offered here and to advertise the tool store upstairs. If this is acceptable to you, just send me a list of the four individuals who have successful bids. They will be registered as “gift certificates” on the Woodwright’s School database. This means that the tuition is paid, and all the individual needs to do is select a workshop to attend.

Thanks for this opportunity to contribute to the support of the local woodworking community!

Bill Anderson
Edwards Mountain Woodworks
57 Woodside Trail
Chapel Hill, NC 27517-6077
phone: 919.932.6050
http://www.edwardsmountainwoodworks.com

I place the proposal before the Board of Directors because his request represents a significant policy change. I am opposed to making an exception for the following reasons:

1. Several other vendors pay $150 for a 3-month sidebar ad and our Policy gives a $500 contributor that for nothing. (We have proposed a $200 contribution could get a 1-month ad or $1,000 would get a year of ads, but that needs lots of further discussion);
2. Exceptions such as he asks would undermine our paying advertisers (we cannot have paying and non-paying vendors with different payment levels for the same thing);
3. In effect, we get a $200 contribution due to loss of revenue from a paying vendor for six months of ad space;
4. Both The Woodwright's School and Bill Anderson/Edwards Mountain Woodworks are for profit businesses, while we rely on revenue from our ads to help fund our non-profit activities free for 100% of our members;
5. From this exchange, I interpret that Bill Anderson will be teaching some of the classes and Roy is contributing the space (note that after Roy, Bill is the first instructor shown on the Woodwright School website). Their schedule shows other instructors, too;
6. Bill has gotten free announcements of his paid enrollment classes for several years on our website, which I see us continuing;
7. We operate for free for all members benefit and we rely on donations and contributions to stay afloat -- we do not have a major benefactor as the organization did 2 years ago.

We have very little time left before the Raffle begins and this forces us to make a quick decision -- we could siimply say yes or no this change in policy or tell him we will defer their contribution until the Fall Raffle to allow adequate time to evaluate the pros and cons.

Let's hear your opinions.

 

[Douglas Robinson]

Read. Well handled.

 

[TracyP]

We should not make policy changes for any single vendor, contributor. We could stand to lose the dedicated advertisers that support us month after month religiously. No religious pun intended.....

 

[Joe Scharle]

More points:

Our paid advertisers provide either free or at cost, valuable hardware. And continue to support us through paid sidebar advertising throughout the year.

Members have been allowed the privilege of announcing their classes for free. Anderson is a member and there is no reason Underhill cannot join.

 

[ScottM]

read and agree

 

[Douglas Robinson]

Sorry I should have been clearer. I do not think we should make an exception to our rules. The playing field is even for everyone. Depending on the value of the donation we will provide a tombstone of the proscribed length of time. We worked this out recently and I see no need to rewrite it now.

 

[CaptnA]

read.
I have a bit of a different take on this but I'll defer to the majority

 

[Douglas Robinson]

Andy, I would be interested in hearing your take on this.

 

[McRabbet]

read.
I have a bit of a different take on this but I'll defer to the majority

But we won't know unless you express your take on it -- all views are always welcome as it rounds the discussion.

 

[CaptnA]

I've re-read and thought it over and over.
I don't want to make an exception for one, and that is the issue at hand.

 

[Trent Mason]

Sorry guys, I was out of the country this weekend and didn't have much time to check in.

I do not think we should allow an exception for him. We should not undermine the advertisers who have been with us for such a long time. He can accept the shorter time period ad or provide less seats in the class until it equals out.

 

[Trent Mason]

Rob,

I just saw your email to Bill and all I can say is :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap VERY well done!

NOTE: To the other Directors, don't hit "Reply to All" on your email to share your comments about Rob's message as Bill would get a copy of that as well. I almost did, :eusa_doh: just wanted to pass that along. :thumbs_up