The State of the BCAW Bank

gigi · **Posted:** Sun Aug 02, 2009 5:40 pm

BCAW has already received $37.94 in donations to offset the costs of providing the forum - and that was before we even officially posted the instructions! I will periodically update this tread as we receive additional donations. I will also post when we have reached our goal of having enough to pay for the web hosting site.

Thank you to all who have donated!

Gigi
BCAW Banker, Donations & PayPal Moderator

gigi · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 11:47 am

Great news!
BCAW has received just over $180.00 in donations!
:wave

This more than exceeds our goal of raising $155.64 to cover the initial expenses to set up the forum. After expenses are paid out, the remaining money will be kept in the PayPal account to provide us with both a rainy-day fund and for next year's fees.

Later today, we will temporarily dismantle the Donate Button. We will reactivate it when necessary, so please look for information here. Also, during our "down time" we may make some minor adjustments to the "How to Donate" page. As always we strive to make this as easy as we can!

:thankyou Thank you everyone! We can't do this without you!

Gigi
BCAW Banker, Donations & PayPal moderator

SusanE · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:04 pm

Yippee!

Thank you so much, gigi, for getting this set up for us and keeping track of everything.
We are so lucky to have you. :flowers

Catbird · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:10 pm

Wow . . . what great news! That's really something to have exceeded our goal so quickly (but I'm really not surprised given all the wonderful members on our new forum).

Here's a big thanks to our banker, gigi, and to everyone who contributes to the forum . . . whether in donations or forum posts or both!

:thanku

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:11 pm

SusanE wrote:

Yippee!

Thank you so much, gigi, for getting this set up for us and keeping track of everything.
We are so lucky to have you. :flowers

Gigi, Great job! I am glad we made it so fast!

catwoman · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:33 pm

SusanE wrote:

Yippee!

Thank you so much, gigi, for getting this set up for us and keeping track of everything.
We are so lucky to have you. :flowers

I agree! As Catbird said, thanks to everyone to donates either monetarily or through forum posts, or both!

Beth · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:56 pm

* BCAW friends/members *

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 60583

*

You guys are the BEST!!!

obxbarb · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:10 pm

Wow, two days to reach the goal! What a generous group this is. Thanks to everyone!! :rainbow

jjop · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:30 pm

Beat me to it...........wonderful generous people!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!! :congrats

PruJoy · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 6:38 pm

Oh dear - I missed it too - I only just read thru Gigi's instructions & was looking for the "Donate" button but it was gone already - that is SO ENCOURAGING to see how quickly you were able to raise even more than the yearly subscription - but, yes, certainly reactivate the button whenever you see a need for extra funds & I'll hopefully respond a bit quicker next time :sprint

ps - I've subscribed to this topic so I'll be sure to catch the notification

Cricket · **Joined:** Sat Aug 01, 2009 10:49 am **Posts:** 849

WOW! The Goal was reached in four days! Great job everyone. Mine hasn't been received as of yet. Just went out in yesterdays Mail. So if there are other's who also just Mailed their Donations to GiGi, it may go a LOT higher. My problem was with using Pay Pal with which I am having trouble with presently, and I am not the only one. Check out www.paypalsucks.com
Pardon the expression I did not make this up, but read the horror stories.

I Bid/bought things on e-bay and used Pay Pal. Apparently when I was in Ga,. for 5 weeks ,I Maxed out the card I use on e-bay, so when I got home I bid/bought some plants on e-bay. Some people sent me the plants in advance. E-bay told me that the people were paid. The people told me otherwise. E-bay said they paid out of their pocket, and I needed to reimburse them, which I did after paying off my card in full.
I have spent hours on the phone with Pay Pal trying to straighten this mess out, and I still have a way to go, as e-bay claims I am Maxed out once again! I think this is impossible. I have one item left I must get straightened out today, and I can hardly wait to speak to people who don't understand me or I them! Sorry for ranting, but this is most upsetting to me. This is why I sent GiGi my personal check, so there would not be any problems.

gigi · **Posted:** Wed Aug 05, 2009 4:00 pm

We are so sorry to hear of anyone's difficulties using PayPal and hope that this is not a common occurrence. Let me take this opportunity to explain why, after researching our options, BCAW chose to use PayPal.

1. PayPal keeps all money collected completely separate from anyone's personal funds.
2. We can appoint several other members to monitor the PayPal account. This serves as an excellent check and balance system for our integrity and insures that money collect is used exactly as promised.
3. PayPal keeps track of all money for us; i.e., who sent it, how much, how to reply to the sender to let them know we have indeed received their contribution. If funds are sent from another country, PayPal automatically converts funds to the recipient's currency. PayPal also keeps a running total of monies collected which allowed us to easily know when BCAW met its goal.
4. With each donation/contribution, BCAW and the sender both receive a confirmation email. Since BCAW has its own email account, this correspondence is separate from an individual email.
5. BCAW can easily transfer money to reimburse or pay for expenses. We do not have to go to the bank or write a check. Since we are volunteers, this ease of operation allows us to not spend lots of time on administrative details regarding money. That translates into more time to watch our birds and participate on BCAW.
6. It is free – no charge for anyone to use it. While PayPal does deduct a small handling fee with each transaction, we think it is well worth it.

Our goal at BCAW is to only collect enough money from members to pay for the annual web hosting subscription fees with little or no money carried over. After careful consideration, we still believe that PayPal offers us the best solutions for our situation.

I would like to say that personally my experiences with PayPay have been positive, especially when I was handling the donations for Froona's kitties in the Netherlands.

We, of course, are open to other suggestions and ideas. If anyone has an option you would like to tell us about, please send me a PM and we will be glad to consider it.

Respectfully,
Gigi
BCAW Banker, Donations and PayPal Moderator

SusanE · **Posted:** Wed Aug 05, 2009 4:44 pm

I have used PayPal on over 100 eBay transactions both as a buyer and as a seller. I have not had the first problem.

catwoman · **Posted:** Wed Aug 05, 2009 5:06 pm

I didn't realize the first time I tried to donate that you don't have to sign up for PayPal if you want to use a credit card. The transaction goes through PayPal, but you don't have to sign up for it. Of course, if I'd waited til the instructions were given, I would have known that! :oops:

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 60583

gigi, thanks for that great explanation...I've only used PP several times...and have been VERY pleased ...Cricket...so sorry you had problems...

PruJoy · **Posted:** Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:01 pm

I LUV PayPal - it makes online international transactions so simple - well, that's been my experience anyway.

Joanne · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:52 am

When I would sell my jewelry or buy semi-precious beads I always used PayPal, no problems.

Since I broke an ankle I have not even tried to sell anything! -- 4 years now...ready to give them away! :oops:

Donna Beng · **Posted:** Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:40 pm

Wow, I had my credit card ready to make a donation, and the amount needed has already been exceeded!!!! I am still willing to donate, put it in the pot for next year. I just have to know where to go to do it? :wave

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 60583

Donna Beng wrote:

Wow, I had my credit card ready to make a donation, and the amount needed has already been exceeded!!!! I am still willing to donate, put it in the pot for next year. I just have to know where to go to do it? :wave

Thank you sooooooooooo much...I think donations exceeded our greatest expectations!!!!...gigi will make a decision about further donations....so stay tuned...

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