Need your support!
11-14-03, 09:14 PM
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Need your support!
First… sorry for what some might call spam….
Hello... My name is Jason and I am not going to beat around the bush. I need everyone that reads this message to just donate $1 to the National MS Society. This donation is in support of the biggest MS150 ride in the country, the BP MS150: Houston, TX to Austin, TX - over two days. Over 10,000 riders showed up last year. My goal this year is to raise $10,000 - one dollar for every rider. If I can get just 1 dollar from 10,000 people I can meet my goal. I'll do what ever it takes. Need some homework done? Need your car washed? Just need a back rub? I'm your man - just donate that dollar =^). What's one dollar to those of us that are healthy enough to get out and ride whenever we want? It is very easy to donate electronically at the National MS Society's web site using a credit card. Follow this link: https://www.ms150.org/MS150/donate/donate.cfm?id=77245
The ride is in April 2004. I am trying to get started early to allow time to meet my goal and allow companies think about sponsoring me next year. And any donation of $500 or more will receive a personalized letter of appreciation to display. The National MS Society will send me an email making me aware of donations of this size so that I may respond accordingly.
Thank you so much in advance for your support to help fight this crippling disease! Together we can wipe out MS!
Hello... My name is Jason and I am not going to beat around the bush. I need everyone that reads this message to just donate $1 to the National MS Society. This donation is in support of the biggest MS150 ride in the country, the BP MS150: Houston, TX to Austin, TX - over two days. Over 10,000 riders showed up last year. My goal this year is to raise $10,000 - one dollar for every rider. If I can get just 1 dollar from 10,000 people I can meet my goal. I'll do what ever it takes. Need some homework done? Need your car washed? Just need a back rub? I'm your man - just donate that dollar =^). What's one dollar to those of us that are healthy enough to get out and ride whenever we want? It is very easy to donate electronically at the National MS Society's web site using a credit card. Follow this link: https://www.ms150.org/MS150/donate/donate.cfm?id=77245
The ride is in April 2004. I am trying to get started early to allow time to meet my goal and allow companies think about sponsoring me next year. And any donation of $500 or more will receive a personalized letter of appreciation to display. The National MS Society will send me an email making me aware of donations of this size so that I may respond accordingly.
Thank you so much in advance for your support to help fight this crippling disease! Together we can wipe out MS!
11-15-03, 10:16 AM
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OK, first question: who is running the fundraising, and how much are they skimming off the top?
I nearly got involved with one of those Palotta Teamworks rides a couple of years ago, before it came out that 85% of the money went to the fundraising company.
I nearly got involved with one of those Palotta Teamworks rides a couple of years ago, before it came out that 85% of the money went to the fundraising company.
11-15-03, 11:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Dave Stohler
OK, first question: who is running the fundraising, and how much are they skimming off the top?
MS Society Bike Tours
11-16-03, 05:37 PM
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Dave,
I am on a campaign to try to get anyone and everyone to donate just $1 dollar (more if you like), in an effort to raise my goal of $10,000 of which I get $0 (aside from a few commerative gifts). I spend about $300 each year out of my own pocket for this ride (travel/hotel/training/etc.) and took great offense to your comment about skimming.
Bac is correct. It is managed by and supported by the National MS Society. For this particular ride/fundraiser, along with the plus 10K riders, there are thousands of volunteers that are not able to ride.
Here is a break-down of how the money is specifically used: https://www.ms150.org/ms150/ride/fund...eyourmoneygoes
Here are a few quotes of interest:
Thanks for any interest! =^)
I am on a campaign to try to get anyone and everyone to donate just $1 dollar (more if you like), in an effort to raise my goal of $10,000 of which I get $0 (aside from a few commerative gifts). I spend about $300 each year out of my own pocket for this ride (travel/hotel/training/etc.) and took great offense to your comment about skimming.
Bac is correct. It is managed by and supported by the National MS Society. For this particular ride/fundraiser, along with the plus 10K riders, there are thousands of volunteers that are not able to ride.
Here is a break-down of how the money is specifically used: https://www.ms150.org/ms150/ride/fund...eyourmoneygoes
Here are a few quotes of interest:
"Did you know that over the past twenty years, the MS 150 Houston to Austin Bike Tour has raised approximately $38 million for MS, with $21 million of this total raised in the past four years alone?"
"And can you believe the first Bike Tour in 1985 had only 200 cyclists riding their bikes from Houston to the Texas State Capitol in Austin raising $117,000, but in 2003, more than 10,000 cyclists pedaled to Austin and raised an incredible $7 million for the fight against MS?"
11-16-03, 06:15 PM
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Ad-Bot... unless you donate to the forum you'll see them on your screen 
11-16-03, 07:43 PM
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tell me if you have any luck raising money thru this post... cuz honestly i doubt you'll get any. if anything, it will be a burden to the MS society to have to pay for all those $1 visa transactions.
11-16-03, 08:36 PM
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By "skimming" I think Dave, correct me if I am wrong, is alluding to "administrative costs".
Thing is, while I do not doubt the charity does good, these charities also have an executive staff that make six figures or more. They become a self perpetuating institution.
Thing is, while I do not doubt the charity does good, these charities also have an executive staff that make six figures or more. They become a self perpetuating institution.
11-16-03, 08:44 PM
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Del:
Thanks for the sincere inspiration… Why the negativity? If you don’t wish to support this cause why even bother responding? You almost sound like you’re knocking me for trying to be inventive and trying to make it easy for others to contribute. If you were, shame shame…
But to address your stated concern for the MS Society, there is no ‘per transaction’ fee charged when you use a credit card. Credit card companies all charge a small fee for using their cards. For each example, Visa card companies usually keep 1.5% of the charged total. So at the end of the month, if the total due the MS Society is $1000, whether it was 1000 $1 charges or one $1000 charge, the same $15 will be charged by the credit card company. Also, there is no restriction that limits anyone to only using a credit card. If you are truly concerned that the MS Society might not get the full $1 benefit by using a credit card, you can always send a check directly to them.
John: The National MS Society is not a charity. By donating, you are giving money directy to the recipient of the funds. The only administrative costs associated are that of the MS Society's offices I guess.
Thanks for the sincere inspiration… Why the negativity? If you don’t wish to support this cause why even bother responding? You almost sound like you’re knocking me for trying to be inventive and trying to make it easy for others to contribute. If you were, shame shame…
But to address your stated concern for the MS Society, there is no ‘per transaction’ fee charged when you use a credit card. Credit card companies all charge a small fee for using their cards. For each example, Visa card companies usually keep 1.5% of the charged total. So at the end of the month, if the total due the MS Society is $1000, whether it was 1000 $1 charges or one $1000 charge, the same $15 will be charged by the credit card company. Also, there is no restriction that limits anyone to only using a credit card. If you are truly concerned that the MS Society might not get the full $1 benefit by using a credit card, you can always send a check directly to them.
John: The National MS Society is not a charity. By donating, you are giving money directy to the recipient of the funds. The only administrative costs associated are that of the MS Society's offices I guess.
11-16-03, 09:28 PM
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haha sorry i'm not being negative, i'm trying to inject a dose of realism... you're not the ONLY person here who does MS rides, ... in fact a good number of us (including myself) have done them. nor are you the first person to ask for MS donations this way.
anyways, i AM genuinely interested if you do find success fundraising here on bikeforums, because if you do, it will become an open market for fundraising requests (meaning, i and others will jump at the opportunity to raise money this way too), which will quickly become saturated, and will probably discourage people from a) donating money on bikeforums ever again and b) trying to raise money this way ever again.
anyways, i AM genuinely interested if you do find success fundraising here on bikeforums, because if you do, it will become an open market for fundraising requests (meaning, i and others will jump at the opportunity to raise money this way too), which will quickly become saturated, and will probably discourage people from a) donating money on bikeforums ever again and b) trying to raise money this way ever again.
11-16-03, 10:23 PM
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Del: Thank you for confirming the validity and relevance of this cause to bike riders everywhere. If you can find another cause linked to so many bike-riders, I would encourage you to use any method at your disposal in helping it. You are correct in assuming that the make or break of getting the word out helping or not relies on the readers. I gain or lose nothing. If my initial post even encourages one person to ride in an MS150 in their area, which are some of the best rides I've ever ridden btw (can you deny that?), it has helped. =^_
And btw... When you quote someone else, you should always give the exact quote and provide reference. You wouldn't want others thinking you coined your sig yourself, would you?
And btw... When you quote someone else, you should always give the exact quote and provide reference. You wouldn't want others thinking you coined your sig yourself, would you?
"The only true knowledge is knowing that you know nothing." Socrates
Last edited by jsiefert; 11-16-03 at 10:29 PM.
11-17-03, 12:09 AM
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jsiefert: i had no idea it was a quote from socrates... if i had of course I would have properly quoted him... however, it is not an "original thought" in the sense that almost any serious thinker could probably come to make such a proposition.
11-17-03, 09:48 AM
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Well, jsiefert, your defensive response would make me check out the validity of your fundraising partner even more, if I were in any postion to contribute. Still, I thought that the point of these things is to get people in your community to sponsor you, not to make it a donation spam campaign, but, I could be mistaken.....
Now, what I was talking about was the common practice of professional fundraising taking high commissions, not the illegal practice of 'skimming' that you brought up, partly due to my poor choice of words. What I should've said was "How much are they taking off the top for administrative costs". But, since you did, let's continue in that direction....
Often, in charity scams (or near-scams), there is a group that has a name which sounds similar to a more well-known and honest charity. The American Cancer Society, as an example, has been confused with several groups having names such as "the National Cancer Society", "the American Cancer Foundation", etc. Some of these groups turn out to be less than what they seem to be, and many people believe they are contributing to the well-known charity.
I would always be wary of any solicitation for funds from somebody who solicits online. While this particular solicitation seems to be honest, with all the internet scams going on, do you really want to take the chance?
Now, what I was talking about was the common practice of professional fundraising taking high commissions, not the illegal practice of 'skimming' that you brought up, partly due to my poor choice of words. What I should've said was "How much are they taking off the top for administrative costs". But, since you did, let's continue in that direction....
Often, in charity scams (or near-scams), there is a group that has a name which sounds similar to a more well-known and honest charity. The American Cancer Society, as an example, has been confused with several groups having names such as "the National Cancer Society", "the American Cancer Foundation", etc. Some of these groups turn out to be less than what they seem to be, and many people believe they are contributing to the well-known charity.
I would always be wary of any solicitation for funds from somebody who solicits online. While this particular solicitation seems to be honest, with all the internet scams going on, do you really want to take the chance?
11-18-03, 12:09 AM
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Dave, thank you for your explanation. And I challenge you to do just as you've stated and check the validity. My response was an intention for you do so. I agree that you should always check out any organization before giving your money or time.
And as stated to Delirious, if you are not in a position to donate I would highly suggest you look into riding one of the rides. That is if you are into road-biking. They are some of the best supported and fun rides of the 15 (or so) I do annually (some charity/some not).
I just don't understand where all the negativity comes from? I made no assumptions and stated no expectations. And geez I only asked for a dollar (lol). What is wrong with me asking for sponorship? Even if I cannot reach even one person here, it has cost me nothing... well other than the time to reply.
About the local community thing.... This is the National MS Society with chapters across the nation. It is not a community charity. But rest assured that my campaign will reach my local community of Houston, TX too. For instance I am organizing donation car washes by volunteers to raise money. A goal of $10,000 is not an easy one to meet.
And as stated to Delirious, if you are not in a position to donate I would highly suggest you look into riding one of the rides. That is if you are into road-biking. They are some of the best supported and fun rides of the 15 (or so) I do annually (some charity/some not).
I just don't understand where all the negativity comes from? I made no assumptions and stated no expectations. And geez I only asked for a dollar (lol). What is wrong with me asking for sponorship? Even if I cannot reach even one person here, it has cost me nothing... well other than the time to reply.
About the local community thing.... This is the National MS Society with chapters across the nation. It is not a community charity. But rest assured that my campaign will reach my local community of Houston, TX too. For instance I am organizing donation car washes by volunteers to raise money. A goal of $10,000 is not an easy one to meet.
