Announcing our 2010 Fundraiser - Results Page 5!

[Kariada Kunai]

Hello, friends!

I'd like to take a few minutes and talk to you about this wonderful community we have here.

Let me begin with a bit about my experience. I joined over 7 years ago, one evening when I happened to be bored. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into.

I was living in Germany at the time, and feeling very much out of place and away from home. But at the Tower, I was instantly welcomed and befriended. I met so many new people from all over the world, and they were genuinely happy to get to know me. This became my home away from home.

In the years since then, I've moved six times. I seem to always be in a different place, not setting very deep roots anywhere. But you know what? No matter where I am, I can be home. All I need is an internet connection. This home away from home has become an anchor of sorts through all the changes in my life.

The Tower has given me so much. I've made friends, and new family. I've fallen in love, and experienced new things. I've travelled to places I never would have gone otherwise. I've helped others in times of trouble, and received help when I needed it in return. I would be a very different person without the Tower.

Now I'm sure that most of you have had a similar experience. And that's kind of the point. This place has a way of touching people's lives.

Even though we are based online, we have very real-life costs. Our message boards and website need servers. We have bank fees, and financial software costs, and administrative costs. We purchase items to give as part of our member awards. And on the list goes. All of these things cost money.

Take a look at that gorgeous banner at the top of your screen. Do you notice anything about it? It's completely ours. Now look at the left bar. Everything there is TarValon.Net. There are no ads. There is nothing asking you to buy, click, or otherwise take you away from anything but this community. TarValon.Net has never, and will never, use membership traffic to make money. When you sign up for this site, you register for nothing but this site. We don't sell your email address. We don't flash ads at you.

And we don't charge you membership fees. We don't believe that anyone should have to pay to become a Servant of All. We instead value members' hard work and personal contributions. So how do we meet our financial needs? We do what we do for many things here: we ask you to pitch in and help out where you can. I ask you now to please consider donating to our community's annual costs.

Think about how much annual membership fees at another organization would normally cost you. Think about how much a magazine subscription is, or how much it costs to go see a movie. How much time do you spend enjoying these things you pay for?

How much time do you spend here?

I realize that money is tight for many right now. I realize that many of you may find it difficult to contribute. But please know that even $5 can make a difference. $5 can get you a latte at Starbucks or a beer at your favorite bar. Why not skip the drink this week? If 10 people donate $5....that's enough to cover our accounting costs for 6 months.

And, as our 501(c)3 application has been submitted, donations made to the community will be tax deductible in the United States pending IRS approval. US members will receive a receipt at the end of the year aggregating their donations made throughout the year.


As a way of saying thank you, we have some great incentives lined up this year for everyone contributing.

Individual awards:
Incentives for donations made by individuals. Donors will receive the incentive(s) for each monetary level up to and including their donation amount. Only one prize can be won per person.
$5 - leaf on our new Avendesora "giving" tree
$10 - chance to win a special role in the community award online event
$20 - chance to win a prize from Badali or Cafe Press ($30-$50 value)
$50 - chance to win an invitation to a private activity at 10th Anni with the Amyrlin and some VIP guests (transferable to other members)
$100 - recognition in the 10th Anni program
$150 - personal thank-you letter from the Amyrlin

Community awards:
Incentives for how much is raised as a community. This is a way for us to celebrate our fundraising accomplishments. Only one activity will be carried out, depending on how much we raise.
$1,000 - free day
$2,500 - Feast of Fools week
$5,000 - super special week-long event and free week

How to donate

Online - donations are accepted via paypal.

Click here to donate.

Offline - Personal Checks or Money Orders, made out to TarValon.Net, can be sent to:

TarValon.Net
PO Box 12421
Huntsville, AL 35815

Please be sure to put your Tower name on your donation so that we can thank you appropriately!

This drive will end on July 17. Names will be drawn for prizes on July 31. We will be keeping a running list of contributors and the total amount we have raised so far on our main site. Please allow a few days for your name to be posted after donating online, and at least a week after donating via mail.

$5,000 is an ambitious goal, but I'm sure that if we all work together, we can achieve this! As Mother likes to say, "many hands make light work."

Thank you all for your time, and for your contributions. You make me proud to be a member of this community.

[Lenore Carvoe]

Why do we have a deadline for donating? A donation definitely will come after Summer Euro, but that's not before the end of August.

[Jeffan Caliarthan]

I'm pretty sure that the Tower takes donations throughout the year, but this deadline is just for this particular fundraising drive and the prizes associated with it, if I read things correctly.

I'm definitely excited for this! I know we can reach 5k. <3 I'll be sending in my donation in a week or so!

[CassieDainar]

The button to "add special instructions" was sneaky and I didn't see it when I donated.

[Ubahsur Kindellaer]

Donated!

[Vivianna L'antreau]

I'm gonna donate on payday

[Riley Maconnar]

Hi guys!

A couple of quick notes from your friendly Shatayan!



Um.... It would be like, a really really huge help if you could be sure to put in your Tower name when you donate through paypal. A couple of folks haven't and it was kind of lucky that I know them *cough*Cassie*cough cough* WE also have some other stuff coming in, so if you could, in your note, put in that this is specifically for the summer fund raiser, that would be spiffy.

Thanks!


There will be a list of who's donated, so that we can all say Thank You posted before too long.

[Dwynwen al'Muir]

Donated!

[Alyccea Nymaessene]

$50 - chance to win an invitation to a private activity at 10th Anni with the Amyrlin and some VIP guests (transferable to other members)

Am I correct in assuming that this prize applies to either 10th Anni party?

[CassieDainar]

I can't help it that paypal turned the big "enter note here" box into a silly non-colored text link. At least I posted that I screwed it up.

*goes off to sulk*

I love you anyway Riley.

[Kariada Kunai]

I can't help it that paypal turned the big "enter note here" box into a silly non-colored text link. At least I posted that I screwed it up.

Wow that's.....annoying.


Jeffan is absolutely right. We accept donations at any point during the year. You can definitely donate after July 17. Everything collected until then though is considered part of this specific drive, so donors are eligible for these prizes, etc etc.

Alyccea, if someone from that area of the world wins that prize and is going to Euro Anni, we can work something out.

If people use the link that I posted, then it *should* already say 2010 Fundraiser for the donation. Emphasis on should.

Thank you to everyone who donated so far! Riley'll be getting a list up of everyone to thank y'all once he can.

[Alyccea Nymaessene]

What if somebody from your area of the world (or any other area of the world for that matter) wins and is going to 10th Anni Europe?

[Niere al'Aman]

So .... umm ..... how is it going so far?
Any plans for showing how we are coming along, goal wise?

[Riley Maconnar]

Any plans for showing how we are coming along, goal wise?

Yes.



We just have to figure out exactly how we're doing that.

[Pip al'Dealys]

10,000$ MDD gets disbanded!

[Aintza Bisera]

Will it be really annoying to you all if we donate some each pay week? Or would you just rather it all come in one lump sum?

Reason I ask: I was planning on donating a bit from each pay check, but I suppose I could just wait and do it all at once.

[Relinya Ryviarra]

I dont personally know but Im sure it would be easier for them in one lump sum....but I dont know

my question....if I want to say send a check, but I date it in the future....will it be held until then? (I have to get paid but want to write it and send it while I am thinking of it)

[Riley Maconnar]

Aintza--If you want to donate a little as you go, that is fine. I will total up your donations at the end of the fundraiser to track a "whole" amount. I would just ask that you pad it a dollar or two each time, to sort of help defray paypal's per transaction fee. But that's completely up to you. We'll take every bit we can get, any way we can get it.

Relinya-- Work that out with the keeper. I'd have no trouble with that, but the checks aren't coming to me this time.




Each Monday I will be totalling up donations so far, it will usually be on the general fundraiser page. Since I can't do that right now....

:: drum roll::


We have raised $737 since our lovely Kariada opened it up on Friday. Good job guys!

[Aldus Tyloredrid]

Over $700 in about 72 hours is very good - I know we can do even better! I know each Friday will probably be a big burst as folks get paydays.

[Aintza Bisera]

Thank you Riley!! I actually added more to cover the fee just in case. To thinking ahead!!!

[Xylina Tyloredrid]

I think this is a great idea & I am thrilled to see how much was already donated. Yay!!

One question: If Aldus & I send in a check, will the donation be split to count as half from each of us? or just go under one of our names (for drawings etc) or how would that work?

[Riley Maconnar]

Um.... How would you like it to work?

I would imagine if you place both your Tower names on the memo line, and make mention of it splitting between the two of you, if you would like to do that, in a note, the Keeper will let me know, and I will pass that information along to whomever needs to know.

But, as you are working as a couple, I would make mention of the two of you together, in the absense of any special instructions.

Whatever works for you....

[Xylina Tyloredrid]

Sorry for any confusion, Riley Gaidin! I just meant, since there are certain $$ levels for the incentives, if for example together we sent in $100 check, if that would earn us both the incentive for $100, or for the $50 level since there's two of us. Doesn't make much difference to me, we'll still send what we can send. I was just curious how donations from married couples (or I suppose, any group that donated together) were to be handled.

Thanks for all you are doing on this fundraiser effort!

[Riley Maconnar]

As far as I'm concerned if it were, for example, a gift of $100, you are giving it together, from your resources as a family, you would together receive the $100 incentive, unless you specifically wanted it to count as two seperate donations. It's also how I would attribute it when I send out yucky tax statements in January (yucky, 'cause I'm not looking forward to it ).

You know, if any couple (or family) were to qualify for a special reception at an event, you would both be invited.

[Xylina Tyloredrid]

Thanks so much, that clears up my confusion perfectly!