Annual Summer Fundraiser: June 15 to August 1!

[Keisha al'Benn]

Jeffan I think you integrated a sine function in your calculations....

 

[Cassie Dainar]

SENT

 

[Taika Vinh]

Sent by PayPal.

 

[Yelenia Hylraren]

So, in summary:
We're rewarding those with disposable income, which is normal. We're asking membership groups to harass their inactive members, and get them to send in money, for the prestige of the group. We're putting membership groups with members who don't have disposable incomes at a disadvantage for a peer-pressure contest. We're guilting those, regardless of their service, to put their money where their mouth is.

I preferred when we asked folks to give what they can, when they can.

I'll grumpily be the minority voice offended and how this is going about. I've seen enough people associated with the site make poor financial decisions based on tower peer pressure. I'm a little disheartened - I thought TarValon.Net was classier.

 

[Tree]

I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with this new endeavor. Our intention is to be innovative, not pressure anyone. This does present a good opportunity for me to reiterate that I and all of the staff here at TarValon.net truly appreciate any donations- no matter the size. We understand that everyone has a different budget and our being a part of that budget is truly an honor.

Yelenia, if you have any further concerns, please feel free to email me, outreach@tarvalon.net and please copy in keeper@tarvalon.net, amyrlin@tarvalon.net, and shatayan@tarvalon.net

*edited to correct email address. This will teach me to use the boards from my phone.

 

[Jeffan Caliarthan]

I've always enjoyed it in the past where we've had levels of donation and rewarded different levels with different prizes. It made sense to me. I get that it might be viewed as a little antiquated, but it was working, to the best of my knowledge. I get the need to be inventive with fundraising as well - it's always good to reinvent your procedures. I just don't particularly like this change. It's too much of a competition, and I think that takes away the spirit of fundraising. I don't give two licks whether SDS wins the Community Group prize, because it seems like a silly reward that's nothing more than bragging rights, which inevitably leads to the winner being an asshat and waving his shiny first place medal in front of everyone's faces, making them feel bad for not having more money, even though I'm sure that if they had a spare thousand dollars lying around, they'd donate it in a second.

Regardless of whether or not I agree with this new system, I'm going to be donating because I do have the spare funds this time around and I care about the community and want to see it thrive for a long time, which is what I think everyone should do if they're able.

I always value the work that people put into our fundraising efforts. It's a lot of work, and it's something that I definitely appreciate you guys doing. <3

 

[Azi al'Thone]

I don't think the fundraising needs to be picked about and made a big fuss over, but I do have an answer for something...

Think about the time you've spent here. Have you found a good friend? Someone you can tell anything to? Someone you know will support you through thick and thin? Let me ask you this... How much is that worth?

It's worth my time, effort, love, worth spending hours making graphics and digging into Drupal guts and humilating myself for everyone's enjoyment. What it isn't worth is a monetary value, in fact it's the opposite. It's a great place because it's completely free (and I don't care about simple ads). I support if I can because I know it needs cash - that's reality - and I am willing to help in that regard. But just so it's clear, it's not for "payment" for what it's "worth". I'd never be able to do that because the friends I've made and fun I've had are beyond price.

Again, not complaining. I get the spirit of the fundraiser and it's not going to change my contribution. But maybe it's an insight into some people who feel a bit more miffed.

And for the flip side, I do think that rewarding donators is a good thing. Just because you're contributing money doesn't mean you're contributing any less than someone who puts a lot of time into the community. The site needs both - and people should be recognized for that. Some people have a lot of money and not so much time (probably because they spent that time making the money). The problem being of course on what scale to you compare time/effort/other contributions to monetary ones? In which case I say I don't know and it's probably better to avoid it I don't see any real negative impact on anyone who donates less, just positive for those who donate more.

 

[Riley Maconnar]

It's worth my time, effort, love, worth spending hours making graphics and digging into Drupal guts and humilating myself for everyone's enjoyment. What it isn't worth is a monetary value, in fact it's the opposite. It's a great place because it's completely free (and I don't care about simple ads). I support if I can because I know it needs cash - that's reality - and I am willing to help in that regard. But just so it's clear, it's not for "payment" for what it's "worth". I'd never be able to do that because the friends I've made and fun I've had are beyond price.

Which was exactly the point I was trying to make in my appeal. Apparently I did it poorly, which saddens me. However, I'm glad to see that you understand what I was getting at.

For those who felt I was crass in my initial post, I apologize. I was trying to get at the essence of why I feel this community is priceless, and why I am glad to donate my time as well as my money. It's more than worth it to me. I'm sorry I was not able to communicate that as well as I would have hoped.

 

[Zashara Sho'am]

**edited to remove post and sent it via e-mail per request**

 

[Leora Oldessroth]

Any further concerns should be emailed to the people Tree pointed out. This isn't a discussion forum and further comments in that vein will be deleted.As always, we are trying something. We'll see how it goes. Then we'll evaluate and see if we want to do it again.

 

[Raam Sho'am]

Oh! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Help! Help! I'm being repressed!

 

[Idris ab Eynon]

Well, so long as no one's being overbearing about it, I'm good.

 

[Jalen te'Kreg]

Canned responses via email are just as disingenuous as canned nonresponses on the forum. The sheer patronizing and condescension that goes into these attempts to silence people still astounds me. These aren't idle, solitary or spurious complaints.

I believe it's clear at this point that TarValon.net needs an independent ombudsman. Problems with how things are administered aren't handled, they're kettled.

 

[Drake O' Neeus]

Man I sure chose to donate at the wrong time.

 

[Azi al'Thone]

Man I sure chose to donate at the wrong time.

Or the exactly right time.

 

[Tree]

I want to step in and make a few comments.

First off all the concerns presneted here have been duly noted and in fact taken seriously. At this time we have been unable to fully delve into any resolutions but I do want it known that these concerns are not taken lightly.

Secondly private donor information has always been and will always be kept confidential.

I have recieved a number of emails and I will be responding to them with the attention that they deserve. If you have emailed me, I want to thank you for your time in doing so and your thoughts. I will be responding to these- but as Jalen points out a canned response is not genuine, please bear with me as I am unable to respond right away. You have not been forgotten.

That is not half of what I would like to say, but due to time considerations (I'm at work) that is all that I can say for the time being.

 

[Jalen te'Kreg]

To clarify, I do still plan to donate. It's an important thing. But I will be doing it anonymously, for more reasons than ever.

 

[D'Ran al'Fir]

lolol look at his sig

 

[Vivianna L'antreau]

And for one final word before the cheerleading can resume as we strive to reach our goal -

As others have said there is absolutely no price one can put on friendship and what it means to us. Server space on the other hand comes at a premium :P The goal of changing things up this year is never to make anyone feel bad that they can't donate this week, this month or this year - we have always held it that people give in different ways be it monetary, service, etc and all of those ways are equally critical to helping us keep things running. I have a dear friend who has never given money to the Tower, but has always given of herself and her time and that is amazing! I have other friends who don't have the time to take on a position or help out as much behind the scenes but are able to give a few dollars when we ask once a year.

We pride ourselves on having never required ANYONE to give more than themselves here, and that will never change so long as I have a say. Each member brings a new and unique point of view that makes the whole of us more interesting and money will never change that. With our fundraisers we only ask that if you can give then please do so, and we try to find interesting ways to inspire excitement in the Community each year to meet our goals. This year some of you aren't digging it and that's fine we'll most likely have another idea next year Things always change

Since site announcements is not a discussion forum (hence us setting up a separate forum for the admin notes threads you'll recall) i'm going to echo our Keeper and ask that further concerns with the particular setup of this year's fundraiser be emailed to outreach@tarvalon.net and please copy in keeper@tarvalon.net, amyrlin@tarvalon.net, and shatayan@tarvalon.net. If you do receive an answer you feel is canned or you don't like you are always welcome to then address the next step in the chain. To address one concern, when we talk about publishing final numbers we're not talking specific to each group - we're talking tracking our overall goal. So we won't say that the purple ajah has 13 members divided by $x = y. Rather, it'll be "Yay! orange won!" and we'll be done with it :P And everyone is always *always* to donate anonymously or simply let Riley know if you're not comfortable with your individual donation being counted as part of the group and that's totally fine.

So lets keep things going! I can't donate right now, but I get paid on Tuesday so will most likely send over a few dollars then I'm excited to see how we do over the next month!

 

[Erin al'Denael]

outreach@*

Lots of typoes for that poor email.