charity, pledges, donations in signature... really?

[Raul Perez]

Let me just set MY charity straight. My future father in law is dying. His body is beaten with colon and intestinal cancer. After visiting him in the hospital and seeing him completely sedated and hooked up to a respirator I decided to do a hike for charity for people with cancer and chose a small charity organization that assisted those with cancer (I chose small so I know exactly where the money is going).

This charity benefits others with cancer who are going through cancer treatments and does not benefit him directly or even indirectly. Me, my fiancé, and her family have that taken care of.

Not to mention I have the charity organization donating 20% of my event’s proceeds to trail maintenance. You know, trails that all of us use to enjoy the wonders of the piney woods. I’m doing something for my community as a whole.

I’m using the forums just to get the word out about my event. And to be quite honest I find your term of SPAM quite offensive since I literally have over 80 videos out on youtube for FREE to assist others in choosing hiking equipment and hiking methods out there (including hammocking). It’s not like I just popped up on the forum just to post about this.

All I’ve asked is that this event be acknowledged and if you want to, donate. If not, no big deal.

Raul

[Ramblinrev]

The only fundraising sig I have seen was started originally in the donating section. The member being donated for is well known to many who are not paying members. There was discussion about placing the thread in the general listing. Frankly, in that case I think the signature was brilliant.

I guess I have seen signatures about an event someone is in. I barely notice them and for the life of me can't remember who or what they were about. Not a problem for me.

[Red Wing]

It is the same thing as the Military support, politics, religion and such types of posts. There are rules agin it and even if it's with good intentions, breaking the rules only opens the flood gates.

So if you want to allow begging on the forum, well that will have to be in the rules I guess. If you don't want to allow begging, don't. Harm? I don't know. Someone truly in need theres no harm. Problem is I've seen way different levels of what someone thinks they truly NEED. There's a lot of hard feelings passed around when someone with 2 sports cars, wide flat screens, cellphones and every other little luxury in life complains that they can't afford to pay for car or health insurance or can't afford to feed they're child before sending them to school, yet I see that every day.

Neo hasn't begged and his son wouldn't do it either if he wasn't busy kicking cancer's butt.

There's just something off putting to me to run around the world with my hand out. Guess it's just fine with others.

all I can say is wow...

coming from a family where my father opted to "beg" to the local church for "handouts" all I can say is wow..

---edit---

Just wanted to add that I served in the military, bad back as a restult.. I opted NOT to collect my disability, I personally don't want anything from anyone, never have, probably never will... For someone I loved? I'd grovel.. Just highly disappointing to see someone part of this community refer to accepting charity as "begging" how much more degrading could that statement have been?

[animalcontrol]

Really?
Redwood Guy...Really?
Out of respect to this community, I'll refrain from saying how I feel.

I cannot add to my friend's rebuttal of this thread. Well said all!

In my nearly 3 years contributing to this community, I've NEVER said this but...

MODS - "PLEASE, DELETE THIS THREAD!!"

[Law Dawg (ret)]

I would have to say that the signature section of the forum are not very well regulated.

Perhaps a loop hole, perhaps just an understanding that some elements of our life are simply impossible to eliminate through censorship. Manners will carry us a long way and manners cut BOTH ways.

So if you want to allow begging on the forum...

Wow...

A site like this is a community, a community where some become quite close. Friends help each other in bearing burdens and can be counted on to stand by you when needed. Begging? No I have not seen that here...I have seen folk helping out others by posting a way to donate (this was done FOR Neo). I have seen folks letting others know they are hurting and in need for more than money and yes even letting others know they are struggling financially.

Dude...and others similar...look away if compassion sigs sour your stomach. If the religious sigs bother you could do the same...range wars are so ugly and you will step on your own tongue (well, key board) someday. Like Karma involves a religion etc...

[opie]

Edit[/COLOR]: If my kids was sick and i didn't live in a place with "free" health care - i would reach out for help to....
And if we can't reach out for help among friends..... then where?

I want to empahsize this point in the digital age.

We, as a society, need to RETURN to relying on our neighbors for assistance when we ask for it. Not expecting it from a central authority. In todays world, our neighbors thanks to the internet, can be 1000's of miles away. I held a raffle on another board for a member who lost 1 son in a car accident and lost his wife who was driving to ID the son in another car accident.. All in the same day. On the board we rasied over $5000 dollars for him. Thanks to all his internet neighbors.

I say its a good thing... Although it can get gawdy.... Its where we as society need to get back to.

[Redwood Guy]

wow calm down folks... you all are going ballistic on me/us here... I was not venting in my post. I was not attacking anybody. Sorry if it came out that way.

ref: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=25509

IX. Charities. Hammock Forums recognizes the important role played by charities in society, but we also try very hard to maintain the singular focus on hammocks. Therefore, requests for charitable donations are not appropriate for this forum.

Just wondering where that falls into things.

[Red Wing]

I just wanted to voice my opinion that the amount of charity, requests for aid, and stuff like this within signatures really seems to be getting out of hand.

Yeah, I can disable them and all that, but so many folks here have cool signatures... but as of late, it seems to just be turned into spam for money fund raising of one type or another.

I didn't see anything about the rules in this post, seemed like venting your opinion that the amount of charity, requests for aid, and stuff life this withing signatures seems to be getting out of hand. That's what I took from it at least.

I also think that the rule you are referencing was for making posts designated for charities.. what you're talking about are peoples individual signatures where they post a link. Two completely different things.

[TFC Rick]

Just wondering where that falls into things.

I would think using the term "Really" would not come off as a friendly or fact finding question. The "really" term now-a-days is viewed as a sarcastic and negative rhetorical question.

FYI

[G.L.P.]

Really?
Redwood Guy...Really?
Out of respect to this community, I'll refrain from saying how I feel.

I cannot add to my friend's rebuttal of this thread. Well said all!

In my nearly 3 years contributing to this community, I've NEVER said this but...

MODS - "PLEASE, DELETE THIS THREAD!!"

I would like to 2nd that ........Please

Redwood guy if this is how you feel...maybe you don't belong here ?
HF has always been about helping out fellow members in there time of need
if not with money ... then with an open ear or a shoulder to cry on

and like others have said ...if you never needed help..you will never know what it's like .. so don't be to quick to judge others in there time of need