G.A.T.H.E.R- An invitation for your participation

[torchdancer]

Pictures are uploading as I type. Check out them out at G.A.T.H.E.R

I am working up uploading the detail shots but that will take a little longer. (all pics have been uploaded now!!!)


Thanks again to Jerry and Sharon for doing the Photograph for us, without them who knows where we would be!!!!

Debi

[Ofilia_Cinta]

Hi Debi, I just checked out your web link, and you now have the detail shots included.
They look FANTASTIC !! Thanks so much for getting the information up so quickly! It's a real crutch to not be computer savvy like you .

I hope people take advantage of purchasing tickets early, as soon, we will have the added publicity that Bead Unique, The Flow, LJ, and Step by Step will give the project. With the limit of 400 tickets total, I hope that we have a quick sell out event .

Keep us posted how the sales are going, okay? Thanks again!

Ofilia

PS: I took the time to visit your two Murano sections on your site, and did I EVER become "home sick" ..... No wonder I keep going back to Murano and Venice ! Who could tire of the beauty both on the small scale and larger overview? The shots of Davide Salvadore's studio were fantastic ! Thanks for sharing them.

[BarbaraSvetlick]

Ofilia,

Those are so beautiful - you father did a wonderful job mounting them - and the contributions are fantastic! Monday I will be mailing a check from the Studio for four tickets!

Barb

[Ofilia_Cinta]

Thanks Barb, for all your support and kind words !

My dad is a good sport about the whole project. He LOVES woodwork, but golf is his first love. Lucky for us, it was during off-golf season . He's hard to pin down (he still won't retire from his practice) once the weather permits him to golf. He's in his late 70's and still refuses to use an electric cart to get around the course. I will always use his remarkable stamina as inspiration.


Okay, folks, only 396 more tickets to go ! Good luck to everyone!

Ofilia

[Emiko]

Why is the number of tickets limited to 400? Why not sell as many as you can? Is it because people would hurry in buying them thinking that they would sell out?
Sorry if you stated the reason somewhere before.

[Ofilia_Cinta]

Hi Emiko, Debi can best explain that "restriction". It was okay to raise $10,000 but not if it went over $10,001... otherwise something- something would have had to be filed, or something to that effect ... I can't recall the exact explanation. Debi explained it to me but that was a while ago in the begining of the project. I'll defer the quesiton to her as she can explain it better.

As far a "chances" go, a one-in-two-hunderd is a much better odds for the person buying the ticket. I hope people see it as a win-win situation. The odds are not astronimical AND ALL the collections from the raffle tickets go to Habitat for Humanity.

So far, Debi and I have been absorbing any expenses accrued. My dad donated the wood and labor to make the stands. A carpenter friend donated the labor to drill and line the core of the rollers, and I "donated" back to him a necklace for his wife . He was very kind to do this work for me. We met a few years ago as neighbors in an art show.

Ofilia

[Emiko]

I wonder why they (who?) set a limit on raising money for donation cause. It's not that the money is raised for this non-profit organization.

[PamDugger]

Actually, Emiko, I don't believe the ISGB as anything to do with this project. This is a wonderful project organized by Ofilia and I think her original idea was to sell tickets at the Gathering and have the raffle there. For some reason that wasn't possible, I guess, so she is doing it this way. I think the limit has to do with the federal government, probably something about licensing to be a fund-raiser, bonding, etc., something like that.

I hope every member attemps to buy at least one ticket so we can support those who have truly lost everything this past year and so Ofilia meets her hopes and dreams as she has put so much into this project. Thanks again, Ofilia.
Pam

[torchdancer]

Good Morning Emiko,

There are varying fund raising rules/laws around the country, and very few rules/laws for internet fundraising that are clearly defined. I was strongly advised by several Federal & State offices to not run this through the internet, as no one has a clear picture of the laws that govern. Also in every state there are limits to a "free" raffle. By 'free" I mean that we do not have to register with the State(s) were tickets would be sold. Registering would cause us to do reporting to each State, have each one approve all ticket designs and wording, pay fees, and I could go on and on. As far as sell as many tickets as we wanted, you come up against the issue of value also. State regulators would have a hard time with selling $50,000 in tickets for items that have actual value of far less then that.

The reason that I decided to have the raffle run through Oregon is because, one that is were I live and I am very familiar with the raffle laws here, secondly this was a way we could get ticket sales started before the Gathering. If we have tickets left over before the Gathering I will be making the contacts needed in Missouri to be able to sell them there. I do know that Missouri has much tougher rules on this then Oregon does, so again another reason to start it early and hopefully sell out.

As to the ISGB's involvement, they will be giving Ofilia center stage at the Gathering banquet to do the drawing. ISGB is not an official sponsor however, but Habitat is. The main reason for this is the processing of money. We want everyone that buys a ticket to get their tax deduction receipt. By having the checks made out directly to Habitat this can happen. This is also the reason we can not take credit card payments, as we need to have one "item" from each person that donates, so that Habitat can process the receipts. This was a requirement from Habitat for the sponsorship.

I hope I have answered your questions without having to get into to much bureaucratically detail.

Oh and by the way, I would have to say at this point, we are 25% sold. I have received emails from around the world stating that money is on the way. So we could be sold out soon, so drop that check in the mail and help Ofilia with her dream.

Regards,
Debi

[Ofilia_Cinta]

WOW ! Already 25% sold !! I'm almost speechless....

That said, let me dim the spot light that you all are focusing on me. This project was founded on a desire to reach out and help those so obviously in need in a bigger way then I could possible do alone. That is what forced me to conceive the creative venue this has become.

I do it also to prove to everyone out there who does not think that they can "make a difference", that it is a fallacy. Our world is so comlex, and full of turmoil. It makes these good deeds feel even bigger then they are. There is so much more in our world we need to make better.... Katrina opened our eyes to how unbelievably high the poverty level exhisted in this region. The shortcomings of aid were unthinkable in an advanced industrial nation as our own. It, I think, demonstrates that govenment alone will not be enough to turn these shortcomings around. For this reason, it is SO important to suport organizations like Habitat for Humanity! Some day, I would like to thank them personally....


As far as "center stage", it will not be me. The two towers are the REAL "center stage" of this whole endeavor. They stand to represent how our community can be one and giving from the heart. Persistence and commitment is holding it together. EVERYONE involved, from making a donation to purchasing a ticket to well wishers, are a part of this success !

You are only seeing the surface of the whole project. The touching comments people have given in respect to the people that this fundraiser will benefit, and noting our generous community, are heart warming and sometimes heartbreaking. It reminds me, when times are going tough, that it will all be worth it in the end.

Thank you all so much!

Ofilia