Financial liability

Bow out, graciously, and gracefully, using some of my blahblah from above (it's smoothed over a few bumpy moments in my life) - while wishing everyone the best, and just wishing you could be there to help more, but you know - family is SO important. Then, while in Columbus on your next visit, make a coupla deaf community connections, and mention how dreadful you feel having to bow out while this conference is still being worked on - but you know, family is SO important - especially at this time in E.G's career, and the sozlet's development - and you're SO looking forward to settling down and having the opportunity to be involved in the community in Columbus. Gracious, graceful, with maybe a touch of Sozobe Bernhardt! :wink:

or as i always say - butter side up.

(i was involved with a cancer society fundraising event for several years. i had a couple of assignments - all described by me - to me, and my pal, Darlene - as making sure things landed butter side up - make sure the big donors were playing golf with people wouldn't make them look bad - make sure everyone had someone to chat with - make sure everyone's thank you letter reflected their personal interests, concerns and reasons for being involved - butter side up, baby, butter side up)

soz : i have been absent for a while and just picked up your thread. i've quickly scanned all the entries, and let me tell you that i'm getting cold shivers. as a retired accountant i've done some volunteer work in the past. the professsional accountants association i belong to carries a HUGE liability insurance policy to cover volunteer work by its members. as has been pointed out, you have simply too much at stake to carry on. even if you would not be legally responsible in case of default, collection agencies and lawyers WOULD make your AND YOUR FAMILY'S life miserable in case of default. i think you not only should get out, but (as i believe has been pointed out) have a reliable lawyer draw up a letter that will sever your legal connection with the group. i would also suggest that you create as wide a separartion as possible between yourself and the group or someone might try to show that it was "a sham" - only done to avert possible legal consequences. perhaps i am reading too much into this, but i can't help feeling that there is more than some simple misunderstanding or that some well-meaning volunteers are in over their heads - but even if that's all it is, you don't want to go down with the ship, do you ? it seems to me you can be of more help to your charitable group by being involved in some well thought out and planned event that has a solid footing. i sure don't want to rain on the parade and hope you don't look upon my comments as criticism. i think you are really trying your best and want to help out in what you think is a worthwhile cause. i truly wish you the best ! hbg. ... if you have dealt directly with any suppliers of services (hotel ?), you should sent them a copy of your letter of resignation to ensure that they know you are no longer representing the group

Ya really think Sandra Bernhard should be my role model here? I mean, I think she's fab, but I'd imagine her tipping over a few tables and then screaming at everyone about how idiotic they are. Very colorfully.

;-)

Butter side up will be my mantra.

Hi hamburger, thanks.

No, I haven't dealt with the hotel or any suppliers. Or more specifically, the people I have dealt with are those who write checks TO us, and all of them have.

OK, how formal does the letter of resignation have to be? Because I want to reconcile it to butter. If I can have something that would do the trick but is just a formality, ya know, here you are, that would work best.

soz : you wrote : "OK, how formal does the letter of resignation have to be? Because I want to reconcile it to butter. " ... i would suggest that you let A GOOD LAWYER draw up a letter that you are comfortable with, that's how lawyers make their living - by protecting you and making someone else's live miserable( only kidding, of course; i have actually met some really nice and helpful ones in my lifetime). again, wishing you all the best ! hbg

errrrr, i was thinking Sarah Bernhardt, not Sandra LOL


<nodding in agreement with hamburger's comments>

Hence the winky...

OK, so super-official lawyerese letter along with buttery blathering? Hmm.

And where do I get the MONEY for this?

Sigh...

It'll work... somehow.

1 letter from a lawyer really shouldn't cost much.

Maybe a quick separate thread on - how to get a letter from a lawyer, in chicago, cheap - ?

Good idea.

http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20512

Better money now, a letter wouldn't be all so much, would it?
than serious money loss later.

Me, I'd like the lawyer to view if the letter would cover tush while it is also convivial, sans jargon but doing the job!.

I'd also hurry, I'm getting nervous here. But that's me..

Oh, major nervous.

Board meeting next Wed, would like to announce then if I can.

and if you can't announce, maybe just a LOT of excitement about the move. kind of set the stage ... Sarah :wink:

I have an antique (sorta) postcard of Sarah, maybe it's this weekend I'll play with getting scanner to work. A support Sarah...

she trembles..

soz : you wrote : "would like to announce then if I can. ... sorry, sister ! i think we have to get tough with you (in a nice, VERY NICE way, of course). why not rephrase : " I WILL ANNOUNCE NEXT WEDNESDAY ... " - we'd all feel much better ! here is a suggestion for your next charitable act : if you join in some fund-raising event or join a not-for-profit group, ask if a professional accountant will be looking after the financial affairs. i know that professional accountants' organizations (such as CPA's)will make a member available FREE OF CHARGE for such work. if you wonder why they would do it for free : they love to get their name out into the community - it's the best free advertising there is. the benefit for the event-organizers/charitable org is, of course, that someone will be taking charge of the financial affairs. see, accountants aren't that bad either. they can actually be quite a bit of fun (so i have been told!) and they have some really wicked conventions. i still remember the last convention by the institute of internal auditors i attended. we were all (spouses included) asked to wear t-shirts saying : internal auditors do it by INTERNAL CONTROLS ! (you figure out what it means !). hbg

If I'm your sister, is ehBeth my niece? :-P

The main thing is that I really really really want to go one-two with this, and I really really really hope to get a commitment from one specific very promising donor before the meeting on Wed evening, and if I don't... I know, I probably have to do it anyway. But that is my strong preference.

Soz, just an off beat idea here.......

I have no idea about and legaleeze but the advice you've been getting sounds first rate. However, I do know a thing or two about throwing a party.
So if you decide to stay........if........
What is the latest count on tickets sold? How much money do you need, exactly. When is most of the money due?
You live in Chicago right? Is this a national confrence? If so, time to get the city/state behind you, city pride and all. News outlets should be on the band wagon as well. Turn this into an event. Can or would hearing people get much out of this confrence? Is there away you can incorporate the greater populace of the area. An art exhibit on the side to showcase the local talent perhaps.
Cutting costs is great idea, soooo many ways to do that, but you'll need a larger volunteer base, ask around for the help in the community and you'll get it.
How about sponsor booths in lobbies charged a fee to sell their wares.


Keep your chin up, from everything I've read, this organization is lucky to have you. Good luck with the new house and I hope brighter days are ahead.

Hiya Ceili,

I think I've pretty much decided to leave, and your list reminds me why. I'm just 1/30th of the planning committee, and my suggestions on most of the above were noted but not acted on. So I nag, or I do it myself, or I watch it not happen.

Gotta get out.

soz - when hamburger says 'sister', you'd better watch out.


Probably?

Soooooo, how long do you think E.G. is willing to put off getting a house? Or have you determined that your name won't be on the ownership for the house?

(can you tell where i get this from? :wink: )

Nowwwww, next time round, sign your committee up a nice volunteer accountant, and lawyer, and insurance broker (and all of these people need volunteer hours to keep their registrations in force - at least they do in Canada) and let them sort things out properly, so you can focus on doing the things you do best.

There's that sledgehammer... ;-)

But look at the words just above it! Will strengthen them:

Am DEFINITELY getting out.

Have a plan, starting Wednesday the 17th, ending the 31st. Then completely done.

And definitely have learned several thousand things about what to do next time. IF there will be a next time. I'll be pretty gun-shy. (Although I just found out that the president of the [national] organization Deaf Women United lives in Hilliard -- how cool is that?)

<shaking head big-time>
<shaking head so big-time it hurts>

You've learned too much to not be involved in the future. In fact, I was thinking that this might be a cool area for you to consider venturing into, in the deaf and/or hearing community. Volunteer management. When I was wondering if I wanted to stay in my current line of work, and taking into account that hamburger, and mrs. hamburger and I have done a lot of volunteer work over the past coupla (or more) decades, I took a certificate program in Volunteer Management. What I had sort of learned through being a volunteer, and through the hamburgers involvement (particularly hamburger's work as a volunteer accountant for a community agency) really crystallized.

It's something you can do on a professional basis - full or part-time - you've got a lot of the qualifications already - you'd just need a little fine-tuning on some of the stuff like 'financial liability' - you probably already know how to do criminal and reference checks - you're an organizer and a motivator ... ... ... you've got teaching skills ...

and a potential contact in Hilliard. Well, well, well.

<nods head>

I <putting on gypsy scarf> foresee a very nice outcome for you.