How do you deal with charity

#21 04-17-2005, 03:18 PM

Great

with many possible solutions: My two cents worth of help/advise is,

Our time is valuable and worth some money in return.
Our wood is not free most of the time and worth some money in return.
Our tools cost money and will wear down, this is worth some money in return.
Our paints/finishing cost us money, this is worth some money in return.

Starting to get the picture.

So when a charity donation is asked for, I believe we have the right to discuss the possibility of helping the charity raise some money with one of your pieces. However, to cover these non-recoverable expenses, my position is very simple, your get the piece to auction and I will donate 60% of the final price to your charity and I keep 40% to cover some of my expenses.

hence, they end up with a nice carving to auction off and earn 60 % of final bid while you get at least 40% of value, and it still looks like your making a donation.

If they are not interested in working with you in this manner and be happy to make 60% of your talents, than I would be very cautious in this particular charity group, and would walk away with a very happy answer, "Not Interested at this time".

Good Luck, Coffeeman

Hugh · #22 04-17-2005, 08:47 PM

Me again, I do believe were missing something here. First I can't donate many pieces because of the time it takes me to complete them. But having said that, I notice that most all of you will go the extra mile to help others on the board, or those that venture in and ask questions. There is sometimes quite a bit of effort to answering and researching the things that beginners especially ask. You give of the most precious commodity that there is, your time and your knowledge. I have always appreciated the help that has been given me, and find most carvers generous and giving people.

Hi_Ho_Sliver · #23 04-17-2005, 09:03 PM

How are you doing Hugh? Last I heard you had a stroke? You doing alright?

Hugh · #24 04-18-2005, 05:12 AM

Cousin Dave, I'm doing fine, little trouble with my eyes, and headaches, but on the mend, hope to start carving again tomorrow. Stroke clinic on Tuesday, and hopefully they can find the cause and provide treatment. Lots of things to do, so I'm raring to go. thanks for asking.

BobD · #25 04-18-2005, 09:15 AM

Interesting perspective Hugh!

I hadn't really though of it that way...But we carver are really donating our time to others by being on the board. But I wouldn't limit it to the time we spend hunting up and answer or explaining a difficult concept--I think just being there and giving each other a boost is also a "donation" if you can call it that. I've found both carvers and scrollers to be very generous wiht advice and always ready to help!

Bob

Lightningbolt · #26 04-18-2005, 06:59 PM

Hi_Ho really hit the nail on the head in another posting yesterday when he said, "when a lot of people receive something for nothing..in their mind, thats what its worth!" This sort of takes me back to when I was 16 and how fun it was to spin the wheels on my dads car... then when I finally had to pay for my own ride and suddenly how valuable those tires became to me!

Even with charity it has to be a win/win situation for everyone, from the charity to the woodcarver to the person making the purchase. Finding a tactful way to negotiate that value can make everyone involved a winner, but not always an easy thing to pull off.

Dave_from_Toronto · #27 04-23-2005, 12:57 PM

For what it's worth:

Once the decision is made to donate to a charity, the minimum compensation should be a tax receipt for the value of the donation.

I am the treasurer (volunteer) for a registered charity here in Toronto. Our process for donors who want to donate "Goods in kind" is to pay the donor the market value of the article donated (presented on an invoice) and then the donor signs back the cheque to the charity as a donation. The donor gets a tax receipt for the value of the article and the charity gets the benefit of the article.

The issue becomes the valuation of the article. When it is a business donating goods that they normally sell, this is easy to verifiy. It gets a little more difficult for used articles or articles of art.

woodknomb · #28 04-27-2005, 09:55 PM

I would think maybe setting a # of carving per year to specific charities would be a good idea and if asked say" you have already orginzations you are committed too. Sometimes " NO" is the only way to stop it. I donated basswood voluntarly to the VA here in town. It was my choice, but I have been fortunate in no one asking me to donate.