Not Ranked
JP,
I think you have some great ideas. The feedback on this thread seems to agree. Go for it! I'm sure you'll have plenty of backing. The nice thing about life is that it is full of choices. Folks that want to go to Ed's party can go. The rest of us will find other events to sponsor and support.
I think it is important for everyone to recognize and appreciate that the DVSF is DV's party. He owns the name, puts in the most work, organizes the events - heck he even signs his name personally for all the expenses AND organized a legal entity for which he is the primary point of contact! HE is the man. Let him enjoy.
I say lets quit bickering about the money. We have no right to know the details. It is a business, it's Ed's business, and he doesn't owe us any explinations. Again, it comes back to choices - just like when you make a donation to any other cause - you have to make some 'leap of faith' that some portion of the money will get to the end recipient.
At the end of the day if you unhappy about the percentage of money that actually made it to the charity to which you have donated you have at least two choices:
1) Get more involved in the charity and help it become more streamlined and profitable. Clearly Ed wants the charity to become more profitable. That's what business is all about, the DVSF is his charity - so it's only natural that he want's it to improve. He is coming to us for ideas, but ultimately only HE determines what will be part of the event, how the money will be spent etc.
2) The alternative is to find an alternate event or charity to support.
Besides, I think if people REALLY want to know how the money was collected and distributed for any charity they can find out rather easily. I don't know all the details, but my limited understanding is that charities and fund raising have some IRS filing requirements. Ed is too smart to miss making these filings... I'm sure he doesn't want to change the name of the event to the BVSF (Bubba Venom Spring Fling :-) )so if people really want to know the scoop, they can find it. Perhaps one of our legal or accounting pundits can tell us more on that topic.
My vote goes to keeping it simple.
SET
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