RRC Archives

Kato, all we need to raise initially is the down payment, I think around $20k. Grants are available and will be pursued for the mortgage. This is achievable.

TK, your idea for gym flyers is good. Businesses such as gear shops would be another obvious target for such advertising. Spragwa suggested collection tins for loose change at various businesses. Even the college and under crowd would pitch in there, and it would definitely add up over time.

Kato: You are hitting the nail on the head.

LGA & TK: We have done all of the above. To run ads in the mags usually is at least $1,000 a pop. We unfortunately do not have that type of budget. We try to remain enviro friendly by not tossing a ton of fliers all over the place. We have submitted to gyms in the past, but once again we lack the staff to cover all the bases. (We have also learned that the gym rats don't read either).

So in reality, everyone is putting out really good suggestions and these are avenues that we have also covered. Time & Resources=uphill battle. We have soo many issues that need to be addressed NOW.

Lynne, if you try to buy land without knowing where the rest of the money is coming from, you might as well throw your $20k into a hole. Care to guess what is the first question the bank is going to ask you?

Kato, I had a lot of these same questions and criticisms, but all of these things have been carefully considered and planned for. The mortgage will be owner financed by the Murrays. Of course if the mortgage payment cannot be met, that will be a problem, but having the means up front will not be a deal breaker.

These would have been great questions to raise at the Derby Fest. I am definitely not the person to address them!

What about asking gym owners to offer an optional extra $5-20 fee on climbing memberships? So when a climber buys a membership (or gear), the gym could ask "Would you like to add a $10 donation to your membership fee? This donation would go to buying land ...". I know our university adds a zillion options when you register for courses - things I wouldn't ordinarily donate to, but an extra $5 here and $3 there on my tuition bill doesn't seem like a big deal. Or would that end up being too much of a hassle for the gym owners, in terms of accounting?

Hey, having the fest at muigels might be a good deal. everyone is already there anyway!

Lynne, I'm not saying this is a deal breaker. On the contrary, the danger is that you make a deal, then miss a mortgage payment (or two) and get foreclosed. I don't know what the arrangements are with the Murrays, but there is a possibility of losing the investment. Just the potential will be a concern to anyone who is considering donating a significant (read useful) amount of money.

Kato, I hear you. Clearly it is a risk and that is why raising awareness and gaining financial support is so important - from the little donations (which do add up) to the large sums of money which can only come from benevolent individuals, corporations, and various grants. Another option is take the stance that it can never happen and put all climbing in the Southern Region at risk of being closed down. It's up to all of us to make that choice and act accordingly.

Just to be clear, since I am now on the CAC, the opinions I am expressing here are my own and all facts are subject to being incorrect due to my piss poor memory.

Canuck, I like that idea. We need individuals in each area - Lex, Lou, Cincy, Indiana, Michigan and where ever else there are RRG climbers to approach business owners. Anyone who is interested in helping, speak up. Poor Gretchen is getting it from all sides so I will be happy to coordinate some efforts in this regard. Contact me at Lynne@insightbb.com. I will collect ideas, gather names, and run this by the RRGCC board.

I guess I'm wondering how detailed the plan is. The FAQ from this board gave a fair account of WHAT and WHY, but not so much HOW, except that Derbyfest is key and everyone should donate what they can. This may hurt the cause if a perception of desperation is put forward. If you spin it a little differently, that this is a big oppurtunity, that there is lots of interest and that everyone should get in on the ground floor, it might help. People with lots of money (i.e. that can help out significantly) often get that way by watching their money closely (individuals and corporations). Present the plan for everyone to see. For example: We need a total of $500,000 dollars over the next ten years, or $50,000 a year. We will get $10000/yr from land use fees ($2 per climber, 100 climbers/wk), $9000 from sales of a guide book to be published ($15 per issue, 600 issues/yr), $12,000/yr from coporate advertising (Clif Bar crag, Black Diamond crag, etc.), $5,000/yr from individual donations, $8000/yr from industry sponsorships, $6000 from annual fundraisers (Derby/Octfest), $2/yr from the Access Fund. Something like this would make it all a little more real. Then, before you are even committed, everyone can see where the money comes from and how likely it is to actually get it. They can make suggestions to improve the feasibility of the plan, and they can see if there own talents or connections might help in a particular area. Put this in a nice booklet with pictures and graphs and tables, and you can take it to a bank, a potential corporate sponsor, or a wealthy philanthropist.

Sounds like Kato is offering to help !