High Rock LZ Fundraiser

[mcgowantk]

As many of you may remember, we collected funds last year in order to help Emma Jane with her property tax bill. In the past, with pilots flying there on many days during the year, she collected enough to pay the taxes but with the reduced amount of flying, she does not collect enough to cover the tax. My understanding is that the farmer that hays the field has asked to plant other crops in the field (which could possibly close the field). Paying the tax bill will mean the field will be planted with grass and hayed just like last year. The tax bill is approximately $750.

I told Emma Jane that I would try to collect this amount. If we can pay the tax bill, we don't need to contribute money when we land on her farm.

If you can contribute, feel free to mail a check (make it out to me as I have already mailed her a single check) or cash. I will post here when I get close to amount we need but if I collect too much, my plan is to send the excess back to the Club Treasurer. I will start off with $100 of my own funds so we need an additional $650.

Thanks

Tom McGowan
1006 Dead Run Dr
McLean, VA 22101

[markc]

Tom, thanks so much for spearheading this effort! High Rock is a wonderful site, and we need to keep the LZ open, and help out Emma-Jane and Randy....

Toward that end, I will match your contribution of $100.

This is NOT to say that all contributions must be similarly large! I simply want to help get the ball rolling and generate some enthusiasm.

We have many pilots, and a small donation of just $20 (equivalent of two flights, with the customary $10 thank-you for each one) from just 25 pilots would yield $500. And *presto* , we're pretty much done.

That seems completely doable to me, so let's hear from you if you are willing to help out!

Cheers,

MarkC

[carweill]

Hi Tom,
Thanks for dealing with this.
It was my intention when I was Treasurer to include this as an option during your renewal.
Well that didn't happen too many things got in the way.
I'll send you something directly.

Carlos

[mcgowantk]

Thanks Mark and Carlos. I have also received pledges and cash from John Dullahan and Pete Schumann, so we have a good start on the amount.

If it is not clear, the status of each of our LZs is quite uncertain. My understanding is that we may lose the LZ at Bills Hill. I can't think of an LZ where we have a sure thing for the foreseeable future. While the amount needed to secure the High Rock LZ may be more than some would like to spend, I think it may become the norm rather than the exception in the future, and helping Emma Jane in this way keeps our options open. Please remember, if we pay the taxes, Emma Jane does not expect you to make a contribution on the days you fly (but please stop by the visit and sign the log).

At some point, we may need to come up with a more comprehensive strategy to maintain our LZs.

Thanks again

Tom McGowan

[mcgowantk]

Just an update on the fund raiser. Thanks to everyone that has contributed to the fund. We have made our goal (or close enough). Next year we will have to discuss this before the taxes are due and perhaps set something up that is more permanent. For the next year, if you fly there but didn't get a chance to contribute, think about contributing to the fund. We do not have to make a donation to Emma Jane now that we have paid the taxes.

Thanks again

Tom McGowan

[brianvh]

Just checking in. I'd like to point out that Ellenville requires an annual fee of nearly $200 from every pilot just to cover taxes - you have it good at High Rock. Maybe set up a system where everyone who wants can pay, say, $60/year and then not pay a daily flying fee, while visiting pilots pay the usual $10 fee, you can probably easy cover HR each year. I'm sure 10 to 15 pilots will plop down a few sawbacks each year to keep HR open.

The fact that there was NOT at least 75 flights at HR last year is worrisome. Plopping down an annual fee makes people more likely to go there and get their money's worth.

[djscheele]

hoping to fly highrock on the 8th of nov. anybody interested. Should be fun good to pratice thermling and playing on ridge. I know Ema would love to see a few pilots out there, come on the good xc fling is over lets help out Highrock

[markc]

Since the High Rock fund-raising goal appears to have been achieved for 2014, I've switched this topic back to 'normal' : It won't continue to be at the top of the list.

That's not to say there isn't more to be done : We need a more proactive plan for 2015, perhaps something that will allow pilots to contribute to HRock as part of the membership renewal process. Let's make sure that this stays on the radar, so that we're not scrambling at the last minute next year.

MarkC