Call to Chapters to Help toward Katrina Relief

[Guest my3buicks]

Calling all Chapter and Divisions to help financially toward the Katrina Relief fund. A challenge has been made to ALL Chapters & Divisions to contribute to the disaster relief that our fellow AMERICANS, and even fellow hobbyists are living thru. Individual chapters and divisions can make contributions (as Chapters often contribute to charities) directly to the Red Cross, Salvation Army, American Harvest or other "safe" charities of their choice.

All of our chapters make money and have money sitting in treasuries! Can you think of a better use for it? No, the Christmas party isn't a better use for it.

Post what your chapter is willing to do, and let's help make a small difference in the lives of our neighbors and friends.

So far:

Gateway Chapter $500

Tarheel Chapter 33% of treasury, amount not specified

Greater Pittsburgh Area Chapter $200

these are the known contributions thus far.

SEVERAL Board members have made contributions along with the National Office (not BCA funds) thus far.

A Challenge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JohnD1956]

Keith, this is a worthy cause. Can you tell me who would be the recipient of pledged funds?

John d

[Guest my3buicks]

John, donations should be made to the charity of your Chapters/Divisions choice directly to the charity -that way there is no red tape and funds can reach where it is needed much more quickly.

[Smartin]

Thanks for posting this, Keith. It was like a revelation at the meeting last week when someone came up with the idea of donating in the club's name. I can't say that I was the one, though The decision was unanimous.

[Guest GSconv]

We are in. The BCA, "Free Spirit" Chapter of PA., just tonight at our monthly meeting approved a $500.00 donation, from our treasury, but need to determine to what charitible organization to send to. Will advise when we decide!

Regards,

Michael Aumann

BCA#34484, BPG#1603, GSCA#2524, NE GS/GN Chapter

Director "Free Spirit" Chapter of PA.

[Guest imported_BCAOffice]

The BCA National Office donates $100.00 (our money as Keith said, not BCA money!)to the Red Cross for the Relief Fund for the Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana area. Several of the Board members have made individual donations matching and in some cases exceeding our donation. Thanks to all who donate in any way toward this very worthy cause.

Mike & Nancy

[Bill Stoneberg]

If anyone has any time they can donate, the Red Cross in Houston is looking for volunteers. With almost 30,000 people in shelters across the city, the need is great.

Look at http://www.redcross.org to find out how.

[ol' yeller]

The Puget Sound Chapter board had an emergency meeting last night to figure out how we could help. We decided that rather than "just" writing a check we could compound the donation by encouraging chapter members to donate as well. We decided to match individual chapter member's donations (to a maximum of $500). We hope this will allow us to generate an additional $500 for the cause. We will be soliciting donations at our regular chapter meeting on next Tuesday. All a chapter member has to do is write a check (or cash) to the charity of their desire and give it to our Treasurer. The Treasurer will then cut our chapter check to the corresponding charity and send both in. I volunteered to bring a list of suggested charities but we will match any donation for Katrina victims. We will continue this offer for the remainder of the month or until the $500 has been spent to make sure that those chapter members who can't make the meeting have to opportunity to contribute. My hope is that our members will challenge the chapter and give beyond the $500. Please feel free to steal this idea for your chapter. Those folks need all the help they can get! I will post the results here when they are known.

Greg Powers

Director Puget Sound Chapter

[Guest my3buicks]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Puget Sound Chapter board had an emergency meeting last night to figure out how we could help. We decided that rather than "just" writing a check we could compound the donation by encouraging chapter members to donate as well. We decided to match individual chapter member's donations (to a maximum of $500). We hope this will allow us to generate an additional $500 for the cause. We will be soliciting donations at our regular chapter meeting on next Tuesday. All a chapter member has to do is write a check (or cash) to the charity of their desire and give it to our Treasurer. The Treasurer will then cut our chapter check to the corresponding charity and send both in. I volunteered to bring a list of suggested charities but we will match any donation for Katrina victims. We will continue this offer for the remainder of the month or until the $500 has been spent to make sure that those chapter members who can't make the meeting have to opportunity to contribute. My hope is that our members will challenge the chapter and give beyond the $500. Please feel free to steal this idea for your chapter. Those folks need all the help they can get! I will post the results here when they are known.

Greg Powers

Director Puget Sound Chapter </div></div>

GREAT IDEA GREG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest Skyking]

Post deleted by Skyking

[Guest my3buicks]

Let's try to keep this thread clean from polictics and open for it's intended purpose - Thanks!!!

[Guest my3buicks]

Roberta, thumbtack please!!!

[Guest imported_BCAOffice]

The Central Ohio Chapter is donating $100.00 to the Salvation Army for the Katrina Releif efforts.

Mike & Nancy Book

[ol' yeller]

Just a quick update on Puget Sound Chapter's Donation for Katrina Victims. On Tuesday we held our monthly meeting and kicked off a fund raiser at which our chapter members donated over $970 to charities for Katrina victims. Our chapter matched the first $500 of that for a grand total of $1,470. As director, I am very proud of the generousity of our chapter.

[Guest my3buicks]

Great work Greg!!!

[NTX5467]

At our chapter meeting last Saturday, the "BCA Chapter Challenge" was discussed in an open discussion of the North Texas Chapter members and officers together. It was discovered that many of our chapter members had already or were getting ready to make financial donations or other goods/services donations to the Red Cross or Salvation Army--some even while they had been out of the area on vacation. All were done because they felt the need to help others in their time of need. The total value was greater than what our chapter treasury could tolerate at this point in time.

As most of the evacuees are now moving out of their intial "housing and processing" locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth (and most probably other metro areas too) area into faith-based and/or non-profit organization housing, they have begun the job of getting their lives back in order--getting the kids into schools, getting temporary jobs (or longer term jobs for those that do not plan to return to New Orleans), and working to get their finances back in order, our chapter members decided that when one of our members might become aware of an evacuee that needed some additional financial assistance (screened by their local church or aid agency), then we would consider making a donation directly to the affected person. This way, the money would all get to the "end user" directly.

Although the debit cards from FEMA and the Red Cross were extremely handy initially, the evacuees' longer term financial issues are yet to come as many were delayed in accessing their localized bank accounts and it was reported that it could take six months for FEMA to inspect their homes and make a financial settlement at that time. For strained finances, this can be a long time.

The local Fort Worth Star-Telegram has had many stories of the evacuees and how they are adjusting to the situation at hand. Many apparently did not know where they were going until after they got on the busses or airplanes to leave New Orleans. Other than the DFW, Houston, San Antonio, Abilene, Tulsa, and other regional metro areas, some even ended up in Utah.

In the process of evacuation, some families were separated. Many people volunteered for the Red Cross to do the physical transportation of family members to reunite them with others of their family. Those larger SUVS really came in handy--regardless of the $3.00/gallon fuel costs.

Another series in the Star-Telegram focused on one local trucker taking several loads of relief aid to the people of Mississippi. With the bulk of the national media focused on New Orleans, there are neighboring areas in other Gulf Coast states that are having serious issues with hurrican damage to their areas. As time progresses, more and more side issues (quality of life issues rather than "other" issues) to the whole situation will emerge which will have to be dealt with at the local, state, and federal levels. Something like the mail service being reinstated and no place to deliver it to, for example.

Locally, many food companies and restaurants donated meals at the initlal housing/processing venues. Other food items were purchased from the various local food banks by the Red Cross and other aid groups--one reason that money was a preferred donation. As the evacuees are now spreading out into the general population, many businesses are offering discounts for those with a Louisiana driver's license.

It is highly commendable that many BCA chapters have made generous donations, as have their individual chapter members, and speaks well of the general character of those in the automobile hobby.

As time progresses, I suspect we'll hear more information of our respective chapter members' involvement in the Katrina Relief Efforts. Although many might not have cash on hand to donate, we all have some "gently used" clothing and other expertises that we can donate as individuals helping other human beings in need. And we might not hear about all of these contributions as many of our BCA and chapter members might not want the publicity of the good deeds they've done, yet they know what they did.

Willis Bell 20811

Director, North Texas Chapter BCA

[Guest my3buicks]

Update:

To add to the list, the Gopher State has donated $2000 to the American REd Cross with an additional $1000 possible in the future.

The Southeast Michigan Chapter $200 to the American Red Cross

[Guest norb]

Last night,our band, the Flint Concert band,played a concert in our high school auditorium with all proceeds to go to the Red Cross.My wife,also a member of the band,made all the arrangements,notified all the papers & the TV stations,& we both placed posters all over the area.The band is in its 57th year and I am the only charter member left in it.Today we took $687.00 to the the Flint red Cross chapter.

[42crazy]

I would like to recognize each and every individual, and Chapter in the upcoming Bugle as promised, for their generosity in donating to the 'what was then called Katrina ' relief fund, but since then, many other disasters have occurred, and are still occurring. In order to do this, it would be much easier if I had a short comment from each Chapter/Individual stating what amount was given. I have heard of some Chapters that have given, and are not on this forum. If anyone knows of these Chapters, it would be greatly appreciated if I could hear from you. Thank you in advance, Paul Meyer, President, Buick Club of America. [color:\\"blue\\"]

[Guest GSconv]

Paul,

To follow up on my 9/6 post, the "Free Spirit" Chapter of PA, has donated $250.00 to the American Red Cross and $250.00 to the Salvation Army, for a total of $500.00 donated towards aid for Katrina victims.

Thank you.

Michael Aumann, Director - "Free Spirit" Chapter of PA.

BCA#34484