The Jack Vasel Memorial Fund Auction - CLOSED - Check for Payment Confirmations.
- Cate(Cate108)United States
Mequon
Wisconsin
No good deed goes unpunished.
Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There's a crack in everything, That's how the light gets in. - Leonard Cohen
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Tax Receipts!
Now that the auction's winding up, those desiring tax receipts can contact me for that. (Cate will likely update the Auction Header, but I'll post here as well.)
GeekMail me (landaras) if you want a receipt for tax purposes. Place the item number and whether you were donor or bidder in the subject line.
For example, the winning bidder on Item #317 would send a GeekMail with the subject line of "Bidder 317." In the body of the GeekMail I'll need your legal name, physical address, and a non-BGG email address. I will email you back a receipt.
I ask that those who donated multiple items and/or had multiple winning bids send separate GeekMails for each item. This will make my life much easier.
Questions regarding receipts (rather than mere requests for them) should be emailed to neil@wehneman.com. (I need GeekMails to tie userIDs to donors / bidders, but for all other purposes normal emails are better.)
Please give me a week or so to reply with your receipt, as I may have several hundred receipts to process.
- Neil Wehneman
Last January I posted an auction for Tom Vasel and his family to help with the unfortunate loss of his son, Jack. The generosity of the BGG community was amazing. Tom was touched and wanted to pay the kindness forward so he created the Jack Vasel Memorial Fund. He used some of the money that BGGers donated and spent the last year recruiting help to build this fund. The fund is a not-for-profit with a simple goal: raising and distributing funds to help gamers in their hour of need.
The fund has already helped one gamer, William Schlosser, who was knocked down by a wave when he was standing only ten feet out in the ocean at the Delaware shore. One of his vertebrae was crushed and his spinal cord was partially severed. He lost all movement in his hands but with intensive physical therapy he regained some functionality in his left hand. Physical therapy and hard work also allowed him to learn to walk again (using a walker).
While he was in the hospital, the Vasel fund was able to help purchase some adaptive technology to improve his quality of life and permit him more autonomy. What was this wonderful device? An iPad 2 (He uses it with an additional adaptive device and stylus provided by his rehab team).
His son, Erik, wrote "My dad is very appreciative of the iPad. It has already added so much to his life, considering all he has been through. He can once again communicate with friends/family, get online, do crossword puzzles, read books, and play Tichu and Carc. Every time I talk to him he tells me how great the iPad is and how much he uses it."
William playing Railways of the World before the accident (He is the one on the right).
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Here we go again!
1. Send all questions about this auction to:Cate(Cate108)United States
Mequon
Wisconsin
No good deed goes unpunished.
Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There's a crack in everything, That's how the light gets in. - Leonard Cohen
2. Feel free to add your items to the list. Individual and business donations are both welcome. Unusual game items are very welcome. You can also list items of general geeky goodness as well (electronics, comics, geekgold, half pony/half monkey creations, etc.).
3. This list is active in BGG, RPGG and VGG. Items in all three genres are welcome.
4. Please bid generously. This is a charity auction. This is not intended to get you the best deals. It might happen but that is not the point.
5. The auction will open at 12:01 AM Central Time on November 1, 2011, and
close at 11:59 PM Central Time on November 15, 2011 (Jack Vasel's birthday). We use the clock on BoardGameGeek.com's servers.
6. My inimitable assistant will be:Ryan Metzler(slaqr)United States
Glendale
Wisconsin
"Are you pondering what I'm pondering Pinky?"
"Wuhhh... I think so, Brain, but if a ham can operate a radio, why can't a pig set a VCR?"
More assistants will be added as the list grows.
News Flash! A second assistant has been added:Jack KUnited States
Shorewood
Wisconsin
Treasure your time with those you love, because you never know how much time you'll have with them...
7) If I forgot something or made a mistake, please geekmail me so I can correct it. Thank you.
8) I am so glad that you are here. Without you, this auction and charity would not exist.
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To put an item in this auction:
1) Scroll up to the top of the geeklist (above the first actual game entry, below this header).
2) Click on the 'Add Item' link
3) Select Board Game (or VideoGame or Designer or whatever) on the page that appears.
4) Enter the game name in the name field and select the appropriate game from the drop down list that appears.
5) Type in game condition and shipping information in the comments section and click on the Submit button. There are no standard shipping requirements - please select those that suit you.
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When the auction ends:
I have received many questions on how to process a donated item when this auction ends. Here is what I can think of so far:
1) The thread will close at 11:59 PM Central Time on November 15, 2011 (Jack Vasel's birthday). We use the clock on BoardGameGeek.com's servers.
2) I (or an assistant) will announce the winner for each item.
3) I (or an assistant) will email each winner with instructions for payment (the PayPal address is donate@jackvasel.org).
4) Once payment is received, I (or an assistant) will post that information on the item.
5) The generous person who donated the item and the recipient can then work out the shipping details. Please pay shipping costs to the person who donated the game/item.
6) All of the money will go to the Jack Vasel Fund for their charitable work.
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And now many words from:
Jack Vasel Memorial Fund Auction - November 1-15, 2011
Terms and Conditions
Welcome to the Terms and Conditions for the Jack Vasel Memorial Fund 2011
Auction! My name's Neil, and I'll be your host for this lovely stroll
through disclaimers and tax law.
1. General Logistics
The auction will open at 12:01 AM Central Time on November 1, 2011, and
close at 11:59 PM Central Time on November 15, 2011. We use the clock on
BoardGameGeek.com's servers.
Once the auction closes, a member of the Fund's Board of Directors (or one
of our appointed volunteers) will confirm in the GeekList item who the
winner is, as well as copy and paste in payment instructions.
A Director (or one of our appointed volunteers) will post again when
payment has been received by the Fund.
At that point, it will be up to the donor and bidder to contact each other
and coordinate shipment.
Unless we hear or state otherwise, we will be taking no further action
after we post that payment has been received.
2. All Donations Are Exactly That: DONATIONS
We have auctions going on here, but with rare exception, the Fund does not
own the products or supply the services offered. To get formal, the Fund
is merely the third-party beneficiary (hey, thanks!) of the winning
bidder’s contract with the person offering up the product or service.
We appreciate all donations to the Fund, and are confident that the related
transactions will proceed smoothly. If it doesn't, we're happy to step in,
as we are able, to try to get things resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.
However, there's a non-zero chance that the product or service provided
will not be as described in the GeekList, or the product or service donor
will disappear without holding up their end of the bargain. Even worse, if
the service offered was (for example) miniature painting, you might be out
your own property. The Fund, in our sole discretion, may refund donations
in such a circumstance.
3. We're Tax-Exempt, But We're Not Your Tax Advisor
The Fund is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit under U.S.
tax law.
This means that donations to the Fund are deductible to the extent
permitted by U.S. law. If you want to know what "the extent permitted by
U.S. law" is, you should probably consult your tax advisor.
I and/or the Fund are NOT your tax advisor. However, I will share that the
general guidelines are:
a) donations of services are not deductible,
b) donated products are deductible to their fair market value, and
c) monetary donations are lessened (for tax purposes) by the fair market
value of any products or services you receive as part of the donation.
However, I'll say it again: I'm not here to give you tax advice. Consult
your tax advisor if you have questions.
4. We're in the Business of Helping People, Not Determining Fair Market
Value
As noted above, "fair market value" is part of the tax deduction calculus.
However, the Fund is not in the business of determining "fair market
value."
For most of the games, you can determine fair market value from MSRP,
Amazon.com, or a number of other means. For services, out-of-print games,
and other non-standard stuff, fair market value is a bit trickier.
In no event will the Fund make a determination as to what fair market value
is, or how you should determine it. That matter is between you, your tax
advisor (which I might have mentioned isn't us), and the IRS.
5. We'll Be Happy To Give You a Receipt...Once the Auction is Over
We are going to be very busy for the next month or so with running the
auction and trying to ensure all transactions flow as smoothly as possible.
If you'd like a receipt for your taxes or other purposes, please email us
at cate@jackvasel.org once the auction is OVER.
For donors of products:
Do not email us when you post your product.
Do not email us when your product has a winning bidder.
Do not email us when the Fund receives the donation for the product.
Do not email us when you ship the product.
Email us when the auction is over.
For donors of services:
Do not email us for a receipt, as services do not qualify for tax
deduction. (Sorry, take that up with the IRS, not us.)
For bidders:
Do not email us when you make your bid.
Do not email us when you win the auction.
Do not email us when you make the donation for the product.
Do not email us when you receive the product.
Email us when the auction is over.
6. Website Credit / Supporter Badges
As a way to say thank you to supporters, the Fund does offer supporter
badges and website credit to those who contribute to the Fund. The level
of supporter badge depends upon the contribution to the Fund.
For those who contribute money outside of an auction, it's pretty simple to
determine their contribution. What they donated is what they contributed.
When people donate a product or service, or bid on a product or service,
the calculation is just a little trickier. For ease of calculation, we
credit half of the cash realized by the Fund (before PayPal fees) to the
winning bidder, and half to the donor of the product or service.
Note that this 50/50 split is for ease of calculation, and is NOT a
determination of fair market value. (Remember: we do not express opinions
on fair market value.)
$200 in contribution for 2011 will earn you Founding Sponsor status, which
never expires.
$100 in contribution for 2011 will earn you Business Sponsor status for
2011. Those who contribute $100 during the auction itself can choose to
have that credit count for 2012 instead of 2011.
$10 in contribution for 2011 will earn you Personal Sponsor status for
2011. Those who contribute $10 during the auction itself can choose to
have that credit count for 2012 instead of 2011. Business entities (such
as LLCs or partnerships) are ineligible for Personal Sponsor status.
7. Who's In Charge Here?
I'm sure you have questions. We likely have answers.
However, you're more likely to get the right answer, and get it quickly, if
you contact the right person. Here's how we're splitting up responsibility
between some of the Directors of the Jack Vasel Memorial Fund.
Do you have a publicity-related question, or a question regarding the Fund
that isn't directly tied to the operation of this auction? Contact Tom
Vasel at tomvasel@gmail.com.
Do you have a logistical or operational question regarding this auction,
that doesn't clearly fall into another Director's domain? Contact Cate:Cate(Cate108)United States
Mequon
Wisconsin
No good deed goes unpunished.
Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There's a crack in everything, That's how the light gets in. - Leonard Cohen
Do you have a question regarding payments for products or services relating
to this auction? Contact John Kaufeld at CONTACT.
Do you have a question regarding tax implications or a dispute / concern
between bidder and donor? Contact Neil Wehneman at neil@wehneman.com.
DO NOT ASSUME that posting to a GeekList item, or as a comment to the
GeekList as a whole, will get the message in front of the right person. We
have many eclectic hobbies (we are all geeks, after all), but alas, reading
every comment on every item is not one of these eclectic hobbies.
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I received this touching letter after the Vasel Fund sent some assistance to fellow gamer Patrick Hoier and his family. The timing was important because they have no winter coats.
Cate:
I do not even know how to properly begin an e-mail of this type, I am at a loss for words and can only begin it with a very humble and understated "thank you".
My brother Brian Hoier has informed me that he submitted my family's information to your foundation for assistance, and that you have accepted my family's plight with your overwhelming support. I cannot begin to explain how much this means to us, and how this gift will affect our family as we attempt to recover from our losses.
On October 10th, at 2 am, our lives were turned upside down. My daughter had obtained a candle from a pioneer celebration at a local state park. Before she went to bed, she thought it would be neat to read by candle light as her favorite characters did in some of her books. It was an innocent act in itself; however, she quickly fell asleep. She woke to her room wall being totally consumed by a fire that was feeding off the many books and games that she kept in her room. Luckily, she was able to escape out her window and run to the neighbors house to get help. The neighbors were able to wake my wife and I up, and we were able to quickly evacuate all of our children safely from the house (using the fiire escape plan my oldest son had made the month before). Moments after we evacuated the house, the windows of my daughter's room blew out and the fire overtook the front rooms. The fire departments quickly responded and eventually put the flames out after 15 minutes of their arrival (approximately 25 or more minutes after the fire started). The fire was contained to the front of the house; however, the somke damage was extensive and melted/burned most of our belongings. Even our items that were in the small family room in the basement were ruined by water damage (as it was directly under my daughter's room).
After the fire was extinguished, the fire department let us back into the house to attempt to salvage any item we needed immediately. The scene of the damage was overwhelming and brought tears to my eyes. Everything we owned was destroyed. We tried to salvage some clothes, but most of these had to be disposed of later due to not being able to remove the scent of smoke from the items. My wife and 2 daughters are asthmatic and we cannot keep any items with the smoke scent. All of their medications were destroyed as well. My childrens toys and games were all lost. All of the possesions we tried to salvage fit easily in the very back of our minivan's storage space. Our family of 7 was effectively homeless.
Our insurance agency was able to put us up into a hotel room for a couple of weeks; however, with a family of 7, this was a tight fit. They eventually found a house to rent for us; however, the down payment for the rent and items are taken out of any fire settlement we receive. We have no furniture of our own, and all of our items need to be replaced. As of right now, we are thankful to be safe, healthy, and with each other.
We have tried to replace some simple items with the funds we have available, and have tried to focus on replacing our children's favorite toys (as play is very important for children to work through their fears and anxiety). We bought my four year old some small "My Little Ponies", and they became her prized possessions. She carried them everywhere we went (even to dinner or stores), never letting them out of her sight. She would simply explain to others that "this is all I have". It is difficult to watch a four year old little girl try to make sense of the world when everything she trusted in was turned upside down.
We have purchased a few other items, but we are now at the mercy of our insurance agency. We have had quite a few clothes donated, but most were from individuals that are cleariing out their summer/fall wardrobes. We are trying to purchase more winter clothes. We live simply, and I am the sole wage earner for our family.
I am sorry for being so long winded in this e-mail, but it is hard for me to admit or even accept help from anyone. I am usually the one donating or working anonymously behind the scenes to help others. Now, I am the one in need and it is very humbling and humiliating.
The support offered by your founation overwhelmed me, and I was overcome with emotion. I cannot evenbegin to tell you how far this will go to helping my family as we begin to recover from our losses. I wish there was some way I could find to repay you, or to even let you know how much this all means to us. I will be sending you a picture of my beautiful family tomorow, and pictures of the damage it caused to our home so that you can see how your foundations asistance will help us recover.
Thank you so much again, and God Bless each and every member of the foundation.
Sincerely:
Patrick, Michelle, Megan (13), Ethan (11), Nicholas (8), Erin (7) and Sabrina (4) Hoier.
http://www.argusleader.com/article/20111011/NEWS/110110305/F.../pic1146699.jpg)
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Check out this charming family picture that Patrick Hoier sent::strip_icc()/pic1150217.jpg)
That Big Thank You goes to all of you for your support of the Vasel Fund!
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- Edited Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:40 pm
- Posted Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:53 am
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