Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: AOBA Shennanigans/subsidiary
Hello Heather,
Sorry. I was talking about the concept of people sponsoring and donating
and how important it is to all members from shows to AOBA.
I just wish people would take the time to sit down and talk with the
volunteers who put these options together (not me) and really understand
them before deciding they are bad things that only benefit a few and
publically knocking them and discouraging them. As an example: I Love
Alpacas is a national marketing coop. Many people aren't members and don't
pay the membership fee and still write to us and say that while they
weren't members, the ads still brought people into the industry, they
visited their farm and they sold an alpaca as a result. The coop costs
$5,000 per person yet people besides those in the coop benefit. How this
relates to AOBA: most AOBA members can't or won't pay a $5,000 fee so AOBA
has to find other ways to fund the marketing program to bring the cost down
to where more people can or will afford it. These are ways of funding it
that have worked and are programs members have come up with. Using this
money for things other than marketing would put us in the same position as
the llama industry which doesn't market or promote their llamas. I don't
think we want that, do we? At least, not most of us. AOBA's ads benefit
all members. Without these creative fund-raising efforts, there wouldn't
be money for the television ads and other expenses. It takes money to run
an organization like AOBA. A national marketing campaign is expensive and
with more animals, more money should proportionately be spent to keep
demand high. Same as with any business. The money has to come from
somewhere. Either everyone pays their equal share which would a lot more
than it is now or creative ways have to be found to fund raise to keep the
costs lower for most and those are the programs you see and don't like. Do
away with the fund raising and the cost for everyone goes up or the funds
go away as does the marketing program. This is a business and farms need
marketing funds to sell alpacas. Historically, AOBA has helped do
marketing for its members but no Association can do it all. This isn't new
to the current Association. It's been going on for 20 or so years since
AOBA opened its doors.
I sure hope this helps but I fear that I need to give up trying to explain.
Take care,
Libby
Libby Forstner
Magical Farms
Heather Zeleny
<alpacatalk@
indalpacas.com> To
Sent by: AlpacaTalk@yahoogro
AlpacaTalk@yahoog cc
roups.com
Subject
Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: AOBA
12/30/2007 01:20 Shennanigans/
PM
Please respond to
AlpacaTalk@yahoog
roups.com
I just want to clarify that when I talk about those $1500 and $5000
"benefactor" levels, I'm talking about the AOBA membership levels that
give those who can afford those "contributions" our Alpacas Magazine,
and quarterly Excel files of membership directory. I'm not talking
about the sponsorship at shows. That money stays with the affiliates,
and I'm talking about the AOBA membership schemes. Please tell me if
they're the same because I didn't think they were, and your continual
speaking of them in the same vein implies they are the same thing.
Heather
On Dec 30, 2007, at 10:09 AM, libby@alpacafarm.
>
>
> Heather,
>
> I reread your earlier post and felt much contempt but that's how I
> read it.
> People can decide for themselves how it came across. I think people
> give
> what they can and all levels and amounts are appreciated and very
> needed.
>
> Here's where I also disagree with John below. Farms are businesses
> like
> any other and people have "budgets" for promotion. One way to get your
> farm noticed is to sponsor. If there was no "recognition" levels, most
> shows as well as AOBA would lose their sponsorships. It's more than
> just
> giving. It is a business decision as much as anything and there is
> nothing
> wrong with that. Shows and AOBA all depend on sponsorships or the
> costs of
> shows and AOBA would certainly be impossible for many to afford.
> Maybe you
> and I need to be more careful how we come across. I'm sorry but
> comments
> like "shennanigans" are not simply dissatisfaction.
> insinuation of
> wrongdoing..
> worked so
> hard to come up with this fund-raising plan. People just like you
> came up
> with these sponsorship promotions (I had nothing to do with it) but
> luckily
> many breeders support the concept and it works financially for nearly
> every
> show, every event and AOBA.
>
> Enough said. We can agree to disagree.
>
> Libby
>
> Libby Forstner
> Magical Farms
>
> Heather Zeleny
> <alpacatalk@
> indalpacas.com> To
> Sent by: AlpacaTalk@yahoogro
> AlpacaTalk@yahoog cc
> roups.com
> Subject
> Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: AOBA
> 12/30/2007 11:57 Shennanigans/
> AM
>
>
> Please respond to
> AlpacaTalk@yahoog
> roups.com
>
>
>
> No one has treated anyone who "gives" with contempt. That is one major
> difference in this entire thread.
>
> Because some are dissatisfied with the membership pricing structure,
> and voice that dissatisfaction, you say we are somehow treating those
> who are benefiting from this scheme with contempt. Not so. We're
> questioning what in the world our AOBA board is up to, and we're
> displeased with some things, but we're not the ones treating anyone
> with contempt.
>
> This particular thread is about what funny business AOBA is up to and
> how they can possibly own and for-profit company, and why the small
> breeders are nickel and dimed so harshly!
>
> John is absolutely correct, the $1500 and $5000 membership levels are
> much more than "donations." Rather than simply receiving recognition
> and a plaque, those with the most money are given quarterly AOBA
> membership roster in and Excel file, from which they can copy the
> email
> addresses and send out scores of emails with sales pitches. The rest
> of
> us can pay AOBA to send emails for us at $100 a pop (or is it $200?).
> Yes, those "benefactors" do indeed receive consideration for their
> "donation." When I donate to causes, the gift is usually a totebag or
> a
> mug. No, I don't have the discretionary income to give $1500 or $5000,
> so maybe when you donate that much, your thank-you gift is more. But
> to
> give those who join at that level such a huge advantage over those who
> join at the Farm memberhsip level is not fair and I doubt if the
> membership would have approved such a thing if it were put to US for a
> vote.
>
> Heather
>
> On Dec 30, 2007, at 6:42 AM, libby@alpacafarm.
>
> >
> >
> > John,
> >
> > I don't disagree with much of what you say. But when people who are
> > barely
> > able to donate, do donate as with AOBA, treating them with contempt
> > is not
> > the answer either. That is something you and I don't agree upon and
> I
> > do
> > speak up to defend them. Most people who give are not rich. Most
> give
> > because it hurts. Sometimes acknowledgement is the only thing AOBA
> > gives
> > for people who give. It is something and it is not bad to
> acknowledge
> > the
> > good deeds of others. Just because someone with 1,000 animals gives,
> > doesn't mean they didn't give and should be treated with contempt.
> It
> > was
> > an example. That's all. Most people do give until it hurts. Most
> don't
> > ask for a thing. Some people are never happy with anyone or
> anything.
> > Some people are always happy and giving. Diffences in people, I
> guess.
> >
> > Libby
> >
> > Libby Forstner
> > Magical Farms
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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