Would you donate a pen to help a Homeless Veteran?

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
timdaleiden

timdaleiden

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2004
Messages
616
Location
Wausau, WI, USA.
After reviewing the information Tim supplied, I have decided to reopen this thread. The closing of the thread had nothing to do with Tim or the cause, it simply had to be reviewed before receiving approval as an activity.

As a veteran myself, as are many here, I find this to be a worthy cause. Please take the time to review the links supplied by Tim and if you wish to participate on an individual basis please do so. For now, do not link the IAP with the site in any way, keep it purely personal.

Now all we have to to is get Tim to turning again (Buy a dust collector, Tim! :wink: ).

William/Cav


I am not sure if this post is in the right forum, or if it is appropriate to post at all. I'm sure someone will let me know if I made a mistake posting it here. ;o)

Anyway, some of the long time members here will remember me, and some will have no idea who I am. I haven't made a pen for long time, turning my attention to Web Site Development. It's a lot less dusty.

One of my clients runs an Organization that helps homeless veterans who have fallen through the cracks of the system. They didn't qualify for VA assistance for a variety of reasons.

She recently expanded her services to include non veterans as well…trying to get them back on their feet, and become more self sufficient. The organization offers a safe and sober place to stay, food to eat, and counseling for emotional issues, substance abuse issues, and career goals. This has greatly expanded her needs for financial assistance.

She is also trying to make the organization more self sufficient, rather than relying on just grants. One of her latest ventures is to start an online auction site to raise funds for these people in need. I have been helping her with a lot of the technical aspects of this latest venture…and have been compensated for it at a greatly reduced rate of pay.

There are benefits for donating a pen…if you want. You can go directly to the site, and click on "donate" on the left side panel. You will have to fill out a short form, and you can include your Web Site URL. You can even include your logo if you choose to. These will appear with your donated item. The last 3 week auction produced over 5000 page views, according to Google analytics.

You can also just leave the URL area blank.

If you wish to be an "anonymous donor", I think you can use "that" as your name when filling out the form. I do believe they need a valid email address though.

You can set your estimated value, and the software takes over from there. The opening bid price, by default, is set at 1/3 of the estimated value. This can be changed before it is published.

I also have the ability to insert email links into the item description. They do not show up automatically so you don't have to worry about being spammed to death. You would need to contact me personally to have an email link inserted.

We are also interested in spreading the word. There is a link for that on the left side panel as well, or just drop some emails to friends. Or, if you belong to a veterans organization…please consider sharing this information. I can create a printable flyer if needed. This is a legitimate 501(c)(3) organization. I have met and worked with these people. They need a hand up, not just a handout. Randlin Homes provides them with opportunity, recovery, and hope.

In fact, my main goal is just spreading the word. If you don't want to, or are not in a position to donate something...just drop an email to some of your friends, and supply the links below. If nothing on the auction site appeals to you, maybe someone you know might be interested. I have a huge box full of pen blanks, and will most likely add some to the auction at some point, in small lots. Why I have approximately 300 pen blanks is a matter that my therapist and I will work out someday. :eek:)

This auction fundraising venture will be running until December of this year. We can either extend the auction, and switch out items back and forth, or start new auctions, and import items not sold from previous auctions. A final decision has not yet been made by the CEO. Each item can have it's own start and end date. Any donated items that are not sold during the auctions will end up being sold at the Randlin Homes Thrift store. http://www.randlinhomes.org/ourstore.htm



Links:

Home Site…http://www.randlinhomes.org/
Auction site…http://www.biddingforgood.com/randlinhomes/

Best Regards,

Tim Daleiden

PS…forgive me Jeff if I have broken any of your rules. Just drop me an email if I have crossed any lines.
 
Last edited:
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
nava1uni said:
Sounds like a great organization, doing important work. Let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...

It is a great organization.

One of the co-founders, and current CEO, has a full time job working as a Job Counselor for Wisconsin. She also cares for her family, and she almost never runs out of energy. I don't know how she does it all. I would end up in the psych ward somewhere if I had her responsibilities. And yet, she deals with most issues in a calm manner, and has a lot of faith that she is doing the right thing, and faith that everything will work out.

She is also very bright, compassionate, and understanding.

A very unique individual.
 
After reviewing the information Tim supplied, I have decided to reopen this thread. The closing of the thread had nothing to do with Tim or the cause, it simply had to be reviewed before receiving approval as an activity.

As a veteran myself, as are many here, I find this to be a worthy cause. Please take the time to review the links supplied by Tim and if you wish to participate on an individual basis please do so. For now, do not link the IAP with the site in any way, keep it purely personal.

Now all we have to to is get Tim to turning again (Buy a dust collector, Tim! :wink: ).

William/Cav

Thanks again William for your time and consideration of this thread.

As for getting back into making some pens...I think I may have already volunteered to teach some of the interested Vets, and others...to teach a class in pen turning. I hope I remember how to make one. It's been a while.
 
wolftat said:
Bump
Click to expand...

Thanks for the unsolicited BUMP. So far I have received only one email suggestion...the sender shall remain anonymous, but thanks again to you. Almost no increase in traffic on the auction site, and no offers of pen donations.

I don't know what to do really. I know there was an auction a long time ago that was to benefit a children's hospital in Texas, and it sort of turned into mess from some people's perspective. There were a lot of unanswered questions left hanging, and some bitter feelings.

Maybe it's because many of the newer members don't know me...maybe it's because some of the older members do remember me. :eek:) I had a tendency to be a bit moody, at times. I also was a bit more honest than some people appreciated.

At any rate, this auction is not about me. It is not a contest either, as the above referenced auction was. It is about helping Veterans who faithfully served their country, and came out of it with a variety of mental health, substance abuse, and physical issues. There are also others in need that will be helped by the success of this auction, but the vast majority are Veterans.

Another difference from the above referenced auction is that it is all done without me even handling the auction items. You can see your item go online, see when and if it sells. This auction is set to go until December 1st now. If it doesn't sell by the end of the auction, it will end up at the HOPE THRIFT STORE, and be sold there. All proceeds still end up helping the Organization.

If you have any question, suggestions, or other input. Just post them in this thread. Or if you wish, email them to me.

Thanks for your consideration,

Tim
 
PM me an address to ship to and I'll send a pen or two to get this started. I don't know you or have any other agenda, just seems like a good cause. I'd just as soon ship it to you to get done with what needs to be. Hopefully others will jump on board.
 
hunter-27 said:
PM me an address to ship to and I'll send a pen or two to get this started. I don't know you or have any other agenda, just seems like a good cause. I'd just as soon ship it to you to get done with what needs to be. Hopefully others will jump on board.
Click to expand...

Thanks Hunter. I will check with the CEO to see where she wants things shipped to. I would prefer them going directly to the organization, rather than through me. I may end up doing the photography, because the Vet she has doing it now is not very good at close-up images.

Please also include a brief description...wood/material type, hardware plating, etc. I will most likely post the address in this thread, after I hear back from Linda.

Once again, thanks so much for your generosity. I have never been very good at asking for help in anything, even if it for the benefit of others. Your response just made my job a bit easier. :eek:)
 
I think I could find a pen or two for an organization like that, thing is though not to get too many up at once, otherwise they might not sell at auction and wind up in the thrift store, keep us posted on the arrangements.
 
timdaleiden said:
Thanks Hunter. I will check with the CEO to see where she wants things shipped to. I would prefer them going directly to the organization, rather than through me. I may end up doing the photography, because the Vet she has doing it now is not very good at close-up images.

Please also include a brief description...wood/material type, hardware plating, etc. I will most likely post the address in this thread, after I hear back from Linda.

Once again, thanks so much for your generosity. I have never been very good at asking for help in anything, even if it is for the benefit of others. Your response just made my job a bit easier. :eek:)
Click to expand...

The address that Linda gave me is:

Randlin Adult Family Care Homes Inc.
PO Box 1488, Wausau, WI 54402

This PO Box address is only accessible by Linda, and our Financial Manager, who also happens to be a veteran.

No need for excessive packaging or gift boxes. Just send it in a way that it won't be damaged.

Thanks again,

Tim
 
wolftat said:
I'm working on a pen to send in, but it will take a little while to get it done.
Click to expand...

No Hurry, this will go until December. It doesn't need to be anything fancy either. The pen I donated was simply the last one I had that was in a sell-able condition.

At one point, I was nearly floating in pens. I shut down my web site for lack of activity a while back, and sold many of the remaining ones through our local arts foundation. The others I simply gave away as gifts to family members.

Thank you for your generosity.

As I mentioned before, your donation is not just a handout, but it is a hand-up. Linda's goal is not just to house the homeless Vets and others, but to give them a renewed sense of hope, and confidence to become self sufficient. Randlin Homes takes a fully comprehensive approach. Mental, physical, and spiritual issues are addressed. Nobody is forced into a particular religious set of beliefs, but that part of our human experience is addressed.

Thanks again,

Tim
 
bitshird said:
I think I could find a pen or two for an organization like that, thing is though not to get too many up at once, otherwise they might not sell at auction and wind up in the thrift store, keep us posted on the arrangements.
Click to expand...

I thought about that too. But then I thought about how everyone has a unique taste in design, color, and material. Everyone is unique in their preferences.

Also, there is no shame in having your item end up in the thrift store, the profits all go to the same cause.

Pens tend to be very personal items. Sometimes picking one up, and seeing how it feels, is the best way to sell it. This makes selling pens online a bit of a challenge sometimes.

Overall, "one" of my primary goals from my original post is just to get people to visit this auction, and support what I think is a good cause. Spread the word to your friends, co-workers, etc.

Pen donations are greatly appreciated, as they add to our diverse inventory of items.

Thank you for your input. Everyone's opinion matters, and can have a positive influence on the final outcome.

Best regards,

Tim
 
I have not heard from our financial manager that he has received any pen donations. If you have sent a pen in, please contact me...or respond to this post.

For any other people were were planning on sending in a pen donation...please put your plans on hold for now. The online auction is not going as well as planned, and there has been a lot of chaos, and changes going on within the Randlin Homes Organization lately.

I am not sure at this time what will become of the online auction, or how long I will be involved with it. I do want to make sure that I don't leave loose ends untied, that I was responsible for starting. So once again...if you have sent any pen donations in, please respond in some way.

Best Regards,

Tim
 
hunter-27 said:
I'm sorry, I missed the address to send to being posted, I will have a pen in the mail on Monday.
Click to expand...

Thanks Hunter...but like I said, you may want to put that on hold for now. The Organization is in an unsettled state right now...and the future of the online auction is on shaky ground at this point.

If the situation settles down a bit, I will repost to this thread. I just wanted to make sure that if somebody had sent something in, that it was ending up where it should be.

Thanks once again for your kind offer though.

Best Regards,

Tim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom