2019 US Palma Team

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2019 US Palma Team

Postby Erud on Sat Sep 22, 2018 3:16 pm

Hi folks,
As some of you might know, I am a competitive long range rifle shooter. I was recently selected to represent the USA at the 2019 World Long Range Championship in New Zealand as a member of the US Palma Team. This team is made up of some of the best long range shooters in the country, and I am truly honored to even have my name considered among these men and women. Making this team has been my only shooting goal for the last 5 years, and I can't wait to represent my country.

Now, for the bad news. The Palma Team has been funded for many years by the NRA. We recently found out that that funding has been pulled. Not reduced, but completely eliminated. As in zero dollars. This is literally the worst news that we could have gotten after 4 years of preparations. After much deliberating and soul-searching by team management and staff, we collectively arrived at a decision:

WE ARE GOING ANYWAYS.

The USA started this match, and the USA deserves to be represented. For many of us, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and we aren't going to miss it.

Our team is made up of people from all over the country, from all kinds of different backgrounds, including many veterans, and several active-duty service members. Team member ages range from early 20's to late 50's - this is a sport that doesn't discriminate. From a financial standpoint, some of us are better able to handle this news than others. I know that when I was in my early 20's there would have been no way I could have paid for a trip like this. Financial means has nothing to do with shooting ability, and we need every member of this team in New Zealand next January to have a chance to bring home the gold medal.

If you'd like to help, please take a look at the GoFundMe campaign linked below. Support of any kind is greatly appreciated, whether it be financial, or prayers and well-wishes. If you would like to help, but aren't in a position to donate, you can help by spreading the word.


Sincere thanks,
Erik Rhode
2019 US Palma Team


PS - This is not an individual fundraiser for me, all proceeds go directly to the team.

https://www.gofundme.com/send-the-team-to-new-zealand
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2019 US Palma Team

Postby gun_fan111v2 on Sat Sep 22, 2018 3:38 pm

Done. Good luck out there!
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby Erud on Sat Sep 22, 2018 3:53 pm

Much appreciated!

:flag:
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby Ghost on Sat Sep 22, 2018 4:11 pm

You should have a way for people to donate without going through gofundme, they take a healthy cut of your donations.
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby Erud on Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:14 pm

Ghost wrote:You should have a way for people to donate without going through gofundme, they take a healthy cut of your donations.


Yeah, there just aren't really any free options out there that make it as easy for people to contribute as GFM does. If someone wanted to mail a check to the US team captain, that's another way that'd work. PM me for details, if anyone likes that idea.
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby xd ED on Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:15 pm

Ghost wrote:You should have a way for people to donate without going through gofundme, they take a healthy cut of your donations.


Erik,
I was just going to suggest the same thing.
I rather give it to the team directly, than GFM, if possible.

I'll be glad to send you something directly. I know you'll get it to the right place.


E D
LET'S GO BRANDON
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby warrlac on Sun Sep 23, 2018 11:38 am

Just donated $25. Not much and a long way from $50K.

I wasn't too happy about how GFM seems to think that you need to provide a tip of 10%, 15%, 20% or Other. If you don't specify 0% in Other it defaults back to 15%. Another way the techie, masters of the universe, smarter than average, web-gurus make money off us generous souls...

Erud wrote:
Ghost wrote:You should have a way for people to donate without going through gofundme, they take a healthy cut of your donations.


Yeah, there just aren't really any free options out there that make it as easy for people to contribute as GFM does. If someone wanted to mail a check to the US team captain, that's another way that'd work. PM me for details, if anyone likes that idea.
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby Erud on Sun Sep 23, 2018 11:58 am

warrlac wrote:Just donated $25. Not much and a long way from $50K.

I wasn't too happy about how GFM seems to think that you need to provide a tip of 10%, 15%, 20% or Other. If you don't specify 0% in Other it defaults back to 15%. Another way the techie, masters of the universe, smarter than average, web-gurus make money off us generous souls...


Thank you, much appreciated. If anyone has suggestions on a better way to do it than through GoFundMe, please let me know. In our research, all of the companies that provide this service seem to operate the same way. Their fee is about 3%, so 30 cents of every $10 donated goes to GFM. I’d like it to be less, but they are providing the service we need, so I guess it is what it is.

I wasn’t aware of the “tip” thing. That does seem sleazy, we will have to look into it. Thanks for the heads-up.

Erik
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2019 US Palma Team

Postby gun_fan111v2 on Sun Sep 23, 2018 1:21 pm

Erud wrote:
warrlac wrote:Just donated $25. Not much and a long way from $50K.

I wasn't too happy about how GFM seems to think that you need to provide a tip of 10%, 15%, 20% or Other. If you don't specify 0% in Other it defaults back to 15%. Another way the techie, masters of the universe, smarter than average, web-gurus make money off us generous souls...


Thank you, much appreciated. If anyone has suggestions on a better way to do it than through GoFundMe, please let me know. In our research, all of the companies that provide this service seem to operate the same way. Their fee is about 3%, so 30 cents of every $10 donated goes to GFM. I’d like it to be less, but they are providing the service we need, so I guess it is what it is.

I wasn’t aware of the “tip” thing. That does seem sleazy, we will have to look into it. Thanks for the heads-up.

Erik


3% recipient fee is a reasonable cost considering that most donations will be done through credit cards and processing those is not free. There are bank fees for every transaction and costs to keep your platform PCI compliant.

Sounds like the 5% donation is solicited to help with other costs of running this website.
Last edited by gun_fan111v2 on Sun Sep 23, 2018 5:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby Ghost on Sun Sep 23, 2018 4:36 pm

Erud wrote:
warrlac wrote:Just donated $25. Not much and a long way from $50K.

I wasn't too happy about how GFM seems to think that you need to provide a tip of 10%, 15%, 20% or Other. If you don't specify 0% in Other it defaults back to 15%. Another way the techie, masters of the universe, smarter than average, web-gurus make money off us generous souls...


Thank you, much appreciated. If anyone has suggestions on a better way to do it than through GoFundMe, please let me know. In our research, all of the companies that provide this service seem to operate the same way. Their fee is about 3%, so 30 cents of every $10 donated goes to GFM. I’d like it to be less, but they are providing the service we need, so I guess it is what it is.

I wasn’t aware of the “tip” thing. That does seem sleazy, we will have to look into it. Thanks for the heads-up.

Erik

PO box with checks made out to xxxxx?

GFM is 2.9% plus 0.30/donation. If you get a lot of small donations it really ups their take.

Had a friend use it and they raised about $700 and GFM took almost $100 of it.
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby Erud on Sun Sep 23, 2018 5:04 pm

Checks made out to “US Rifle Team” are just fine if you want to help but don’t want to use GFM. Just PM me and I’ll get you the address.

Thanks,
Erik
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby aprilian on Sat Sep 29, 2018 12:21 pm

done

& back to the top
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Re: 2019 US Palma Team

Postby Erud on Sat Sep 29, 2018 4:15 pm

aprilian wrote:done

& back to the top


Thanks Ian, much appreciated!
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