Every month, Erin has to beg for money to help TopShelf running and she shouldn't have to. If each one of us sent ONE SINGLE DOLLAR, ONE TIME, it would keep the site solvent for several months.
I know that are several who regularly contribute to keep the site up, and they are to be thanked greatly, but Erin has gone deep into debt to make up what it costs to run it and that's not right. She and the others who administer the site donate their time and energy without pay, hoping to keep it going.
Top Shelf has, without doubt, saved lives and gives those of us who are housebound, a way to keep up with what's happening with our online friends, as well as keeping us entertained by all the wonderful stories that get posted every day.
Gratitude is one thing, and a very nice thing, but it doesn't pay the bills. Erin even foregoes paying herself in order to make up what's needed to keep things running.
SO... I hereby challenge every writer, every editor, every reader to forego one cup of coffee, one can of soda/pop, one candy bar and send Erin and Piper ONE SINGLE DOLLAR, ONE TIME!
The way things are going, with increasing costs for hosting and bandwidth, etc, Top Shelf might not have any other way to stay alive without becoming a pay site, and we don't want that.
There are many ways to contribute money and I won't go into all of those except to say, for those like me who don't use paypal or aren't able to get out and obtain money orders, you CAN set up an auto-pay with your bank, or even a one time payment.
I am in the process of doing exactly that last one. It won't be a lot, but it will be every month for me. Knowing how many people use the site, visit the site every day, it seems to me that even that one time of sending one dollar, if everyone does it, would keep Top Shelf online and serving all of us without driving those who do so much for us into bankruptcy, as it's likely to do.
So, that's my CHALLENGE. One single dollar, one time... or more often if you can to keep our ONLINE HOME online and keep it from becoming a pay site.
Catherine Linda Michel
Comments
I second the motion. Along
I second the motion. Along with being a regular contributor, When Erin rings the bell I kick in. I've done this twice this month, and will continue to do so. I feel Erin and staff, and contributors like me and Catherine are paying for many to have stories to read. when this site shuts down, they'll shrug, complain about Erin, then find another site to read stories, never helping to pay the bills.
Good example, 95 reads, how many contribute ?
Karen
I hope everyone will.
Thank you for your help.
Catherine Linda Michel
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
amen
I support bc because I can. but this like a great idea.
robert
i'm just trying to help out.
Thanks for your donations.
Catherine Linda Michel
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
money to the running costs of the site
I agree with everything Catherine has said more people need to support this site or it will go and that will be a great loss to us all. I have just sent donation.
Thank you.
Every donation helps. It's appreciated very much.
Catherine Linda Michel
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
Just completed my contribution.
I used the "one time gift" section this time, but I'm gonna work on the monthly gift as an auto-pay basis so it gets taken from my account without me having to worry about it. It's worht what I sent, and more if I could afford it.
Catherine Linda Michel
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
Do I donate in the Hatbox section?
Forgive me if that's a stupid question. :)
Monalisa
It's not a stupid question.
I was just as clueless when I first tried to donate. There are several ways to donate. You can send a check or money order to the address on the front page.
Checks can be made out & sent to:
Janglewood LLC
602 Higgins Ave
Suite 1 #283
Brielle, NJ 08730
USA
You can donate through the Hatbox.
You can even do a one time donation using your debit/credit card.
http://bigclosetr.us/hatbox/node/26
So there are several ways. Thank you for asking and thanks if you decide to donate.
Catherine Linda Michel
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
Attempted Donation
I have attempted to donate via Hatbox Premium. but have encountered a missing page when I tried to checkout. Is there sime other way to donate?
JessicaLK
Referred to Piper
Piper will probably contact you for details of what went wrong. Thanks.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Made my donation
I made my donation, I know I've been leaching off the payment of others. Wish I could offer more.
Thank you.
No matter how big or small, all donations count.
Catherine Linda Michel
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
I agree ... partly
Does "member" include the unregistered visitors who read a few stories a month? If so, MAYBE "$1, one time" is enough.
What about the anonymous visitors who want to stay anonymous and leave no traces? I'm sure there are a few ... and probably many! What can they do to contribute and yet retain their anonymity and leave no paper trail? Anything better than cash in an envelope via USPS? Hmmm... how much to send an envelope? about $.50 now ... that's a lot of overhead just to send ONE dollar! Should throw in a few extras! :)
Are there more convenient methods?
Sara
Between the wrinkles, the orthopedic shoes, and nine decades of gravity, it is really hard to be alluring. My icon, you ask? It is the last picture I allowed to escape the camera ... back before most BC authors were born.
The oft-repeated requests for money .....
have made me feel that I could should will pay something for the pleasure I get in having my stories read and commented upon. (some 30 stories, some 180,000 reads and about 1% 'kudos' and not enough feedback; I would like more - but then wouldn't all of us.)
Come on folks and folkesses - do you want BC to go the way of some other loved-but-gone sites? I don't know what spending $3 per month will stop you buying instead ...... but this site HELPS you - that's got to be worth something.
Alys P