I would like everyone to read this

[Scott Tichenor]

I don't want to take up a lot of your time but once a year I've promised myself to be the catalyst that helps fund the activities of the Plucked String Foundation (http://www.mandolincafe.com/strings/psf.html), a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance directly to the mandolin community, mandolin events and most directly to mandolin players. We--you and I, are the wheels that make this turn by providing our financial support.

This year the goal to replenish the fund in support of the needs of the Foundation projects for their fiscal year is $3,000. As users of this site I'd like you to consider the time you spend here and the value and enjoyment you receive and consider a small donation to this good cause. With 5,000+ subscribers to the message board and thousands more that visit the Mandolin Cafe web site, classifieds, builder database, tablature archive, lesson pages, and various other resources, I'd like to ask you if this resource is important enough to you to consider your support?

I'd be happiest if we could get 600 people total to donate $5.00 each. Goal achieved. It doesn't work that way though but we'll find a way and I will not rest until the objective is achieved.

Tax deductible donations can be made online from this link (http://www.mandolincafe.com/foundation.html) or by sending a check or money order to:

Plucked String Foundation, Inc.
c/o Norman Levine
Box 2770
Kensington, MD 20891

Many of you in the past have used this fund-raiser to clear out and sell some items on the classifieds with the proceeds going to the Foundation. This is a great way to donate $10-15 and get someone else a cool CD, video, music book, etc. that would be of value to them. Simply have them mail the check to you made out to the Foundation and then forward it to them (the Foundation). Or have them pay via PayPal and I can verify the payment.

Over the past few years a lot of you have provided support to the foundation and you have my thanks. Times are a little tougher this year so any amount is appreciated. As I said, I'd rather see lots of small donations from more folks but we'll take it any way we can.

In particular, for users of the classifieds who use this resource to profit personally (and I'm OK with that!) I suggest a minimum donation of .5% of the sale. That's $15 on a $3,000 mandolin sale. Anyone think that's unfair?

If you have questions or comments feel free to post them here. There are only a few things each year that I feel strongly enough about to raise money for and this is one of them.

Done.....& I encourage everyone else reading this to please do the same. You won't miss the donation & it helps bring the priceless gift of music to our youth.

[Stillpicking]

Scott,

You can count me in. I will donate the total sale price ($45) for one of my limited edition mandolin prints to the Fund.

Anyone interested you can find the prints listed in the classifies AD # 10419.

Good cause! lets see some more from the classified users.

Thanks Scott for all of your good work !

Mike

[John S]

Done... PayPal makes it easy.

[twaaang]

Done. Cheap dues indeed for getting to tap into and participate in this terrific website. -- PDW

[PhilGE]

Done. Thanks for everything!

[Mark Normand]

done

[drelb]

Scott,
More than happy to comply...$50.00 sent via paypal.

[FrankenMouse]

Done. Took all of 30 seconds!

[mandomayer]

Done. $10.00. Gotta love PayPal.

[Karen Kay]

Honored to help!

[Joe Parker]

I'm in! Scott-thanks!!

Joe Parker

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

In particular, for users of the classifieds who use this resource to profit personally (and I'm OK with that!) I suggest a minimum donation of .5% of the sale. That's $15 on a $3,000 mandolin sale.
Absolutely! I sent in, via the electronic airwaves, $30 from a recent sale on the classifieds. Thank you, Scott, for this wonderful resource.

[Scot Thayer]

Done - happy to help.

[MANDOLINMYSTER]

Done...painless http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[JimW]

I'm in Scott. Thanks for this wonderful resource. It's the least I could do and PayPal makes it instant and painless.

Jim

[jim_n_virginia]

Dang it! I gotta get outta the Stone Age and start using PayPal.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Scott check is on it's way! Thanks for a great forum.
--jim--

[fonefly]

I'm in. #PayPal is the best.

[grandmainger]

Righty-o!
I've just offered for sale in the classifieds my MINT copy of the "O Brother, Where Art Thou" Mandolin selection (http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=10760&query=retrieval) songbook. I'll pay shipping, proceed for the sale to go the foundation.

Scott, keep us posted on the amount we raise http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Germain

[Scott Tichenor]

$460.00 raised since yesterday from 15 donations online. Of course there are some items on the classifieds and likely a few checks in the mail so we're off to a great start. Thanks to all who've chipped in with their participation early on. To the rest of you, there's plenty of time left!

BTW, called Norman last night and he's always thrilled to see the collective force of this community come together. It's something he can hardly imagine after losing all of the corporate donations that kept the foundation together in it's early years.

[Steve Williams]

Done...glad to help!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[mad dawg]

DONE. |

[GibsonL00]

Great Website!

Glad to help. Donation made.

Kirk

[Joe Singleton]

Glad to help out. I meant to send a donation from a classified sale and this reminded me to get it done.Thanks and kepp up the great work-Joe

[WireBoy]

I plunked down my $10. #Scott, thanks for providing us with the center of the mandolin universe.

[bones12]

Just sent it in via Paypal. Thanks Scott for the impetus for a great cause. Grassroots action creates good things. Doug Campbell

[pickitjohn]

I'm so glad to HELP & get to BE HERE

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Thanks
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #Pickitjohn http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Brad Weiss]

Done!

Thanks Scott

[Scott Tichenor]

We're currently at $650.00 and slowly rolling along. Lots of individual small donations and honestly, that's what I like to see--more of a community effort. Still a good idea in my opinion for everyone to grab a mandolin CD you have at home and sell it on the classifieds, have the payment sent to the Foundation. Turn someone one to some new music.

[Scott Tichenor]

Up to $760.00 at the moment. This is minus any checks that may be in transit and we likely won't report any of that until mail on Wed. or Th.

[good_ol_al_61]

New to this site and new to playing any stringed instrument. But, I have already received great advice from your message board. Worth more than the $10 I just sent.

Al Henderson
Tallapoosa, GA
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[GVD]

As they say in Vegas "I'm all in".

Thanks Scott

GVD

[Joe F]

PayPal makes it almost too easy to buy stuff on line, but in this case I'm happy to help such a worthy cause. #When I figure how much time I actually spend visiting this site, the donation probably amounts to only a few cents per hour!

[midmando]

Ditto to everything above - sent via Paypal

[dgfoster]

Here's my 10!

[Rich Michaud]

Hey Scott, I love this website. It is worth far more more to me than the $20.00 I just sent via Paypal. Count on me to do it again. Rich Michaud

[Scott Tichenor]

Currently at $989.82 in online donations. Thanks everyone for your support as we march towards our goal.

[ira]

my 5 is in.
thanks

[Corbin Smith]

Glad to do my small part. It's worth the hours of enjoyment I get from your site, Scott!

[Scott Tichenor]

$1,008.33 raised online as of this a.m. Dr. Brian Hull of Acoustic Art Production (http://www.acousticartproductions.com/) has issued a challenge to CoMando to donate $500 in the next 48 hours and he'll match it.

[Scott Tichenor]

The current total online donations: $1,196.17.

[recklessmando]

Check's in the mail

[Scott Tichenor]

We're at $1448.25 as of this a.m. and I anticipate a few checks rolling in. This has to date been very successful in the number of people participating even though we're only about half way there. I expect a few things to happen in the next week that'll push us in range of the final goal.

Thank you to each and every one of you who have contributed. Some really great things have happened as a result of this foundation.

Remember, if you don't have the cash or it's just not in you to contribute in that way there's always selling a CD, a video, a chord book or something else that's gathering dust. You may have just what someone else has been looking for. Have the payment forwarded to the foundation and all you're out is the postage. I'd even pick up the postage out of my own pocket if asked.

A list of items on the Cafe Classifieds (http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?boolean=any%2Bterm&case_sensitive=insensitive&results_format=browse&query=keyword&search_and_display_db_button=%3Don&keywords=plucked) being sold in this manner.

[Larry Simonson]

Scott, I'm in. A couple of years ago I found an absolutely wonderful O'brien mandolin on your site and have been a frequent visitor since. Thanks!

[LilCreekster]

Belately chipping in my 20 ;)

[Jim M.]

My check and a matching form from my employer are being sent today.

[Dru Lee Parsec]

Sorry I didn't notice the post until Friday afternoon. But it's better late than never.

I added another $10 to the cause. I'd like to take this moment to say thank you to Scott, Benigus, Big Joe, LilCreekster, Craig (and his Mandolin Project) and everyone else who makes this a special place to hang out.

Thank folks.

[craigtoo]

I'm in... Thanks Scott!

craig

[Scott Tichenor]

$1521.16 as of this a.m. but I've not heard from Norman since Wednesday so it's likely up a tad from that. Things are moving slow but they're moving. I'll give this another two weeks. Still believe there's a small pot of gold at the end of this rainbow and that we'll make the goal. Thanks again for the support from everyone.

[Salty Dog]

Scott, $25.00 will be in the mail Monday morning. #It's the least I can do to help support this wonderful website and this cause.

[reeljigs]

Check is in the mail.

[Don Christy]

paypal contribution made today. thanks Scott for this great site.
Don

[bluesmandolinman]

just paid with paypal...

THANKS; Scott !