How Many of You Received This Today?
I just got my mail delivery for the day. There was a styro box with the usual garbage. Inside was a coffee mug with "Freedom is Not Free", and my name on the other side.
It was from a charity named, Disabled Veterans Life Memorial Foundation,.........of course, based in D.C.
This evidently has to do with builing a memorial in the same place. I have never heard of it, nor given to them before.
My question is this,........how do you folks feel about charities that send out "gifts", which I believe from a marketing standpoint, are to make one feel obligated to send a check. I have utmost respect for Veterans, of all classifications, disabled or not. I have given to the Wounded Warrior Project a number of times since Iraq started, and I am sure that is where they got my name.
I have such a hard time with this stuff, because I know everytime I give to another one, I will get mail from 6 more. I can't afford to send money to everyone, and I am a monthly donor to St. Judes childrens hospital. I feel bad not sending them something, but at the same time, "angry", at the waste of resources, by sending out mugs to who knows how many people. I know they cost them about a buck apiece, but I have an issue with this kind of thing, for multiple reasons.
Please give some feedback on this, as I am certain I am not the only person that received this.
It was from a charity named, Disabled Veterans Life Memorial Foundation,.........of course, based in D.C.
This evidently has to do with builing a memorial in the same place. I have never heard of it, nor given to them before.
My question is this,........how do you folks feel about charities that send out "gifts", which I believe from a marketing standpoint, are to make one feel obligated to send a check. I have utmost respect for Veterans, of all classifications, disabled or not. I have given to the Wounded Warrior Project a number of times since Iraq started, and I am sure that is where they got my name.
I have such a hard time with this stuff, because I know everytime I give to another one, I will get mail from 6 more. I can't afford to send money to everyone, and I am a monthly donor to St. Judes childrens hospital. I feel bad not sending them something, but at the same time, "angry", at the waste of resources, by sending out mugs to who knows how many people. I know they cost them about a buck apiece, but I have an issue with this kind of thing, for multiple reasons.
Please give some feedback on this, as I am certain I am not the only person that received this.
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I agree with you.
Send me the mug, and I'll make a donation.
Doug0 -
It appears they have all learned that over-marketing works, and that many people expect gifts with their membership or charity giving. Probably a sad commentary. Some appear to send out more junk in a year than your membership would be worth. Any unsolicited item you receive in the mail is a gift. Pick and choose your causes and charities yourself and give to those without feeling guilty about the rest. It is your effort and your money. 0 -
Doug,.......not saying I am not going to make a donation,.....this is actually a serious question, as I DO have a problem when it comes to things like this. I honor all veterans for my freedom, and have many in my family also. It is just hard for me when it sounds like a good cause, but I know what will happen if I send them even a small contribution, and I always have been turned off by charities that spend the money to send out mass "gifts",........and I am not even getting into the other issue, which is finding out the CEO's of the charities are pulling down 300K plus a year, which I am not saying applies here.
Thanks[;)]0 -
Oh well,.......obviously I must be on a "schmuck" list for charities or something! Thought for sure that some of you would have gotten this. Thanks anyway. 0 -
I recieved a mug last year. I don't remember what organization sent it but it might have been the D.A.V. which we donate to anyway. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Doug Wilson
I agree with you.
Send me the mug, and I'll make a donation.
Doug
Agreed, My old pickup truck is prettier than a Hawaiian fatladyhouse from all those little flowers hanging in it... This is one group that i just can't say no too.... I'll gladly buy there mug... to go with my 10 lifetime supply of address labels...
Heck. they only nail for about 20-30 bucks a year...The NRA asks for that every freaking week......0 -
ToBeFree,.......maybe you have had too many beers? [:D]
It is not DAV,........read the first post, and then tell me if you have ever heard of them.
PS: What is your preferred brew?0 -
quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
Oh well,.......obviously I must be on a "schmuck" list for charities or something! Thought for sure that some of you would have gotten this. Thanks anyway.
Dude... Lighten up.... it is not a SCHMUCK LIST....It is a list of people that might just give a FaaQ.
We get what you are saying though..... you just picked wrong charity have a cow about here!!!!
Everyone on this thread has tatoo on his ass that says "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE" well Mine says FREEDOM AIN'T FREE ...but is the same only different .....0 -
We get a lot of "free" gifts from these types of organizations. We can't afford to send checks to them all. We've written them and said that we'd send a check if we could, but please save their valuable resources and don't include us in future "freebies." 0 -
No cow from me "dude",.......but obviously you either don't read the post, or you don't answer the question,............veterans are very important to me. Try reading it again! I am asking about a different charity from DAV!!
Geez0 -
Hmmm look like the dude is right and I apologize!!! Hope that is spelled right never had to say it before([:D][:D][:D])
This guy is a freaking crook.....
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/8033.htm0 -
Hey that mug would make a great giveaway though and it didn't cost you a dime!!!! 0 -
Yes it is spelled right "dude" [:D]
No hard feelings from me,.........i just knew that you were referring to DAV, as I have given many times to them, and I too have a lifetime supply of labels!
Thanks for that link though,...........I will keep it![;)]
PS: I am popping open a cold one myself right now!0 -
Marc1301.... Thanks for pointing that out.
Guys... it looks to me like this dude is making a living by playing on our love for our Disabled Vets and this is so wrong....0 -
Spanielsells,..........thanks for that tip. I will start to do the same. One never knows if a charity is legit or not, and for the ones that are, that is a good solution to keep them from wasting money on "freebies", which I do not need.
This one doesn't look good,.......but as I said,I have a weakness for the veterans causes, and I am sure it is exploited widely.
Thanks for all the comments![;)]0 -
I'm not sure I am remembering the exact title of the book, but it's something likeThe Story of Esther Costello by Nicholas Monsarrat--I no doubt misspelled his name too--and the moral at the end was "give to those you know." That's advice that has kept me from being bilked by a lot of scams over the decades. 0 -
I believe that the Courts have ruled that if anyone sends you something you did not request and expects a payment/donation you can consider it a gift. 0 -
I have known about the memorial. Look at this link and scroll down to number 562.
http://www.avdlm.com/registry/search.php?all=true&currpage=23&npp=25
How I got there I don't know, but my name will be on it.0 -
i hate to say this, but i have found the nra to be the worse, to me anyway, i am not on many list, they sent me a watch for a donation, ok, then they sent me a video, with no obligation to send them anything it says, i can just keep it or send it back, i was going to send it back but procrastinated, then they sent me a damn bill for the tape 0
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