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artsay
Dec 12, 2005, 8:13 PM
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Do you enjoy climbing at the Red River Gorge? If you do, then we need your help to save climbing in the Southern Region. This area will be lost after June if we don't raise enough money to pay its annual mortgage.
In 2004, the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition purchased 700 acres of land located in the Southern Region and named it the Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve. With almost 300 routes established so far, this area offers incredible climbing and many areas yet to be developed. Some well known crags include Drive By, Solar Collector, the Dark Side and many new crags including Purgatory, the Gallery, Volunteer Wall.
With an annual mortgage of $30,000 due in June, the RRGCC has only been able to raise 10% of this amount. It is up to us, the climbers, who love this land and the world-class climbing it offers to reach deep into our pockets and contribute what we have. Please, please help. Every little bit matters.
Please visit: http://www.redriverclimbing.com/ and make a donation by clicking on the "Make a Donation" button on the front page. Please don't wait until it's too late.
Thanks,
Michelle Ellington
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moonshine505
Dec 12, 2005, 8:17 PM
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Sounds like the Access Fund should be involved. More than that, do you have fundraiser events organized? What about pay kiosks for a dollar or two at parking areas, etc? You've got 6 months, but still, if you've only got $3k to date, sounds like significant funds need to be raised. What happens if the lease goes unpaid?
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caughtinside
Dec 12, 2005, 8:20 PM
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How many years is your 30k annual mortgage going to run?
Do you have a financial plan that doesn't involve pleas for donations at the last minute?
Best of luck.
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artsay
Dec 12, 2005, 9:18 PM
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First off, I'm not an RRGCC representative. We run redriverclimbing.com and just recently learned about the situation and are utilizing our resources to help remedy the situation. The RRGCC needs help. The Red River Gorge needs help. And we, as climbers, are the enablers.
This is the biggest land purchase made by climbers to date. Given the number of climbers that visit the RRG, raising this money shouldn't be that difficult. Coordinating events and fundraisers are very important and I, too, would like to see more in the future with smaller deadlines than this "six month do or die" one. But what redriverclimbing.com is doing IS a fundraiser...so please help.
To date, I'm aware of over $80,000 that has been paid to the purchase. And hopefully we'll be able to tack on another $27,000 to this amount by June. Only with your help.
Thanks,
Michelle
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lemurboy
Dec 12, 2005, 10:24 PM
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I know this wont help the immediate cause, but Miguel should just charge an extra $5 for camping for those coming for the weekend. Out of that extra money it could go direct to access issues. I mean everyone will pay it, Miguels rocks and it would still be one of the cheaper places to stay.
That way everyone pays equally to stay and climb...
Say there are 100 people staying at Miguels on a weekend for 2 nights... there is an extra $1000 right there that probably would have been lost anyway. Over the course of a climbing season we could probable save around $25 000.00 or more
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redpointron
Dec 13, 2005, 12:31 AM
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i will try to keep this on the front page for you michelle. thanks to you and ray for your contributions to red river climbing.
regards.
r.r.
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artsay
Dec 13, 2005, 1:20 PM
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Thank you so much! Any help is appreciated!
So far in one day we've raised $730.16. Thanks to all who are helping! Please tell your friends who love the Red and don't use the internet that we need their help. Donations can also be mailed to: RRGCC - PO BOX 22156 - Lexington, KY 40522-2156
You can check out the status of donations on the front page of: http://www.redriverclimbing.com/ (this amount doesn't include donations received from the RRGCC).
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pawilkes
Dec 13, 2005, 3:19 PM
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charging an extra $5 a night at Miguels would result in many dirtbaggers not being able to afford staying at Miguels for the summer. if you've ever been to the southern region you'd realize that a donation box would have to be built of inch thick steel and protected by armed guards to prevent the locals from knocking it over, there are regular boughts of break-ins in there. i think a donation box at Miguels and maybe Red River Outdoors and Marks would be a more logical solution. im impressed that there has already been $1000 raised, hopefully it'll keep up.
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wes_allen
Dec 14, 2005, 12:46 AM
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Bump, nearly $1,500 so far. Great for such a short time, but still much more to do.
Just so every else is aware, the preserve has so far been possible by the unbelievable contributions of the community, and one person in particular. Dr. Bob Mathany has personally given over $85,000 over the last three years to get this thing off the ground. And he did that by working extra shifts at his job, when he could have been out climbing. Not only that, but on his few days off, he would still do trail work, etc. rather then climb. He has given way to much of himself, and it is now up to us to step up and to keep this climbing area open.
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tnmountainman
Dec 14, 2005, 4:11 AM
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BUMP---- 8^)
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unabonger
Dec 14, 2005, 1:55 PM
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I'll get an item posted at www.wirednut.com tonight! Spread the word!
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j_ung
Dec 14, 2005, 2:02 PM
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In reply to: i will try to keep this on the front page for you michelle. thanks to you and ray for your contributions to red river climbing. regards. r.r.
Got it covered. I'll make this thread the Access Alert and place it top right on the front page.
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mcgivney_nh
Dec 14, 2005, 2:06 PM
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emailed this to all my friends who climb...hopefully i can get some money soon and make a donation.
-Sean
good luck
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dynosore
Dec 14, 2005, 2:06 PM
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In reply to: charging an extra $5 a night at Miguels would result in many dirtbaggers not being able to afford staying at Miguels for the summer.
If you can't pay 5 bucks a day "user fee" to preserve an area that supports your chosen lifestyle's activity, then you don't deserve to climb. This is private land being bought by climbers, if you use it all summer without giving anything you're a freeloader, period. I'm sure if these poor poor dirtbaggers ran out of money for booze & weed they'd somehow come up with it. Working 1 extra hour a day at minimum wage would cover this. Geez people
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chh
Dec 14, 2005, 2:58 PM
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thanks for keeping this on the front page guys. RRG is my "home" crag and I love it.
'tis the season and my climber friends are getting donations to the rrgcc in thier names for Christmas this year, or memberships if they aren't already.
If you've got climbing partners that you've been wondering what to get for christmas I think this would be a good thought.
-chh
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fallingrock
Dec 14, 2005, 3:24 PM
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someone needs to set up a PayPal account to accept money for this cause... crucial.
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va
Dec 14, 2005, 3:39 PM
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A paypal account has been set up and to access it, please go to:
www.redriverclimbing.com
Thanks to everyone who has donated thus far! Every bit helps, for certain.
There are 6 or 7 more years left on the mortgage which is being personally financed by the Murray family. If the mortgage does not get paid then it is possible that the Murray family could go to the next eager buyer (who has thus far closed access to Oil Crag and the Arena buy buying the land at the base). With suport though, we won't have to speculate on it.
So if you enjoy areas like the Dark Side and Solar Collector or the newer Shady Grove (including awsome Purgatory) or if someday you'd like to enjoy them or if you continue to enjoy Military (which is NOT part of the PMRP but access to it was threatened but then preserved by volunteers of the RRGCC) then please send a little (or lot) of kharma to the RRGCC's way.
Again, thanks to anyone and everyone who helps.
www.redriverclimbing.com to donate
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jonqdoe
Dec 14, 2005, 5:24 PM
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I think you guys should consider setting up an account where people can make smaller, monthly donations, rather than dropping $75 at once as they're suggesting at redriverclimbing.com. It's much easier for me to send $10 when I get paid (which I'll do tomorrow) than it is to send in one lump sum. I'm not too experienced with paypal, but is there a way to set it up so that it will take monthly deductions or anything?
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artsay
Dec 14, 2005, 5:53 PM
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We broke $2000!!!! :D
It's a wonderful feeling to see climbers show their support like this. Thanks everyone!!
~Michelle
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artsay
Dec 14, 2005, 6:34 PM
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In reply to: I think you guys should consider setting up an account where people can make smaller, monthly donations, rather than dropping $75 at once as they're suggesting at redriverclimbing.com. It's much easier for me to send $10 when I get paid (which I'll do tomorrow) than it is to send in one lump sum. I'm not too experienced with paypal, but is there a way to set it up so that it will take monthly deductions or anything?
No way do you need to send $75! I apologize if it came off that way! We absolutley have received $10 donations....and some $25, $100, and even $150!!! You specify your amount when you donate http://www.redriverclimbing.com/. Any amount is appreciated, big or small. The RRGCC President threw out that number on our site because when dealing with big numbers like this ($30,000) it's easier to break it down by numbers, i.e. 300 $100 donations, 400 $75 donations, etc.
As far as monthly deductions, I don't think out-of-the-box PayPal supports that functionality. Good idea, though!
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caughtinside
Dec 14, 2005, 6:59 PM
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Thanks for posting up with more information, and nice job getting a paypal account going. Good luck meeting your goal. :)
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chearlie
Dec 14, 2005, 7:08 PM
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Damned if I could remember my old lusername. :?
There is a Coalition paypal account as well as other news on the RRGCC website. Even if it's only 10 bucks drop it in, every little bit helps! The Board of Directors is currently outlining strategic initiatives for '06 so more info about membership options and volunteer opportunities will be forthcoming. If you have issues with paypal or do not have an account you can download the membership form and snail mail it to us as well. Paypal is good because we get some contact info but the membership form is great for that as well.
http://rrgcc.org/membership.php
Thanks everyone! It warms my heart that this has made it to the front page!!!!!
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captainstatic
Dec 14, 2005, 7:44 PM
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In reply to: We broke $2000!!!! :D It's a wonderful feeling to see climbers show their support like this. Thanks everyone!! ~Michelle
Thanks also to those posting suggestions for fundraising. We are currently working on our planning for next year and any suggestion or input into this process from the climbing community is greatly appreciated (see http://www.rrgcc.org/.../viewtopic.php?t=267). We hold two fundraising events in the Gorge, one in spring and one in fall. After we complete our planning the event calendar for 2006 will be posted on our website. The RRGCC is also receiving a generous donation of 20% of the profits from the new Wolverine guidebook written by Ray Ellington. With some 2,000 books sold so far that is certainly helping our revenue picture.
Thanks,
Bill Strachan, President
Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition
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weschrist
Dec 14, 2005, 7:57 PM
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I certainly would have dropped some cash in a donation box while I was out there last Oct, if there had been one. But from the other side of the country it is hard to get psyched to save a place you may never visit again, but, I'll throw down a few bucks anyway...
and bump...
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neuroshock
Dec 14, 2005, 8:32 PM
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In reply to: I certainly would have dropped some cash in a donation box while I was out there last Oct, if there had been one. But from the other side of the country it is hard to get psyched to save a place you may never visit again, but, I'll throw down a few bucks anyway... and bump...
you "may never visit again" but if you did, or if you were to move to somewhere closer, i'm sure you'd want it to still be there, right?
also, while it's on the other side of the country, if you had a crag closer to you that needed help financing to save, wouldn't you hope that others (even if they live as far away as, say, the RRG) would donate to help out?
i'm putting my money where my mouth is. (much like my donating to the SCC for Jamestown, AL which i don't foresee actually ever visiting...)
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