Topic: Rainbow Purrs - commemorative donations (Read 4445 times)

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #26 on:** March 03, 2007, 00:15:53 AM »

I agree with that Susanne

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #25 on:** March 03, 2007, 00:11:52 AM »

There are certainly a lot of practicalities to be ironed out before something like this actually gets up and running but it I don't think there should be any that are insurmountable. What I really like about this idea is that it makes it easy to make commemorative donations for either our own pets or for other peoples' due to the fact that we are all contributing to one big pot. If all we can afford is £1 or 50p then that's fine - lots of £1's add up. And nobody will know how much an individual donated or an individual cat raised because that would not be revealed. There will inevitably be times when there are a lot of pets passing to the bridge and some people's finances won't allow them to make a donation for each one, but I think we all just have to realise that this is the case with any fundraiser (such as the xmas auction) in that sometimes money is tight and not everyone can donate as much or as often as they would like. If the money donated is substantially less for one quarter than another it's more likely to do with that kind of thing than which furbabes have gone to the bridge that quarter.

I suppose the wording that is used is important. It would be necessary to make it very clear that it's an opportunity to make donations in memory of our pets as and when we want to and can afford it, and that nobody is expected to donate for every cat.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #24 on:** March 02, 2007, 21:54:29 PM »

I must have misunderstood that then. Maybe it is too confusing at the moment? The other thing (and I know I am being a bit picky, but I always find it better to think of everythign and know it is all covered and everyone happy before starting) is that with the amount of members we have on here, and the amount of cats that do go to the bridge, is it could get very expensive, and someone might not be able to afford to donate to a cat that they felt close to (i.e. I had to wait to do Pebbles tribute on CC cos of how much she had cost me and it was so close to X Mas). I am all for raising money as tributes though, but think there is more work sadly

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #23 on:** March 02, 2007, 21:39:23 PM »

Have to say that I am now starting to go off the idea cos it does seem that some are going to take offence and unless we had something very easy to run without any offence being taken, andd with everyone understanding the principle, then its not worth going down this road.

Maybe I am being too hasty?

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #22 on:** March 02, 2007, 21:36:02 PM »

No i didnt Desley. I said the following, and the whole amount each quarter would be divided equally, exactly so that it cannot be seen which cat got what.

The cats owners would be requested to say where they would like any money to go to and the money each quarter would be split equally between the causes nominated by those owners. The money would be retained in a paypal account for the quarter and then emptied each quarter. Because using a Paypal account would mean there are some minimal fees to Paypal, the outgoings would always be slightly smaller than the incomings.

At the disposal of the funds a notice would be put on Purrs to say £x has been sent to Causes A,B and C in the memory of Cats X, Y and Z.

We know that there maybe higher donations for some cats , just because they are higher profile on Purrs but this would not be a bout whose cat is loved the most or some type of competition to get the most money, just a small tribute to cats who have been loved and cherished over their long or short lives. We on Purrs all know the heartbreak that comes with losing a cat and we just thought to help another cat/s in their memory would be a nice idea.

Some are worried that offence may be taken by some cos no money came in for their cat or only a small amount but I think that we would not say how much came in for any one cat just how much was distributed in equal shares in the quarter. We know how in some cases we have suffered with the owners through their cats long illness or the tragedy of a cat suddenly becoming ill and passing to the Bridge. Its always a shock and our hearts go out to all..

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #21 on:** March 02, 2007, 21:23:05 PM »

But you said you will be publishing how much has been raised in memory of a certain cat - I am just thinking that if say more money collectively is raised in memory of cat a over cat b, it might be upsetting for the owner.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #20 on:** March 02, 2007, 21:15:23 PM »

Desley please see my original post, I cover this

Nobody is going to see how much was donated for any cat

Infact the donations will not be seen at all except by the person running the fund.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #19 on:** March 02, 2007, 20:51:27 PM »

But surely the donations being in memory of certain cats would show if one cat had more money donated than others, so might still be an issue. I think the way CC does it is good, maybe we could vote for a rescue from CC once a quarter an the money goes to them

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #18 on:** March 02, 2007, 19:45:27 PM »

Oh one more thing concerning Desleys point, there is no intention to make anyone feel bad, infact thats what this discussion is aimed at preventing.

There will be no naming of those who made donations or amounts that they donated. It would be just as and when someone wanted to do it.

My purrsonal preference is to keep this aimed at contributions to remember babes on the bridge because in terms of distributing money it will be come too complicated otherwise.

However of course if someone wanted to contribute to celebrate a birthday or what ever in a particular quater, that would be very nice but we have to keep this as simple to operate as possible.

Another thing is that I do not see this as another page on Purrs, the Rainbow Bridge would be as now, only different thing would be that on a new thread under the Rainbow Bridge heading we would say once a quarter where the money had gone and how much, in memory of who.

Contact with bereaved owners would be done behind the scenes when they are ready because of course this will be a very hard time for them.

It is not intended this be a public display, more like shaking a tin and as peeps pass by they put something in the tin if they want to, nothing outrageous, no badges, jusy a gentle thought for those who have gone to the Bridge.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #17 on:** March 02, 2007, 19:33:43 PM »

I am listening to all the ideas

Concerning Elas point, I think we could be waiting a long time cos CC seem to have more pressing matters to attend to, so while this iste still exists then I think we go with what is right for us.

If our home comes back eventually the I am sure that Mandy and Tan will speak at ;length how the CC forum will work, taking into account some of the things that happen on Purrs.

I love CC and hope we got back one day soon but we cant let it stiffle our creativity

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #16 on:** March 02, 2007, 19:25:01 PM »

I had another thought (steady the bus!) and that is to call this PAWS FOR THOUGHT.

That covers remembrance and celebration?

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #15 on:** March 02, 2007, 09:55:25 AM »

I was thinking about Lynn's point and Suzanne's comment and wonder if it would be better to have this as a Tribute Page rather than a Remembrance Page - so we could make donations in honour of birthdays, adoption days etc as well as in memoriam. That way it wouldn't just be on sad occasions that we gave to the good causes. Means we need a different name for it, mind.

Ref Ela's point about CC, it would be easy enough to transfer the scheme if we ever had to as it'll be the members wot make it!

Ela · « **Reply #14 on:** March 02, 2007, 08:44:10 AM »

I was actually was wondering what would happen if CC forum comes back and Tan closes this one. Do you think it would be prudent to wait a while and see that happens to CC?

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #13 on:** March 02, 2007, 08:01:26 AM »

If it can be done so that people woudlnt' feel bad if they couldnt' afford to give money when something happened to a particular cat, then it would be a good idea. Some of us do use CC's rememberance page though, which we pay for, and part of the money goes to cat rescue.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #12 on:** March 01, 2007, 19:12:19 PM »

np ellie lol.............i wondering where today went...........it has just vanished

Ellie · « **Reply #11 on:** March 01, 2007, 19:11:18 PM »

Oooooops soz Sneakie been one of those days

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #10 on:** March 01, 2007, 19:02:33 PM »

Thats what I said in my post LOL............that the money would be spilit equally so just one same amount for all named cats

Ellie · « **Reply #9 on:** March 01, 2007, 18:56:33 PM »

I think it's a wonderful idea and second what Susanne said about naming all the cats together rather than x raised £x

Really hope this idea takes off

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #8 on:** March 01, 2007, 18:29:48 PM »

Yes Suzanne that would be nice to to recognize the anniversaries of our babes on the Bridge.

If we find that we have significant interest then we will trial it with the idea of this being a permanent feature.

As you say it may take a while to iron out any hiccups but we can get there if we try hard enough.

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #7 on:** March 01, 2007, 16:20:33 PM »

I think it's a really good idea although it may take a while to iron out the practicalities of how it will work. I like the idea of donating to a fund on here rather than direct to a charity because if you donate direct you tend to feel the amount has to be higher. If you're donating to a fund you can donate as little as you like as every penny helps and lots of small donations can add up to a significant amount. It's also easier - and lets face it, the less effort that's needed to donate the more there's likely to be donated. It's a nice way of doing something to help other cats while remembering our own cats who have passed to the bridge and/or paying tribute to other purrs pets who have passed on.

I think it needs to be done in such a way as those who donate can leave a short commemorative message but the amount they donate is not mentioned. Then at the end of the quarter, or however long, the total amount could be revealed - eg "£x was donated to x charity in memory of .... then name the pets the donations have been made in memory of". That way we aren't identifying how much was "raised" by individual pets and no-one will feel bad that their pet "raised" less money than someone else's, but will know that donations were made in memory of their pet.

Agree Lynn that we hope there won't be many donations, but it would also be nice to donate even when a pet hasn't died, eg on the anniversary of their death or birthday, or something like that.

CurlyCatz · « **Reply #6 on:** March 01, 2007, 16:01:01 PM »

Of course with abit of luck there wont be much donations at all since that would mean the loss of our furbabes !

Kittybabe (Ruth) · « **Reply #5 on:** March 01, 2007, 13:57:18 PM »

I'm in, as stated before in Cats Basket. Anything in our pudds memories is worth it to me.

Marie · « **Reply #4 on:** March 01, 2007, 13:51:22 PM »

I think this is a nice idea. I have personally been shocked on several occasions when looking on Purrs or CC to find that a cat you have previously seen a picture of or read a story about that has stuck in your memory has left for rainbrow bridge and in these cases I would definitely consider making a donation in their memory.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #3 on:** March 01, 2007, 13:43:14 PM »

I see that nobody seems very interested in this but just wanted to stick my two pennyworth in for thought

PURRS RAINBOW BRIDGE TRUST- IN MEMORIAM..................please correct spelling if wrong (I took you at your word - C)!!

When cats go to the Rainbow Bridge we thought it would be nice if donations could be sent in that would go into a fund that would be distributed say quarterly to cat causes in memory of those cats. It would not be a a lot of money but every little helps.

The cats owners would be requested to say where they would like any money to go to and the money each quarter would be split equally between the causes nominated by those owners. The money would be retained in a paypal account for the quarter and then emptied each quarter. Because using a Paypal account would mean there are some minimal fees to Paypal, the outgoings would always be slightly smaller than the incomings.

At the disposal of the funds a notice would be put on Purrs to say £x has been sent to Causes A,B and C in the memory of Cats X, Y and Z.

We know that there maybe higher donations for some cats , just because they are higher profile on Purrs but this would not be a bout whose cat is loved the most or some type of competition to get the most money, just a small tribute to cats who have been loved and cherished over their long or short lives. We on Purrs all know the heartbreak that comes with losing a cat and we just thought to help another cat/s in their memory would be a nice idea.

Some are worried that offence may be taken by some cos no money came in for their cat or only a small amount but I think that we would not say how much came in for any one cat just how much was distributed in equal shares in the quarter. We know how in some cases we have suffered with the owners through their cats long illness or the tragedy of a cat suddenly becoming ill and passing to the Bridge. Its always a shock and our hearts go out to all.

Some discretion may have to be used if we find that in some months we are over or underloaded with money or cats but it may be worth trialing the idea say from 1 April 2007, being the start of the second quarter this year.

Sooooooooooooo what do you think members of Purrs?

Ela · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2007, 19:39:02 PM »

It is a good idea in principal. Cats Protection have such a scheme and the money is used to provide Commemorative pens to groups up and down the country.

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2007, 18:49:42 PM »

Calling all members!

Some of us were wondering whether it would be a good idea to have an area where we could commemorate our own and others' puds with citations and donations to cat rescues or charities, IF WE WANTED TO DO THIS THROUGH PURRS.

If you think this is a good idea, the question is how best to organise it. There are a couple of suggestions so far:

1) Donations would come to Purrs for onward transmission. We need to check out the legal / audit requirements if we go down this route, which we are currently doing. If you like this idea, how should we decide on beneficiaries? Should it be the donors or the owners of the cats being commemorated (of course, in some cases, these would be the same)?

2) People would post up tributes and pledge donations towards specific recipients. It would be the individual's responsibility to fulfil the donation, the amount of which would not have to be disclosed.

Please everyone share your thoughts on this proposal and if there is demand, we will instigate a scheme

Author Topic: Rainbow Purrs - commemorative donations (Read 4445 times)