Collecting donations for Hurricane Katrina victims

[Angie]

Hi, all!

The organizers of the Southern Comfort Conference have set up a special fund to aid relief efforts in the Gulf Coast region. Part of this message was reposted from a message sent on the Southern Belle Society list. Please take a look and help out if possible.

Thanks!
Angie


http://www.southernbellesociety.com/sbs/BellesInWait/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bellemail/

_______________________________
Hello Again, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I suggest that instead of making a group donation to the SCC
Scholarship
fund, we direct it to the SCC 2005 Big Easy Relief Benefit Fund.

Still make it in the name of the Belles to the SCC, but earmark the
entire
amount to go to the relief fund. Please read Cat's post to the
sccLounge
group below.

This is a VERY important issue, and our dollars will make a direct
difference, perhaps one of life and death, to many people. Yes, you
certainly can make a donation directly. Or the Belles could do it
directly.
But if the SCC adds the money from the sources Cat lists below, the
resulting will be much bigger, and seen as coming from a unified
Transgender community.

So please, PLEASE give this some serious thought, and hopefully donate
your
money. These people, including some of our brothers and sisters, need
our help!

1. Mail your check directly to Cat Turner at:

Southern Comfort Conference
SBS Scholarship Donation
5102 High Ponte Drive
Pensacola, FL 32505

( DO NOT MAIL AFTER MONDAY Sept 5. It will not make it in time, as Cat
is
coming to Atlanta soon afterwards. )


2. Make a donation via pay-pal: The Paypal account that has been set
up
for SBS donations uses the email address of:

SBSSCC2005@cs.com

The name on the account is "Candiceleigh". All monies that go into the
Paypal account will be used for the SBS Scholarship Donation. This is
how
I made my donation.


3. Bring cash to either the SBS dinner on Tuesday 9/20 ( 8:30p,
Cowtippers
) or to the SBS reception Saturday at the hotel. Get it to me, and I
will
be sure to get the money to the fund.

Let's do our bit to help.

Respectfully,

Melissa Lake
Southern Belle Society MOM
Atlanta, GA



>As some of you are aware through private communication with me, the
>SCC Board of Directors has been in private consultation concerning
>what SCC and our community can be done to provide assistance and
>aide to those affected by Hurricane Katrina's damage. As a 501(c)3
>corporation we must adhere to federal regulations and we must be
>completely sure that our actions are not only carried out for the
>right moral reasons, but also conform to the legal requirements. We
>have had thoughtful discussions and believe the following meets both
>requirements and will afford SCC 2005 and its attendees the
>opportunity to provide donations that will the benefit people in
>need while exhibiting the caring and compassion that we all feel.
>
>During our exploration of the various options that might be
>available to us, the use of Scholarship Program Funds was reviewed.
>We determined that this would not be an acceptable action unless
>each and every donor provided signed approval for funds they donated
>to be used for support of the Scholarship Program was received.
>This simply is not a feasible action to undertake, so the use of
>those funds we determined not to be an acceptable option. We had
>planned to announce next week a "Silent Auction" to be held every
>day of the conference, along with a "Raffle" of some items during
>the Friday night "SCC Bourbon Street Buffet, Casino and Cabaret".
>
>The Southern Comfort Conference Board of Directors has approved that
>all proceeds received from the above auction and raffle will be
>directed to the "SCC 2005 Big Easy Relief Benefit Fund". This fund
>will be used exclusively to provide relief to people affected by
>Hurricane Katrina. More specific information will be available in
>the coming days as plans are finalized.
>
>I have had several private emails offering support and involvement
>in whatever SCC 2005 decided to set up. I am requesting anyone who
>would like to volunteer their time, expertise or monetary donations
>to this fund to please send me a private email to the eamil address
>to be set up for this purpose. This email address will be posted
>here on the lounge by Saturday evening.
>
>Thank you all for your concern and please keep the people who are
>living this nightmare in your thoughts.
>
>Love,
>
>CAT
>
>
>
>
>Southern Comfort Conference: http://www.sccatl.org
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>The Southern Comfort Conference Lounge