Donation Box

[Scott T]

OK . . . I think we have beat this dead horse.

If you want to go into to business of entertaining people, charging for admission / accepting payment for viewing or asking for corporation sponsor to offset the cost of your hobby, you need to start a business!

97% of us do this because we want to. The charity thing has come along because of the "reason of the season"
GIVING ! ! !

Do the right thing and STOP!!

Your choices are:

1) Do it because you want to give back to your community.
2) Do it at your expense and your guest's (viewers) generosity could help a charity.
3) Go into the business of entertainment. (You better incorporate and protect your personal assets.)

[FischLights]

Scott T wrote:

Your choices are:

1) Do it because you want to give back to your community.
2) Do it at your expense and your guest's (viewers) generosity could help a charity.
3) Go into the business of entertainment. (You better incorporate and protect your personal assets.)

4) Do it.........Because you just love the LIGHTS!!

[huskernut]

Can others of you out there post some pictures of your various donation boxes?

I am in the charity only camp and would like to collect for the American Cancer Society relay for life.

[Scott T]

huskernut wrote:

Can others of you out there post some pictures of your various donation boxes?

I have been looking and I thinking of starting with this mailbox from Lowes.

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=300817-64152-6200B-10&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3031579&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=sim&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

My Lowes carries it in stock and what I liked about it was the way the door folds down. It has a small clip so that you can put envelopes for people to use. Plus once the donation is deposited, nobody can reach in to get it.

I'm going to modify the door and cover the "US MAIL" embossment. Place a donation placard on top. Then remove the flag altogether.

Then mount it on a steal pole that can be anchored to concrete pad. Maybe, I was thinking of using irrigation valve box to set the concrete pad. This would allow me to remove the Donation box later and just cap off the irrigation valve box.

[Jeff140]

huskernut wrote:

Can others of you out there post some pictures of your various donation boxes?

There are several threads on the subject. Try searching "donation" without the quotes in the search box. Some good examples with photos under the theads. Good Luck!

[Jim Saul]

Scott T wrote:

You will not be able to sleep at night if you see on the news that children of fallen solders are having a hard time paying for college.

ok, you guys and my wife have convinced me. 100% donations.

[Jim Saul]

one last thing kind of on target, i just finished the letters to santa / donation box. I was going to make 2 separate one ones, but but everyone here seemed to think one box labeled letters to santa and a mention of the donations received going to charity on the FM should be good enough.
here is the unpainted mailbox.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6512734&l=f631230791&id=749044399

[jim6918]

OK, I don't know if this constitutes a thread hijacking or not. If so, break out the wet noodles.

First let me say, if I were to collect donations they would go to a charity, but I don't collect donations, and that's because I don't want anybody coming onto my property. My lights are designed to be viewed (and heard) from a vehicle, and I don't want some granny tripping over my curb or slipping and falling getting to a donation box. I don't have any outside speakers either for just that reason. My block is kind of congested and don't want somebody getting smacked by the Family Truckster. I worry enough about fender benders.

I live in a relatively small town and get the greatest satisfaction from bumping into somebody at the store and having them tell me how much they enjoy the display.

Those of you who do collect donations shouldn't take this as a criticism, it's just my preference.

[lightzilla]

Brian Mitchell wrote:

I think that collecting to support the display is somewhat frowned upon by many of us. Everyone I know that has a donation box uses it to give to a charity.

Yet some are collecting for there display now. Some claim work is slow (still working mind you) but they need help $$$ wise in order to keep the display going.

I have no job, no income and I am still doing a display.

I think for some times are changing.

P.S. they have donation buttons on their web sites.......it that different from a donate box out side of the display?