First off I don't know how many of you may actually see this because I am probably on 1/2 of all the users ignore list. So I may have to create a new screen name so everyone sees it.
Some of you know that, in my spare time, I run a non-profit public benefit 501(c)(3) youth charity that is fully exempt from state and federal taxes, which means when articles are donated to the charity the donee gets a tax deduction in the amount of the fair market value of the article donated. Thus, for example, if you donate your bowling ball I will give you a tax deduction up to the fair market value of your ball. This fair market value will be from the retail price. As an example, the retail price on an XFactor Deuce is around 230, so I can give you around a $175 tax deduction for your used ball (which is probably close to what you paid for it). This goes for any high end ball.
I will use the proceeds of the donations to pay for the receiving youths bowling equipment, travel fees, lessons, lineage, tourney fees, or any expense related to bowling. Either way you will be helping the youths and also getting a tax deduction for your old balls. Thus you will be helping 2 fold.
I figure that with the end of the season people may have balls left that they will not use for next season, or balls that they just don't want, and what better way to help out the youths than to do it through a charitable organization where everyone including yourself will benefit.
The charitable organization I run is for the poor, distressd, underprivileged and indigent youth so I will need to talk with the youth representatives in your area to find out who those children are so those children can be aided with thier bowling needs. I normally would not do this for bowling but I figure I can give back to the community to which I give so much crap. LOL.
I bet some of you never imagined that I do run a full non-profit public benefit charity. I do this part time as my way of helping out the community. However, if this overwhelms me with work I will need to get some volunteers. Don't worry if you are a volunteer you will be benefited with gifts of bowling stuff too. So, does this sound like a good idea with bowling or am I wasting my time? I already do this with non bowling things and it works VERY well because the donees are happy with thier tax benefits, but most imporatantly it helps provide relief to needy kids. Right now I do it for the benefit of needy kids where I buy them clothes, food, and school suppliers. I also offer them tutoring and pay for their athletic needs in their youth organizations.
Well, any thoughts? Who here would want to donate their bowling balls to help out youth bowlers and to also gain a tax deduction? One thing you must remember when donating for a tax deduction, we don't want junk so I'll have to screen the balls which mean a lot of work. Its not that the charity is ungrateful for the offer, its just that proceeds from a pile of crap will not help as much as proceeed from something decent and it takes the same amount of time and effort to process the crap and the things which are decent. Therefore its time and money management. Acutally, running a charity is a TON of work. Opening this bowling avenue will take a tremendous amount of time and my time is already limited to the mainstream purpose of the charity, thus the need for volunteers if this ever takes off. Plus I only do this part time because I am too busy with work.
This actually means that some of our very own BR youth users will receive aid from the charity. So what do you all think?
Edited on 5/1/2003 4:19 AM
