1 February 2023

The SOA Membership rollout that began last August is going very well, having gained us 175 voting members to date. What we see today is the culmination of over two years of planning and effort by the BOD and other interested operators working closely with us.

The SOA Founders Club (FC) is the topic of this email. Eddie Lugo (CAT #155) heard about the SOA start up in March 2022. Soon thereafter we had a phone conversation where Eddie told me, “I like the idea and want to help.” And help he did by sending us a check for $1,000 to help keep the startup ball rolling. At that point we initiated the Founders Club to acknowledge Eddie and future SOA member donors. As of this writing, we have 13 FC Members who have each donated $1,000. We are hopeful to add more. Our goal is 25.

Previous donors did so by simply asking if we needed money, to which the answer was always “yes.” Actually, we wanted to confirm to ourselves that we had a winning concept before asking members to donate money. With the membership level we have achieved, applications we receive weekly, and the buzz we have been hearing, we have confirmed to ourselves that the SOA is indeed viable and popular. It has been well worth the time and expense that BOD members, and other interested operators, have invested.

The FC donation period will be open until the end of May (that will be the association’s one year anniversary). Just how long is a startup period? How long should this opportunity be made available? One year seems reasonable. Okay, I can hear the statement now, “You guys are not going to turn down member donations to the SOA in after May.” Correct, we will not turn any down. However, we will retire the Founders Club drive in May, along with the Limited-Edition plaques.

I am inviting all of you to join the Founders Club. To do so, please send a check for $1,000 (or more if you feel inclined) made payable to USSS-SOA, to Ray McBride at P.O. Box 236, Oak Island, NC 28465. Let us know how you want your name to appear on the plaque and where to send it.

What will your donations be used for? They will be utilized as seed money that will help ensure we meet monthly recurring expenses, insurances, web site development and administration, domain email addresses, unforeseen expenses, plus current marketing costs including Biennial speaker’s fees and related costs. We have lots planned for the Biennial Weekend, the cost of which may not be covered in whole by attending members’ payments. No, we will not be extravagant or anything close to it. However, it is our plan to present you with a weekend worth traveling to.

We have a marketing plan to raise funds in the first quarter of 2023 for the April Weekend, but until then we have had two BOD Members step forward to loan us $20k so we could make our first two deposits with the Hyatt Resort in Cambridge, MD. We have since retired $15k of that debt. Yes, we went out on a limb, but the risk was worth it to those involved with the planning.

The USSS-SOA has applied for recognition as a non-profit corporation under IRS Code Section 501(c)(4). As such none of your donations will be automatically tax-deductible as charitable contributions. However, FC Members will be prominently listed on the SOA web site. Speaking as businessmen, some members have advised they will be deducting their FC donation as an advertising expense. We invite you to check with your accountant for an opinion.

Thanks very much for your attention.

Respectfully,

Dale Holmes
Hawkeye #029
President, USSS-SOA
918-740-3188 (c)
dholmes029@outlook.com