Message from Polycarp

[Liberal]

As some of you may know, Polycarp and his wife, Skulldigger, have been real life friends of ours now for several years. I just spoke with him by phone to check up on their condition which, a couple weeks ago, was quite dire.

Several things hit them all at once. A tree fell, bursting the water pipe that led from their landlady's water connection to their home. And so they had to carry water from her house in buckets. Poly is essentially disabled, and Skull's hours were cut back severely. They could no longer afford their electricity bill (or their ISP charges for that matter), and their electricity was cut off. They were cooking on cans of sterno. To top it all off, the water pump went out on their car, and the landlady, due to the condition of their home, was being forced by ordinance basically to evict them.

We offered at that time to come to their home immediately, and bring them down here to live with us rent free for as long as they needed to recover. (They're about, oh, 150 miles away or so.) But Skull loves her job and believes it will pick up soon.

Fastforward.

They are now living with a friend very close to their old place. Poly has a special gift and much experience in molding young men, and so the friend is using his services to help with her rather wayward young son. In any case, without writing a novel about all the details, suffice it to say that things are looking very good for them now. They are able to begin saving some money, and they will soon be able to fix their car.

So anyway, Poly asked me to share this with all of you. He sends his love and respect. He says that they will have DSL service within the next week or so, and he'll be back. Until then, in case you had wondered why he was posting only here and there (they had an extenstion cord from their landlady's house to theirs, which they had to use for everything — the computer was a low priority), he'll be back very soon.

Lib

[lieu]

If soundness of mind, intellect and character were indicative of a person's wealth than I would have rightly surmised that Polycarp was a multimillionaire several times over. He's certainly one of the richest guys I've ever read in any number of ways.

Sorry about the streak of bad there, Poly, but so glad to hear everything's on the mend. If you'll allow us to help in some way I'm sure more than a few of us would be honored to have the opportunity.

Best of luck, pal, and hope to see you here again soon.

Thanks to you too, Liberal, for keeping us in the loop.

[Thudlow Boink]

What lieu said.

[Captain Carrot]

Thritto.

[Larry Borgia]

Thanks for the news. Best wishes to Polycarp.

[BrotherCadfael]

and quarto.

[Shodan]

And quinto.

Regards,
Shodan

[Dinsdale]

Good news indeed.

[Guinastasia]

Ouch, that's awful. I hope things are okay for them soon.

[Chez Guevara]

Polycarp is a top man and I'm glad things are looking up for him.

[jayjay]

Oh, my...I had no idea things were so bad! I'm very happy that things are looking up for them, though. Give Poly my best wishes, please, Lib.

[Spoons]

Another agreement with lieu. Sad to hear the news but glad to hear things are getting better, Polycarp. Looking forward to your return!

[E-Sabbath]

I thought he'd just shuffled off to domebo or giraffe!

If there's anything we can do to help, all he has to do is ask. He knows that, though.
My very best wishes to both of them.

[Marley23]

My god, that's terrible- they'll have DSL service??!?

Polycarp's one of the most loved and respected posters here for damn good reason and I'm sorry they're going through all of this. I hope all of this starts to get resolved soon and that he'll find the time to check in with us now and then.

[Covered_In_Bees!]

lieu said it better than I ever could have.

[tdn]

Thanks for the news. I had no idea.

[Harmonious Discord]

This goes to show the good people have hard times too. I hope they keep having an upward trend. Then we have Liberal offering to help.

Let us know sooner if the situation changes again. Thanks for the update.

[Gary "Wombat" Robson]

Poly already knows if he asks for help, we'll jump in to provide it, but please reiterate that to him, Lib. I know, he won't accept it anyway, but that won't stop me from trying.

We're looking forward to seeing him back on here soon!

[Kolga]

Thank you for the update and please give Polycarp my best wishes.

[Autolycus]

Wishing Poly the best.

[Shirley Ujest]

Good luck to Poly and Skull!

[Earthworm Jim]

Lib and Poly, check your PMs.

[Enderw24]

Wishing Poly-Skull the best in their life's recovery. Hope to hear from them soon!

[Liberal]

Couple of updates:

I was mistaken about the water pump on the car. It is actually the fuel pump, which Poly says is inside the gas tank, which means major labor costs.

Therefore, Skull has decided to sell their car for junk. It has always been a junker, with this or that breaking every week or so. She wants to buy a used car in the $2,000 range. They have saved $600 so far, and are able to put back about a hundred dollars a month.

That means, of course, that it will be more than a year before they can afford a car. Meanwhile, Skulldigger is getting to work thanks to the charity of a good person from their church. That person is taking her to work and picking her up every day. (She works only four days per week, and Poly is unable to work.)

So that's the scoop. I have not contacted the admins about any sort of fund raising campaign, nor has Poly asked me to. I know that $1,400 is a lot of money, and ordinarilly we (Edlyn and I) would have it ourselves. But we have committed to a contractor already for work around the house. We simply cannot spare that much.

Do y'all think I should contact Tuba or someone to launch a fund raising campaign? I can't handle it myself. I mean the money collection and all that. I don't even do Pay Pal. But if someone would be willing to do that, and if people think I should PM Tuba, then I will do that. I will also contribute $100 of my own personal money. (It's not a part of our house account). That'll leave only $1,300.

Can we (and should we) do this?

To those of you who have PMd me that you will help in any way you can, this is the need.

[Yllaria]

I can't judge how Poly will react, but I'd certainly be willing to contribute. I'd think of it as paying it forward from times when folks have helped me.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Another fundraiser?

Sounds good.

[rocking chair]

absolutely! i would be honoured to help anyway i can.

[Hal Briston]

Let's do it...

[twickster]

I'm not sure what the protocol is -- or if he'd be willing to accept the money if we raise it. I'll check with the other mods and get back with an answer ASAP.

In the meantime, send Poly and Skull (whom I met at Gettysdope several years ago, I don't know if they remember) my very best wishes.

[Liberal]

Thank you, twickster! He will accept the money with humble gratitude, I'm sure. We just need a coordinator. Maybe rocking chair. Or Hal.

Whoever will coordinate, we can all PM that person to get an address to which to send our checks. Thanks everyone! These are great people (Poly and Skull) who would help any of us if they could.

[ragerdude]

Yes, let's do it!

[gardentraveler]

Thanks for letting us know. I'm in on the fundraiser as well.

[vivalostwages]

I will chip in what I can.

[Liberal]

But who will co-ordinate? Who will collect these funds and pass them on to Poly? Whoever is willing and able, please announce it.

[Hal Briston]

I'll be happy to coordinate, but there are a few things to know up front:

1) I'll be going on vacation in three weeks. Not really a big deal though -- it would be best if everyone who is going to contribute would do so right away, so we could get the funds to Poly asap. So, as long as we made a cutoff of, say, June 20th, then a check could be sent to him on Monday, the 22nd.

2) If folks want, funds could be sent over via PayPal. However, I have a premier account which means that PayPal takes a percentage (2.9% + 30 cents). The tradeoff here is that payment can be made via credit card.

So, if someone else wants to do it who has a basic PayPal account (no fees that way), then it's cool by me. If not, then I'll get things set up to get this rolling tomorrow.

[E-Sabbath]

Originally Posted by Liberal

Couple of updates:

Can we (and should we) do this?

To those of you who have PMd me that you will help in any way you can, this is the need.

Of course we can. May we? I'm doing well enough that I can put a little something in. Say when and how, and it shall be done.

[Liberal]

Originally Posted by Hal Briston

I'll be happy to coordinate, but there are a few things to know up front:

1) I'll be going on vacation in three weeks. Not really a big deal though -- it would be best if everyone who is going to contribute would do so right away, so we could get the funds to Poly asap. So, as long as we made a cutoff of, say, June 20th, then a check could be sent to him on Monday, the 22nd.

2) If folks want, funds could be sent over via PayPal. However, I have a premier account which means that PayPal takes a percentage (2.9% + 30 cents). The tradeoff here is that payment can be made via credit card.

So, if someone else wants to do it who has a basic PayPal account (no fees that way), then it's cool by me. If not, then I'll get things set up to get this rolling tomorrow.

As far as I'm concerned, I say "go". I will need to use a credit card anyway, since I don't have a pay pal account per se. Or I can send a check to your address, but pay pal would be quicker.

I also like the idea of a deadline. We'll raise what we can. It doesn't even have to be the whole amount. If the end effect is that they must save for two or three months instead of fourteen months to get their car, then we will have blessed them mightily.

So, if no one has any objection, I say go ahead and set it up. Just let us know the process. I've used pay pal to pay by credit card before. (For this membership in fact.) But I don't remember how I specified SDMB. We just need that kind of information.

I'll make my payment the moment you set it up and instruct us how to pay.

And thank you. You're a good egg.

[Salem]

If I might make a suggestion, Hal. A postal check might be the easiest thing to send. It's secure and no waiting to deposit and have it clear, etc. Make it out to either of them that would be best able to get to their local post office, show their license and they'll get the cash right away with no hassles.

[Ruby]

You know, it takes a story like this to put some things in perspective. Finances suck for us right now, but not nearly as bad as the situation that Poly/Skull have found themselves in. I'll be watching this thread for contribution instructions too. I've admired Poly for many years now and it would be an honor to help them any way I can.

[Quartz]

Good to hear they're on the mend. Hopefully I'll get a job soon and be able to contribute something more than my best wishes.

[Zoe]

Just waiting for instructions on where to send the Paypal funds. You can PM these instructions if you had rather do that. Glad for a chance to help out.

And thanks to you too, Lib.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

I'll need a snail-mail addy to send a check.

[twickster]

Originally Posted by twickster

I'm not sure what the protocol is -- or if he'd be willing to accept the money if we raise it. I'll check with the other mods and get back with an answer ASAP.

The mods are united in "good lord, let's help any way we can!" (not surprisingly). Rico has some experience in setting these things up, so he can help Hal (or Shodan or whoever) get started with this.

So keep your checkbooks and credit cards at the ready -- we'll have something up and running soon.

twickster
who became a mod because she loves the community that we truly are

[Hal Briston]

Ok, I've got everything all set up. You can either mail over a check, send money via your PayPal account or you can use a credit card via PayPal. Each Monday for the next few weeks I'll total up everything that came in that week and send a check to Poly.

I've set up a quick-n-dirty page that gives all the relevant info, which you'll find here. Thanks all!

[E-Sabbath]

Done at 9:45 AM, Saturday. (Just so you know which it was)

[Liberal]

Great, Hal. Thanks! I paid by credit card (actually, debit card), but I upped it enough to cover the charges. Thanks for setting all this up.

Note to all: if you choose the pay by credit card route, you have to click the Update the Total button BEFORE you continue. Otherwise, it doesn't understand that the amount you typed in is the amount you typed in, and you'll have to start all over with name, address, cc number, and everthang.

[Liberal]

Originally Posted by twickster

The mods are united in "good lord, let's help any way we can!"

Gracious and humble thanks to you and all the mods. I really didn't know this was going to develop into a fund-raiser, or else I would have contacted you first. Y'all are good eggs.

[Hal Briston]

Couple of things --

I don't know if there is a "note" field or anything on the PayPal Donation page, but if so, it would be helpful if you could include your doper handle -- I'm getting your real names, but I have no idea who's who. If there isn't a field like that, then I'd appreciate it if you could just send me a quick e-mail with your real name and handle.

Second, just in case anyone is scanning quickly through this thread and didn't see the itty bitty link in my last post, let me make an obnoxious version:

Click Here To Donate

[Liberal]

There is such a field as I recall, but I left it blank. I'm PMing you with my real name and amount.

[twickster]

I'm gonna sticky this so people will be able to see it.

Lib -- when you talk to Poly, if he's recalcitrant about accepting money, pls. remind him that the sometimes the greatest kindness you can do for others is to let them help you.