Lets incorporate and get a 501c3

[keeperx]

A 501c3 is a "not for profit" organization. if we could collect enough dues from members to come up with the 300$ filing fee (thats a yearly cost) and file the papers to obtain non profit status, we could recieve AMAZING discounts on things like VENUE RENTAL for our meets (using those awesome college auditoriums with 400amps of 3 phase power)

i guarantee that the money we would save the 300&$ yearly cost at the first big meet. that means purchasing anything related to lasers and the actual laser meet, you buy tax free

This is for the US members (sorry Europe)

Anyone with ANY experience in this area should look into helping us out.. its majorly worth it.

[mliptack]

If we ever meet in Milwaukee (anyone interested in a midwest meet?) I would be able to work out deals with a few very nice venues...

I am not going to toss any venue's names out here, but the possibility is always there.

[platinum]

PL as a whole is a little spread out for something like this, I think.

Are you suggesting we all meet somewhere at some point? I don't argue that having non-profit status is a big plus for venue rental and other things, but there are also individual costs for travel and lodging to be considered.

Perhaps expand a little on the meeting part of your idea. Are you talking about a USLEM more or less? Regardless of non-profit status, I don't think T-shirt sales would cover the venue costs if 150+ laserists got together for a LEM. Not to mention the organizational nightmare it could end up being.

-Jonathan

[300EVIL]

If we ever meet in Milwaukee (anyone interested in a midwest meet?) I would be able to work out deals with a few very nice venues...

I am not going to toss any venue's names out here, but the possibility is always there.

Hey mliptack,

Check out this thread.... http://photonlexicon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5728

[mliptack]

Jonathan,

The simple fact of being a non-profit can gain a lot of distance as far as rental costs etc.

The FLEM UKLEM etc., can all still happen under the Non-Profit name that way they can all benefit.

Evil, I responded to that thread.

-Max

[platinum]

Jonathan,

The simple fact of being a non-profit can gain a lot of distance as far as rental costs etc.

The FLEM UKLEM etc., can all still happen under the Non-Profit name that way they can all benefit.<snip>

No argument here on that, at all. I was focusing more on the idea of doing a large US meet and what that would take as far as cost/effort.

[mliptack]

right but I dont think that a USLEM was within the scope of benefits involved with incorporating - because you are right it would be terribly expensive.

[mixedgas]

why a 3 day conf in canada wasnt bad price wise if we shared hotel rooms with 2-3 people in a room. 130$ canadian a night for the room and about 125 for the conf fee. This did not stop some rooms having 4-5 people. Beer was extra, but came in a barrel. Various tabbaco substitues were also avalable. That came with about 6 meals.Canadian chicks have manners, dont wear t-shirts and jeans, have straight teeth, and are pleasant to flirt with.

Dispite everybody thinking the holiday inn at Selem is the cat's meow, there is a super 8 one exit back down the road that was 1/3rd the price and a nice pool.

Steve

[James Lehman]

I've been involved in the formation of a couple of 501C3 's and I've done websites for a bunch more.

HELL YEAH!

Keeperx, you are a freak!

Y'all gotta' love this guy. He's getting it all together.

Thanks.

James.

[buffo]

One note: SELEM's venue (the Newton-Conover Civic and Performance Place) already gives us the non-profit rental rate even though we're not formally organized as such.

Also, I think it's unlikely that you'll ever get 150 people to a "USLEM" event. Travel costs, schedule conflicts, and a host of other variables are always going to conspire to prevent that. (*Most* people that bring their own equipment will end up driving to the event. Not too many people are willing to embark on a cross-country road trip though.)

Then too, smaller events are easier to plan. Even so, it's still a lot of work. (Trust me! ) I couldn't imagine trying to pull together a 150 person event. For example, the ILDA cruise only had around 40 people, yet I'm sure Christine Jenkins and the rest of the folks at Lasernet had their hands full getting that to work. 150 people would be unprecedented.

I think that the non-profit status might make more sense for an individual - especially if they wanted to do laser shows in public but didn't want to make any money other than what was needed to recoup their investment in equipment. Then, if they wanted to host a LEM, they could use that non-profit status to try and negotiate a better deal.

But I don't think it's a good idea to try and classify the whole forum as a non-profit entity.

Just my $.02

Adam