Our 2nd Quarter FReepathon is Underway!

Click to donate via FR secure server ^ | April 1, 2004 | Jim Robinson

[Jim Robinson]

Woo hoo!! Are you ready for another FReepathon!?

It's time once more for us to raise the funds that are necessary to keep Free Republic on the air.

People have asked me if the $60,000 settlement with the City of Fresno means we won't have to have a fundraiser this time. Well, I wish it could be so, but, unfortunately, it's not.

First of all, we did not actually receive $60,000. After legal fees, mediation fees and other expenses directly related to the suit, we netted approximately $34,000. Of that, we distributed over $10,000 to the members of the Fresno Chapter who were in business and their businesses suffered due to the city's libel and also to the members who met with us regularly on a weekly basis. Then, due to the fact that the city was late with their press release and no media picked it up, we paid approximately $2,000 to run ads in several valley papers announcing the city's retraction.

The approximately $22,000 left over will be used in our operations. We plan to use about $4,000 to upgrade our equipment and $10,000 or more will go for taxes. I plan to use part of the balance to beef up our insurance coverage and also will look into a health insurance plan. The remainder will be used for travel and other expenses. I still hope to visit as many chapters as I possibly can over the next year or so, but obviously won't be doing so in a motor home (you had to have been there to get the inside joke). We'll be traveling in our trusty old FReepermobile van. She's an 11 year old Mercury Villager with 150,000 miles, but she's got good rubber, purrs like a kitten and is pretty good on gas.

So, as it turns out, the settlement has strengthened Free Republic and also has strengthened the conservative position in the City of Fresno. As a result of our suit, the controversial loony peacenik chair person of the Fresno City Human Relations Commission who committed the libel against us and has also caused much turmoil within the city and the city council has resigned "to pursue other interests." Also, the loony liberal President of the Fresno City Council who made some ridiculous comments belittling the suit and the settlement in the Fresno Bee was voted out of office just a couple months later.

So, as I've said before, the settlement is a win, win, win position. It's a win for Free Republic, a win for the City of Fresno, and, ultimately, a win for the taxpayers.

At any rate, we thank all of you who participate on Free Republic and support our efforts and we look forward to another exciting election cycle.

Hope to see y'all either on our road trip and or at the Free Republic George W. Bush Inaugural Ball II in January!!

Go GWB!!

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you, sweetliberty. Sheila, Chris and I hope to be in Arkansas for a few days during the first week or so of June. Haven't set the exact schedule yet, but we plan to spend a couple days in the Ft Smith/Van Buren area and a couple more in the Little Rock area.

[RottiBiz]

Hi, Jim!

The numbers are great. Wonderful beginning and it looks like 8 new monthly donors.

I have to leave for awhile. Be back later.

Also, in post #864 (and others), Mozart Lover wasn't able to get any donation links to work for him.

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you, Grampa Dave!

[Mudboy Slim]

"Become a Monthly Donor...It's an Excellent Investment in this Country's Future!!"

OldDominion FReepers ROCK!!

Quite Sincerely...MUD

[Jim Robinson]

Woo hoo! Thank you, Technocrat!

Go Utah!!

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you, Pete-R-Bilt!

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you very much, clyde260!!

[Jim Robinson]

Ok, thank you, MozartLover!

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you, William McKinley!

Just in:

$50 from Georgia
$50 from Pennsylvania
$25 from Nevada
$30 from Virginia

Thank you Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Virginia!!

[kimmie7]

Monthly Donor BUMP! Keep me at my current monthly level!

Would love to get to meet ya'll, and ride in that first class motor home of yours... ;-)

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you, Ciexyz!

[Jim Robinson]

Great!! Thank you very much, kimmie7!!

[Technocrat]

I'm going to a Battlefield Band concert now, so I will have to check back later tonight. Somebody send me mail at 4 and let me know if we have to go to round 2 :)

[ValerieUSA]

North Carolina, Missouri, Maryland
Never Never Land, Maryland
New York, Never Never Land
Texas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania
Alabama, Wyoming, North Carolina
Never Never Land, Never Never Land
Michigan, California

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you, TonyRo76!

Just in:

$20 from Pennsylvania
$25 from Arizona
$10 from South Carolina

Thank you Pennsylvania, Arizona and South Carolina!!

[ValerieUSA]

Georgia
Pennsylvania
Nevada
Virginia

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you, Bob J!

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you, diotima!!

[ValerieUSA]

Thank You
Pennsylvania
Arizona
South Carolina