I don't want to be jaded

[GP_Matt]

I have been thinking about recent events on CP and like many of us I feel swindled. I was so proud of CP and to be a part of it so my first thought was to say never again. Treat everyone like a scammer and you will never be burnt again. I don't want to live like that though hence the afternoon of contemplation.

I think the problem with occasional jihads of support is that the candidate is often self selected. Most people would never take advantage of charity but apparently there are enough who would to make a lot of people distrustful.

CP is a great community and I think a lot of us benefit from being members. I know I have gotten a lot of good advice, info, deals, recommendations and even a sweet coffee table out of my association with the forum. I do think that we should give back from time to time and a classic jihad is a great way to solidify the community. The problem is in the selection.

If there is interest I think we should identify a charity or cause as a group and lend our support. The answer to scammers should not be to become angry and jaded it should be to double down and show that we are better than the scammers and rise above it.

Please do not turn this into another witch hunt, there are already threads for that.

[Patek23]

It's the Internet. This is a website with thousands of users. When I first signed up it was a small community with a chunk of guys with a lot of hockey knowledge. Most of those guys have moved on now and it's a different scene here. There's a niche group of self back slappers that patrol the majority of the board and many other little "sub" groups I notice. Such is life when things grow this big. I wouldn't let one bad apple ruin your view.

[rubecube]

Meh, I'm not going to take one bad incident and make a bigger deal than it is. This board has been around for almost two decades, with numerous causes, and this is the first time anything of this sort has happened. It sucks for the people who got burned, but I wouldn't worry about it becoming a trend. There are still plenty of good people and good causes on here that shouldn't be branded with the iron as one particular ding dong.

[handgroen]

i honestly have no idea what anyone is talking about

[rubecube]

^^

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=151501

[chemgear]

I posted in that thread but I'll copy it here too. Don't let the exception mess it up for everybody else that truly needs help and support.



http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...&postcount=254

I didn't really follow the original fundraising efforts but I have been reading up on this thread with dismay.

A lot of people (and charities) are having a rough go of things in Calgary and across Alberta right now. Please don't let this . . . debacle . . . dissuade you from lending a hand elsewhere if you are able or so inclined. Political joking aside (thanks Obama/NDP/Santa?), there is genuine need in our community that will likely only increase in the near term.

It sounds like the CP community really stepped up originally and I have great hopes that it's just a small sample of the generosity and compassion out there.

Maybe this post isn't needed at all but wanted to at least mention it. Hope it isn't too presumptuous.

[flylock shox]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

If there is interest I think we should identify a charity or cause as a group and lend our support. The answer to scammers should not be to become angry and jaded it should be to double down and show that we are better than the scammers and rise above it.

I think that will arise organically at some point in time. There are lots of causes that pop up over the course of the year, some connected to members of CP, some connected to the hockey world, others to Calgary. I don't know if we need to go too far afield to identify something.

I also don't think recent events will discourage many of those who helped out from helping out in future. Niceness tends to overcome things like this over time.

That said, if any CPers volunteer with charitable organizations, perhaps they could make that known so the community could back that cause.

It also might be cool to sponsor a kid in a developing country - helping out while molding them into a Flames fan with some neat swag. I could see people getting behind that, and the costs are pretty low if memory serves (edit: about $500 a year through World Vision for the pride of knowing you've helped save a child from potentially becoming a Canucks fan).

Anyway, I don't think we should sweat this recent stuff too much. It's just life.

[nickerjones]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

If there is interest I think we should identify a charity or cause as a group and lend our support. The answer to scammers should not be to become angry and jaded it should be to double down and show that we are better than the scammers and rise above it.

I am all for this. We are all hockey fans and I would assume a lot of us play. Let's create a charity event around this.

[Fuzz]

I've been living under the general assumption that people are a-holes until they prove me wrong. I call it The Ikea Principle.

You know how when you go into Ikea, almost everything looks really nice and fancy, in a simple way, but underneath you know it is most likely particle board or single stitched fabric barely held together long enough to hold itself upright? So as I shop Ikea and approach something, I just think, piece of crap, piece of crap as I get closer, assuming it is going to let me down. And usually it is a piece of crap, so I am not disappointed. But every once in awhile though you can find a real gem. Something made of solid would with well engineered hinges and slides. And that makes me happy. And that's basically how I view people. Far less disappointment that way.

/yes, my friends might use the word "cynical" to describe me.

[surferguy]

When your friends do call you cynical do you show them a pickle and tell them to "Dill With It?"

[Fuzz]

If I have a pair of sunglasses handy, absolutely.

[Travis Munroe]

With less than 12 hours left in the year does that take the story of the year on CP?

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

It also might be cool to sponsor a kid in a developing country - helping out while molding them into a Flames fan with some neat swag. I could see people getting behind that, and the costs are pretty low if memory serves.

Most of these, you don't really get a certain kid. The money goes to support things in the community, like a clean well or something, which ultimately helps everyone out much more than one particular kid getting money and presents.

A couple things that might fit nicely with the forum's theme, would be that organization that provides sports equipment to kids from poor families so that they can join sports teams or, if you'd rather give time, Big Brothers/Sisters.

But everyone will have their own ideas about what's important to them. I don't do gofundme things because often it's people who aren't necessarily scammers, but have priorities I don't agree with. "Help me pay for my dog's vet care because I can't afford it after I spend money on my wedding" type things. I donate my time and money to organizations that have a specific mandate that I agree with, rather than individuals who may or may not be what they seem.

[2ArmBands]

I think it would be a tremendous idea for this community to align itself with a good cause/charity here in Calgary and perhaps beyond. Obviously it would be kind of awesome if it was hockey related like "Jump Start" or whatever.

Don't know if you guys listen to the FAN at all but these guys have a pretty cool thing going:

100mencalgary.com

[flylock shox]

Originally Posted by Amethyst

Most of these, you don't really get a certain kid. The money goes to support things in the community, like a clean well or something, which ultimately helps everyone out much more than one particular kid getting money and presents.

A couple things that might fit nicely with the forum's theme, would be that organization that provides sports equipment to kids from poor families so that they can join sports teams or, if you'd rather give time, Big Brothers/Sisters.

Yeah, I think even when you get to sponsor a particular child, it's a bit of an illusion in that the support is spread throughout their community. However, for an internet forum - where relationships are virtual anyway and people are far flung - it's an illusion that could help bring donors together. Otherwise they might as well just give money individually to any cause they see fit to. Sponsoring a specific kid at least provides some grounding, if that makes sense.

There's lots of kids who don't have much in Canada too though, and would benefit from some generosity. I suspect we do need something thematic or personal to unify people behind the cause though. Again, something to ground a virtual community.

[Travis Munroe]

If this comes to actually be something - I will donate $100 for every CP deal I do in 2016.
Just an idea - saving our donations all year and sending as many kids from the childrens hospital as possible to a game next year

[CaptainCrunch]

Meh, I knew as soon as I donated to that guys 'm homeless thread that there was a good chance that it was a con job.

Its great that people reached out and donated to a dirtbag that took us all for a ride.

I think I'll go back to donating money to charities that I can see and research, and forget about people with sob stories looking for individual hand outs.

The sad thing is I have a set amount of money that I give to charity each year, the money, and I forget how much I put into that account means less goes to something deserving.

I hate to wish ill will on a person, but I'm kind of vindictive that way. Here's hoping that he chokes on the phallic object from a greek statue that falls on him when he's in a museum.

[Johnny199r]

Go fund me type campaigns generally leave me suspicious. I'm not surprised PimKing turned out to be a fraud. I see so many of these campaigns that just seem distasteful "help me pay off my university tuition!." His responses often left a bad taste in my mouth. That's why I didn't donate.

But hey, charities are a tough one to crack, knowing if your money is really going to work as you intended. Just check out the below article where the Red Cross raised half a billion dollars for Haiti which resulted in them building just 6 houses: https://www.propublica.org/article/h...-built-6-homes

[handgroen]

6 grand is not that much money in the grand scheme of things.
i would not want to have to delete my entire online existence for 6 grand.
and CP is great! i saw dion and his brother on the train going to the flames ducks game. good seeing you buddy. happy new year everybody.

[GP_Matt]

I wonder if there is a way to sponsor a refugee kids to play hockey or something.

I love the idea of a local charity that we can get behind as a group to sponsor/volunteer and make a difference. Last year my main donation was to the food bank so I think I will do the same this year but going forward would be happy to help a group drive.