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Seems like a lot of new names & faces have popped up over the past couple months. They're getting lots of questions answered and lots of help with their new possession. That's great!....just as it should be.......

It's been awhile since $$ support has been brought up for discussion....Maybe now is a good time?? I think Bill is sometimes hesitant to bring it up himself, so maybe someone from the Old Farts Club should start a thread?...... Just a thought........

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Welcome to all the new members, and we think it's gratifying to all of us Barth owners that there is still such interest in these fine coaches more than 10 years after the last one rolled off the line.
We're sure you appreciate, as we have for many years, the willingness and knowledge to help with almost any question pertaining to Barths. When you add to that the entertainment of the forums and Get-togethers, you have to admit it's a pretty neat deal, and it's all due to the hard work of one man, BillNY, and to Dave, the original caretaker of this site.
As we're sure you are aware, keeping a site like this up and running is not free, and BillNY is not the kind of guy to beg, so we'll do a little for him.
Many places on the site have a place where you can donate via PayPal, or Bill can give you an address to send a good old-fashioned check.
The amount is up to you, but $25 a year has been spoken of as an acceptable amount in the past. Of course, if this site has saved you a bunch of cash in some way, perhaps you could make it a bit more.
These are NOT dues, and are NOT mandatory for the use of this site, but you will get the cool little "supporting member" logo beneath your name when you post.
We make this appeal as a members, not an administrator of any kind, and hope you can see your way clear to support this fine site.
Nick Cagle, Towerguy, Lee, Jack and Danny.

I was asked to post this letter as a group instead of as one poster. It's a little odd, because I didn't ask for this. Well, at least not directly. Let me explain...

I run a forum based website that does not collect dues. I offer nothing more than a supporting members badge, like you see below my name, for any donations that you send to help offset the costs.

I normally start a donation pitch right around April 16th (day after taxes) because I really don't want you to send me anything more than you can really afford.

Let's face it... this year was a really tough one for most of us. I don't know anyone who wasn't directly affected by the financial meltdown that occurred and basically bottomed out around that same time. I couldn't possibly ask for donations at that time because everyone was running scared.

It's true, I do not like to ask for financial help. I am so grateful for our members and for what we have here, I feel that it's like asking a family member or friend to borrow some money.

So, I've been paying the bills and shuffling around like the rest. Only, I have this website to support too when the donation stream doesn't keep up with the bills. I don't have to tell you, it's been ruff for a lot of people, myself included.

Yesterday the financial institutions touted 10,000+. I wondered has my stocks recovered, has my bills magically paid themselves off, has my neighbor been forced back into his house instead of being forcibly evicted just the month before?

I don't know where this crazy ride is taking us. But, I do know that the beat goes on. Bills do have to be paid... Thank you for your time and consideration, thank you for the group of members who have helped me on this site, thank you to all...

I am sure, that if given the chance, many more people would have signed this letter. I did not initiate it, but evidently I must have been giving off a vibe or something.

To give context to the statement, "...I didn't ask for this. Well, at least not directly." The power of prayer does work.

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If you can afford to help, and you have already donated to other more worthwhile causes, and you have money left over burning a hole in your pocket, you can help our site out by... PayPal: The button is located on the barthmobile.com front right side of page. If you don't do PayPal, contact me via email at bill_ny@barthmobile.com & I will forward you my home address.

Fellow members, I pay my household bills online and have included Barthmobile.com as a monthly bill to be paid along with the others. The amount I pay each month is only $20.00 but I receive that back tenfold in the amount of help and fun that I get each month from this site. If I can do this on my limited income I would hope that many others would follow suit and help us out as we all profit from this site in one way or the other.

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Originally posted by Mary Ray:
The amount I pay each month is only $20.00 but I receive that back tenfold in the amount of help and fun that I get each month from this site.

Mary, you're making me look like I'm ripping off a little old lady.

I have repeatedly asked Mary to stop sending me so much money. She is retired and on a fixed income.

The last time I asked, she not only ignored me, she scolded me for ruining her fun and told me that she would donate as she sees fit. She then upped it from $10 a month to $20 a month.

I really don't think she can afford me to tell her to stop again.

Respectfully, dear sweet Mary Ray...
If one of you can tell her to stop, or at least to calm down, it would make me feel better.

On a lighter note. I am so happy that you have fun here. I am happy to have met you at the Choo-Choo GTG last year and I was really looking forward to seeing you again this year in DC. I am so sorry that didn't happen.

If I needed this money for something else I would keep it but I don't think 20.00 a month is gonna put me in the poor house, the command center might though lol. You are not "ripping off" any one as I give this money freely and get much more in return. You are the one getting "ripped off" by having the responsibility to pay more than you take in.

This is a rather old post so if you're new to the site you might go up and read the whole thing. I just wanted to add that the site also gets a few pennies from sales of really cool Barth stuff, and when you call these people you can get an English speaking person who knows what they are doing.
Not to be confused with the CD and binder that you can order directly from Bill.
http://www.cafepress.com/barthmobile