Our Gun Club is in danger.

[cooperhawk]

One reason I've been absent is that I was asked to be on the board of my American Legion Post that owns and operates our gun club.
I also got elected to the Holding Corp even though I didn't run for the job. Well anyway.......
Our post is in dire financial straits. We've had to close our post bar and restaurant due to declining revenue and theft.
We had a female who was in charge of gambling embezzle over a hundred thousand dollars. (She is in prison).
Anyway, we need to address the problem or lose the post and gun club.
The post sits on four acres of prime property in a large metro suburb worth millions of dollars. We have engaged a real estate
brokerage to market it for us. In the meantime we need to address almost a quarter million in debt until it's sold. All the while
we are keeping the members up to date and making sure everything is above board and transparent.
So I have been involved in Zoom meetings a lot. In fact several times a week. This is getting tedious.

Well anyway, with all that and some health issues as well as a new computer....I've been busy and a little weary.
After all, I'm 80 years old.

If we save the post and gun club it will be worth it.

[Shakey Jake]

So sorry to hear. Any restitution from the embezzler?
Jake

[cooperhawk]

So sorry to hear. Any restitution from the embezzler?
Jake

Nope. Don't expect any either.

[cooperhawk]

On the bright side if we are successful we will sell the land, keeping a foot print there, and build a new post meeting hall
and have money in the bank. That's our goal and I think we will attain it.
Our biggest problem was convincing some of the old timers that we couldn't simply borrow money and go on as it was.
It was not a viable operation anymore although it's still the largest post in the state with over a thousand members last year.

[RanchRoper]

Sorry to hear that. I have been asked to get involved with our club up here. I shoot more than anybody I guess so they approached about it.

[BigAl52]

Careful RR those positions have politics written all over them.

[Sir Henry]

Hope you can find a new spot. Our gun club is looking for a new spot because the owner of the land wants to sell it for housing development. The land is owned by Weyerhaeuser and they are pro gun.

[cooperhawk]

The range is several miles from the post and is owned by the post. The only way we would lose it is if the post goes under
and assets are sold off.

[RanchRoper]

Careful RR those positions have politics written all over them.

Can’t see me doing it. No interest in bs.

[BrokenolMarine]

We ran our 501c3 charity for six years, accounted for every penny and every in kind donation. (Equipment, food, etc.). All these years later, we still have our copies of the records. It's a lot of work, and we were surprised to learn, thru the grapevine, about the amount of theft that happens.

Sometimes small...

A donation of six small items becomes five because a coordinator keeps one, for testing.

Sometimes large... Like the case above... Or equipment donated is used only for personal use, never applied for the charity. Funds donated spent solely on administrators, travel, meals, etc.

In violation of charity or club guidelines.

[cooperhawk]

I am keeping records of everything. Paper records. I've experienced some of this before and am cautious.
Another problem is the gun club just hired my wife as their lawyer. Now I'm between a rock and a hard place.
She's honest so I'm not too worried.

[North Country Gal]

Sorry to hear about all the troubles. Hope things work out for you.

[BrokenolMarine]

I am keeping records of everything. Paper records. I've experienced some of this before and am cautious.
Another problem is the gun club just hired my wife as their lawyer. Now I'm between a rock and a hard place.
She's honest so I'm not too worried.

I was lucky, I had a great Treasurer.... Miss Tina. She kept wonderful records and I knew I could trust her. The National Director used OUR procedures as an example of the way TO do things.
When we transferred the Charity to the new leadership, it took hours as we had them sign for everything... and we meant everything. That left no doubt that the things we kept were OURS.


The things we kept were things we bought to use for the Charity, out of our own pocket, but didn't donate. We donated a lot, and those things went.
They were noted on the inventory.

501c3 is a tricky thing.
Clubs are different but have their own worries.
You read about it all the time. We had two signatures required on larger purchase requests, not required at first by National, but OUR policy. Since the President and Treasurer were Married, The VP signed off with one of us or the other.

[GFK]

Sorry about the situation. I am surprised that someone was not watching and checking the books. We have a small club, but a financial report is giving at each meeting. We also send a report of the minutes to each member. So, all members have an opportunity to view the Treasurer's report. It's not a big fund. But, we keep track of the spending. If the club grows, who knows.

[PatientWolf]

Im very sorry to hear about your troubles. My prayers go out that you will be successful in turning things around.

[Headhog]

Sometimes the right person, to fix the problem, gets the job. Seems to me this club knew whom they needed to make it right.

Paul

[Oldbrass]

Sorry to hear about your club. The American Legion is a wonderful organization, one of the reps came to my house once to help with VA claim with great success. I wish your club all the best and Thankyou for helping veterans. I even wish the embezzler good will but there's that Karma thing..

[cooperhawk]

Well, things are moving along. I have a Zoom meeting in half an hour to discuss what to do with the money when we sell.
Then tomorrow another meeting with the lawyers discussing alternatives.
I guess we've had some offers for the land but don't have the details yet.
The city finally gave up and said they don't have the money, so now we should get between 5 and 8 million for it.
I will be very happy when this is resolved.