Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

[HandsOffItsMine]

I've been quiet the last week, I met with a local attorney for help on filing for a formal 501C3 Non-Profit Charitable organization. He would donate his time with the paperwork filing with the IRS, Georgia State Incorporation, GA Business, Newspaper Ad, etc. but not the fees involves with all of them. The cost of the first step would run about $600.

The members on the FB CEGB talked me into doing a cash fundraiser right away for the Fees and an item Auction at the end of February to the purchases for crayons/coloring pencils/coloring books/bookmarks, labels, postage, small operating costs.

I posted an GoFundMe Page on 01.24.14 mid-day, then someone asked for a PayPal option. Heck we all know how Blondie has problems with that "donation button". But I tried it anyway, had the same issues, called PP, guy told me to use the email link if I was using anything outside of a website. That seemed to do the trick!

Last night we hit our goal of $600! This morning we are at $635...any overage will go to our Easter drive to buy supplies! You don't know how excited this gal is!!! I cried and any of my close friends know I don't do that often!

Should you like to help Cyber Elves Gives Back buy crayons/coloring pencils/coloring books or sketch pads to go with the 500 pillowcases we will be sending out to the 8 hospitals for Easter Sunday that our Elves are busily sewing as I type. A $1 will make a difference to a child.

Cyber Elves Gives Back 501c3 Fundraiser by Ruby Lynn Schmer - GoFundMe

We buy them in bulk from Amazon with our Prime account as we get free shipping...

Amazon.com: Crayola 240ct Colored Pencils Classpack 12 Colors: Toys & Games

Huggers to all our M* Cyber Elves who helped to make Christmas such a success by being part of more than 675 pillowcases in less than 7 weeks time!!!

Ruby and Don
Head Elves
Atlanta Headquarters

[GrammaBabs]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Such a wonderful thing you are doing... I have a case and two crayon pouches going in the mail tomorrow..boy theme...will "tuck a buck" in each.. Thanks for being who you are... that's what makes this place special.. so many giving people..hugs, B

[ilive2craft2]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Ruby, it is such an honor to help you in this cause! Your organizational skills and leadership are amazing. Looking forward to all of the great accomplishments that will be done by this group!

The option to be able to donate funds is great for our non-sewing friends - they want to help, but are not sure how. I have also posted on my FB page that I would take fabric donations and I will do the sewing. No takers yet....but I know the word is spreading and that is what is important!

[Wwena]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

This is fantastic. I couldn't find the paypal option? Or did I miss it?

[HandsOffItsMine]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

I'm sorry, I forgot to link the PayPal email link. Here it is:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2GHHF96YGZFVG

[HandsOffItsMine]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Dear Anna,

Thank you for your donation! Your support means so much to Don and I and mostly to the children! We met our original goal to do our first step of the 501c3 filing, any overage currently $135 we are able to buy:

crayons, coloring pencils, coloring books, sketch pads for the Easter Drive - we need 500 sets, so these funds will really help.

Huggers, Ruby and Don

[GrammaBabs]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Can you post your address again? I wanted to mail one and 2 crayon totes today, but for the life of me I cannot find it anywhere on the forum!!!,, I must be blind!! Barbara

[HandsOffItsMine]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Posting on our GoFundMe.com Page & FB Cyber Elves Give Back Group Page

Dear family, friends, friends of friends,

We have reached our original goal of $600 for our 501c3 Non-Profit Charity Filing. We can't thank you enough how quickly we reached our goal!

The overage will be used to purchase coloring pencils, Crayola crayons, sketch pads, coloring books for our Easter Drive. Our Cyber Elves are busy sewing up Pillowcases, Crayon Roll-ups, and Pencil Roll-ups...please help us buy supplies to fill them up!

Huggers, Ruby and Don
Head Elves

$1 can pay a pack of crayons/coloring book/sketch pad at $ store or help us buy in school packs in bulk on Amazon with free shipping with our Premier account.

GoFundMe Donation Link Cyber Elves Gives Back 501c3 Fundraiser by Ruby Lynn Schmer - GoFundMe

PayPal Donation Link https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/websc...=2GHHF96YGZFVG

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Pillowcases and Crayon Roll-ups can be mailed to:

Ruby Schmer
c/o Cyber Elves Give Back
1720 Mars Hills Rd 8-366
Acworth, GA 30101

[auntiemern]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Why would you have to have a 501C3 Non-Profit Charitable organization? I have never done that with the quilts that go to CG PICU. I don't claim any of what I donate on my taxes. Is that something I should look in to? I just do it freely, and have never thought about claiming anything. Is this something I should do? Generally the standard deduction is enough to cover the cost of supplies I think. Hmm, something to think about.

[HandsOffItsMine]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

I didn't do it for all the years that Don and I did charity work, nor the last five years when I got really involved with NICU/PICU quilts or when we started Keiki of Waianae in Hawaii. However Cyber Elves has 7 hospitals (100-150 per hospital x 4 quarters) already across the USA and I get requests from Social Workers/Foster Parents daily. We're adding our 8th hospital with our Easter Roll Out. We can't possibly fund the shipping/additional items on 1 income at the rate we're growing.

Being a Corporate Charity Organization is important, becoming 501c3 fully IRS Non-Profit Organization where donors can use the donation as a tax deduction will hopefully give us a chance to get bigger donations from corporations or local businesses.

My FB Elves actually were the ones to push me into doing the GoFundMe drive after the attorney told me that the fees would not be Pro Bono. I was resistant to the idea, but I'm glad the gals kept pushing me.

We file the first part, then we will have to wait for that paperwork to be stamped and sealed before we can start completing the pages upon pages of 501c3 questionnaire of the IRS.

[HandsOffItsMine]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Thank you Monique and Donna Gulick (not sure if you are a M* member) for your generous donation)! We will be able to buy a bulk School box of coloring pencils, Crayola crayons and 30 sketch pads with these donations! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Huggers, Ruby and Don

[HandsOffItsMine]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Thank you Carol Cross for your donation and being an active elf on FB and in M*!

Huggers, Ruby and Don

[K. McEuen]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

You better bake that attorney some cookies or something. Last time I filed a 501 c 3 application it was 28 pages of IRS BS and a total PITA. I think they are a few pages longer now ...

[HandsOffItsMine]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Yep, Karen that's why no matter how much I batted my eyelashes...he wasn't going to donate the fees as well! Trust me I tried!!

[HandsOffItsMine]

Re: Busy in the Cyber Elves camp!

Thank you Peggy/PeggyM for your donation to Cyber Elves. Sketchbooks/Coloring Books/Crayons will be stocked up on for the Easter Drive. I'm overwhelmed by the generosity of my M* family/friends. Together we can really create a glorious year for CEGB.

Love and huggers, Ruby and Don