Re: AGA memorial fund for Vicki Costley

["Karen Randall" <krandall@rdrcpa.biz>]

Just so you all don't think I'm not paying attention, (I have been, but
everyone else's comments have been so good I haven't needed to say anything)
I think either this version or Cheryl's will work fine.  All you have to do
is look at the last week's worth of e-mail on this subject to know that we
certainly haven't taken it lightly.

Karen

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Erik Olson" <erik@thekrib.com>
Cc: <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 2:03 AM
Subject: Re: AGA memorial fund for Vicki Costley


> Proposed letter I want to send tomorrow:
> --------------------
>
> Hello Lana,
>
> Thanks for your proposal, and I apologize for not writing back sooner.
>
> We have discussed your proposal very thoroughly on the AGA board this
> week.  It's really nice that you wish to honor the memory of your friend;
> it seems like every year we've lost some really great people in the hobby.
> Just a few months ago, for instance, Merrill Cohen passed on.  Merrill was
> an amazing long-term contributor to both the AGA and to the hobby in
> general, between his hardware innovations when he owned Aquarium Products,
> to his encouragement to aquatic gardening in general as part of the AGA
> Management Committee.  Last year we lost Peter Lewis, and before that Al
> Castro.
>
> Unfortunately, while the thought is good, there ends up being several
> practical difficulties with the AGA taking on such a task as a recurring
> event.  First, the AGA has a limited amount of resources, both monetary
> (and more importantly) in personnel to manage such things.  Many questions
> have to be answered for such a fund: What is the purpose (other than to
> honor Vicki)?  Who is chosen to receive it, and why?  Who insures that
> this is taken care of each year?
>
> Second, $25 is a relatively small amount of money.  It is almost too small
> to worry about using for an award.  It would seem much better to pool the
> money together and do a great one-time donation to a charitable or
> conservation organization, rather than spread it thin across an award
> given out many years.
>
> Finally, and this is really the hardest to bring up, from everything we've
> heard, Vicki was a good friend to the AB Forums, but never a member of the
> AGA or involved in our area of the hobby at all.  It would seem fitting
> that AB would be the place where she is honored rather than a bunch of
> folks here who never really knew her to begin with.
>
> Best Regards,
>
>   - Erik
>
> On Mon, 1 Dec 2003, Lana Lawrence wrote:
>
> > BlankDear EriK,
> >
> > I am writing on behalf of Aquaden.com and Aquabotanic.com's Wet Thumb
Forum
> > to request that the AGA consider establishing a award in memory of Vicki
> > Costley, a beloved member of both communities who was tragically killed
in
> > an auto accident last month.  Both communities have money that they
would
> > like to put toward this potential award that would honor excellence in
> > Aquatic Gardening.
> >
> > Vicki Costley was an avid aquatic gardener and encouraged many fish
keepers
> > who she encountered on a daily basis to delve into planted aquaria.  She
> > inspired people with images of her own tanks and she was generous with
her
> > advice for those who needed it on establishing planted tanks.  She was
> > well-read on the subject, not to mention talented with her ability to
> > aquascape.
> >
> > We envision this award being given online on an annual basis, with
possibly
> > a $25-$50 dollar prize.  Aquaden has expressed an interest in sponsoring
the
> > award even after the initial funds of around $400 (combined) run out and
The
> > Wet Thumb community might be willing to do the same.  She was a special
and
> > beloved member of our communities and we feel that this would be the
most
> > fitting way to honor her.  I have also received permission to establish
such
> > an award from her immediate family.
> >
> > Please let me know if the AGA would be willing to establish such an
award,
> > and what procedures would need to be taken in order to put it in place.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Lana Lawrence
> > Aquaden.com
> >
>
> -- 
> Erik Olson
> erik at thekrib dot com
>
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