URGENT: The future of VWCamperFamily.com

[Big Blue's Driver]

Hey all - I have an update about this site that we probably need to address as a group. So I am looking for feedback and ideas (and action?) on how to move forward.

As you know, this site is powered by Ning. We own the URL, but they control all the content and the login info, accounts, etc.

Ning just announced a pretty big rate hike.

Up until now, the site has cost about $240/year to run. I've always paid it without issue as I felt like it was a small price to pay for the community to be together.

Ning is going to raise their rates to $588/year on October 1st. As you see, that's a huge increase, and one that can't be hidden from Mrs Big Blue's Driver so easily.

So, I'm open to ideas, but we don't have a ton of time to decide.

Option 1: abandon Ning and try to put some sort of forum in place like TheSamba.com has, which is free, but not so user friendly as Ning. Note: we own VWcamperfamily.com, so we can do anything we want with that URL.

Option 2: pony up the $$$ to stay on Ning. How? Fundraiser? Pass the virtual hat? Problem is they could potentially just keep raising the price each year. I'm fine with paying the $240 I have been paying, so we'd need to raise like $350. And then raise it again a year from now. and a year after that. and. and.

Sponsorship: One idea I had was to find a sponsor. Perhaps a business in the VW community would pay the $350 or even the full $588 to be a sponsor. I'd be happy to put their logo on the site and work with them on making it known to the VW world that they are covering the cost of the forum. Or maybe even a few sponsors at a lower rate?

Okay - your turn. Let me know what you think. Happy to hear all thoughts good and bad.

Thanks,

Brett

[Big Blue's Driver]

Yeah - solid donations people. I got about $60 through Paypal as well, so the total is a little higher. I'll shut down the gofundme this afternoon - as soon as I figure out how to do it! Perhaps the Bothe-Napa campout holds a "drinktank" (rather than a thinktank) on some options for the website for the future.

Thanks for all the help keeping the lights on!

[Craig & Barbara]

westywoman said:

I vote for a planning meeting at Bothe-Napa State Park sometime between now and next May.

Just not end of this month for we're heading up to Medford for a smoked salmon competition :-)

[KampnKing]

Howdy!
I'd be willing to sponsor the Napa Drinkfest.
The main challenges are the continuous amounts of rain in the winter and bees in the spring.
One April I had to change campsites due to swarming. Maybe I just hit it at the wrong time.
Damn the rain! If the "Wet Westies" group can brave the monsoons, so can we!

[Shari G-E]

Hey, it looks like I missed the window to chip in. I have used the site a few times, and I want to see it continue (even though I am no longer a VW'er, all y'alls good people. I'll be glad to chip in for something in the future. Thanks Big Blue, for managing all this for so long.

[Joe]

Could we perhaps make a run of stickers? Charge, I dunno, maybe $3.00 and use the remainder to pay the annual fee? There are plenty of people all over the world who would pony up for a sticker.

[regis101]

3 bux?  Put me down fer two