Members of the Ottawa Valley Mobile Radio Club will be aware that Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), our National ham radio organisation, is in the process of remodelling its Ottawa Headquarters and establishing VE3RHQ, the RAC amateur radio station. Securing of radios, antennas and supporting equipment is being funded out of RAC resources and donations from third parties. The remodelling of the RAC offices is, however, being funded separately out of RAC resources and the ham radio community at large. RAC has issued an appeal for donations from Ottawa ham radio clubs and the OVMRC has been approached for a donation in the order of C$3000.00.
The OVMRC Executive has considered this request and believes that certain support to the RAC HQ renovation is in order. Since RAC-HQ will be established in Ottawa, RAC has suggested, and OVMRC Exec believes, that access to HQ and its facilities would be beneficial to the Clubs of the National Capital, individual hams, and aspiring hams who need access to study guides, training and preparation to write their exam. At the same time, the OVMRC has already established its budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24 as ratified by the Membership vote of November 2023, so any funding over and above the approved budget would have to be approved once more as an extraordinary expenditure of OVMRC funds. Therefore, OVMRC Executive is proposing to the Membership a special fund raising effort to be effected as:
The OVMRC would re-allocate all the budgeted donations from RAC-Defense of Amateur Radio Fund and RAC Foundation, the amount being C$400.00, to the RAC-HQ renovation initiative.
Additionally, OVMRC would draw $100.00 from its cash reserves adding to the above-mentioned reallocation, totalling a baseline donation to the RAC HQ renovation of C$500.00.
OVMRC Executive requests that each club member make a voluntary donation of C$10.00 toward the RAC-HQ renovation, in trust to the OVMRC Treasurer. This is a nominal amount, members may donate whatever amount they feel suitable. The OVMRC would then match each Membership dollar received with a dollar drawn from its cash reserves up to a maximum of C$1000.00. The Membership donations period would run from February 21, 2024 (date of the Club's February meeting) and March 20, 2024 (date of the Club's March meeting). Donor names will not be published to preserve individuals' privacy, kept in Executive records solely for the purposes of accounting. Donations do not qualify as a Charitable Donation under Canadian tax law, so receipts will not be issued.
Examples:
Club's baseline donation: C$500.00
Donations from Membership: C$1200.00
Club matching donation: C$1000,00
Total donated to RAC for HQ renovation: C$2700.00
Club's baseline donation: C$500.00
Donations from Membership: C$500.00
Club matching donation: C$500,00
Total donated to RAC for HQ renovation: C$1500.00
The preference for receiving Member donations is by e-transfer the same way that annual Club dues are paid with a note specifying that the amount is being made toward the RAC-HQ Reno. Cash or cheque donations may be made in person to the Treasurer at the Club meetings scheduled for February 21, March 20, and April 17, 2024.
Executive will call to the Members attending the February 2024 Club meeting, both in-person and by Zoom teleconference, for a motion and vote by show of hands to accept this proposal and for Executive to proceed in implementing it:
"Be it moved that the OVMRC Membership authorises its Executive to proceed with support of the Radio Amateurs of Canada Headquarters renovation as described in the February 2024 edition of Rambler."
The OVMRC Executive thanks the Membership for their consideration toward this initiative and anticipated support of our National organisation.
73,
Your OVMRC Executive Committee.
Appears in: Rambler Vol.66 Issue 6