Chamber Day 2006 - Open for Business!!!

[Ken Kurtis]

THE CHAMBER CHALLENGE 2006

Each year the diving community also raises extra funds during Chamber Day through the Chamber Challenge. These are unrestricted funds are vital to the operation of our Chamber. Simply put, you donate at whatever level is good for you, and then “Challenge” your friends and associates to match you.

Although contributions of any size are welcome, we have a tiered level of donations as follows:

Gold - $1,000 & up
Silver - $500 - 999
Bronze - $100 -499

All Gold donors will receive special recognition from our Chamber for their donation. Contributions can come from individuals, clubs, stores, boats, publications, etc., etc. If the company you work for has a matching grant program, that will also be appreciated.

Donations can either be made by e-mail to ChamberDay@aol.com or by calling Reef Seekers Dive Co., the co-ordinating store, at 310/652-4990 or through the secure server at www.chamberday.org. Cash, check, or credit card will be just fine and dandy but please join in the effort.

Here are the people who are getting us started. It's a great mix of divers to get us underway.

One of the gratifying things about this event overall, is that it's a great opportunity for the entire SoCal dive community to put aside the petty bickering that sometimes divides us, and pull together for the greater good of the community as a whole.

We appreciate those who have already joined in supporting our Chamber and we look forward to adding many names to the list. So . . . who's next???? Who's gonna push us over $4000???????

CHAMBER CHALLENGE 2005 - $3890 total
(Updated 3/31/06 @ 5:50PM)

Gold ($1,000 and up)
Ocean Institute
Kendal Raine

Silver ($500-999)
Karl Huggins

Bronze ($100-499)
Scott Cox
Diver.net
Gary Romanik
Jeff Mandel
Susy Horowitz
Tessa Alburn
Michael Gallagher
Debbie & Derek Karimoto
Michael Swinney
Frank O'Donnell
Ocean Adventures


Ken Kurtis
Chairman, Chamber Day/Eve 2006

 

[scubatomwetzel]

Christian, my table is almost full. Just a couple of spots left. It has always been a fun night and visiting allot of friends.
:wave-smil :wave-smil :wave-smil:wave-smil :wave-smil :wave-smil

Tom

 

[Chamber Day]

We're well under way with Chamber Day & Eve preparations and wanted to share the logo for the Flying Dutchman with you, because we think it came out especially neat this year. (Kudos to local artist Ken Niles who is our designer.)

As you may know from nautical lore, the Flying Dutchman was the name of a mythical ship doomed to sail the seas forever and never reach port. In our case, the Dutchman is not quite so dire.

For Chamber Day, the Flying Dutchman is a mythical boat and our answer for those who want to say they “dove” the event. You won’t really be going anywhere, but you’ll get all the other benefits of Chamber Day participation. There will be an on-board raffle conducted just like on all the other boats and you’ll get a Chamber Day t-shirt. However, those who dive the Dutchman get a special limited-edition Flying Dutchman Chamber Day shirt AND a poster of the logo. The ONLY way to get these two things is to "dive" the Dutchman. (We literately shred any leftovers after the event.)

Cost for the Dutchman, like all the other boats, is $85 (but you don’t have to pay for food & airfills) which includes your t-shirt, on-board raffle ticket, and five Chamber Day raffle tickets. And it’s a great way to feel intimately involved with the event if you can’t get away for the day.

To sign up for the Dutchman, either go on-line to “www.chamberday.org” or call our co-ordinating store at 310/652-4990.

 

[Chamber Day]

We're almost to $5000 . . . and it's only the beginning of April. Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come.

As you know, the Chamber Challenge is terrific for the Chamber because it's not only unrestricted funds but there's no cost involved here (like t-shirts of dinners, etc. with other aspects of the event). So 100% of these monies are available for the Chamber to use.

And lest you think we're crying wolf at times over the importance of the Chamber, you'd probably get an argument from the diver who was treated over the weekend for a bends hit. What would have happened if our Chamber hadn't been there, staffed and ready to go? There's no way to tell and there's no need to even ask the question since our Chamber IS available to us on a 24/7/365.

But the best way for you to help keep the Chamber strong is by supporting Chamber Day is whatever fashion you can and at whatever financial level you can. So come on! Who's gonna push us over $5000? Who's next??????

CHAMBER CHALLENGE 2005 - $4990 total
(Updated 4/4/06 @ 6PM - last updated 3/29)

Gold ($1,000 and up)
Michael Emmerman & Pat Stockhausen
Ocean Institute
Kendal Raine

Silver ($500-999)
Karl Huggins

Bronze ($100-499)
Jerry Nickelsburg
Scott Cox
Diver.net
Gary Romanik
Jeff Mandel
Susy Horowitz
Tessa Alburn
Michael Gallagher
Debbie & Derek Karimoto
Michael Swinney
Frank O'Donnell
Ocean Adventures


Ken Kurtis
Chairman, Chamber Day/Eve 2006
www.chamberday.org

 

[MHK]

I have 2 spots remaining for the May DIR-F class that I will be teaching locally (Casino Point).

Consistent with my challenge to fellow instructors, ALL of the proceeds of this class will be donated to the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. GUE has also agreed to donate their fees to the Chamber as well. So if you have been considering taking a DIR-F class this is the perfect opportunity to take the class and help the Chamber at the same time.

PM me for additional details, or visit www.gue.com for class requirements.

Thanks

 

[cool_hardware52]

I have 2 spots remaining for the May DIR-F class that I will be teaching locally ( Casino Point).

Consistent with my challenge to fellow instructors, ALL the proceeds of this class will be donated to the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. GUE has also agreed to donate their fees to the Chamber as well. SO if you have been considering taking a DIR-F class this is the perfect opportunity to take the class and help the Chamber at the same time.

PM me for additional details, or visit www.gue.com for class requirements.

Thanks

Michael,

That a great and generous gesture. Good luck with the class. The chamber is a worthwhile cause.


Tobin

 

[MHK]

Michael,

That a great and generous gesture. Good luck with the class. The chamber is a worthwhile cause.


Tobin

Thanks Tobin. I'm hoping that a whole bunch of other local instructors will follow the lead. I'm in discussions now with PADI and NAUI to help bring them on board.

Can you imagine how much money we could raise if every instructor locally donates simply one class per year? The numbers are mind-blowing.

If you assume 300 instructors [ which I think is a low number], even using the $99 class price point and 10 students per class. If you get 300 instructors to do this using the assumptions above, that's $297,000.. Even if you assume a 100 instuctors donating $99 classes at 5 students per, that's still $49,500.

This is an easily achievable goal. I've just been swamped with tax season but do plan on undertaking an all out assault on this effort post 4/17th ;-)

Regards,

 

[DiveNav]

MHK,
I posted this on the other board ..... not so sure if you got it.

" ........... maybe a variation to your original idea could be to have a "Chamber Class Day" (pick a day between now and 5/3) during which day all participating Instructors donate the "proportional" income to the chamber .... if an OW class makes you $99 and runs over 5 days ... then you donate $19.8 ..... multiply this for 300x6 (as per your example) and still you get a nice @23,760.

Now, you could promote the same concept to the students - to match the donation made by their instructor .... any class given in that specific "Chamber Class Day" has an "optional" cost of $19.8 (a letter could be given to the student in which the student will be "encouraged" to donate $19.8 - to match the Instructor's donation - directly to the chamber - or the instructor could collect the money from the student and then process the donation himself on behalf of the student).

So, using again your numbers you get an additional @23,760 for a potential total of $47,520!!!!

Maybe not the big number you are shooting for, but certainly much more affordable for instructors / and students

Why don't we just pick a date - (like Sat. 4/29) and declare it the "Chamber Class Day" (or something like that ...) and then we could heavily promote it to the instructors / students?

Myself I am planning to take a Search and Rescue class before chamber day and I am looking for to match my instructor's donation.

AM

 

[Chamber Day]

We've passed $6500!!! But we've still got a long way to go.

The folks getting us over this latest hump are none other than Sport Chalet. They've come through with a corporate donation of $1500. Not only that but Jeff Lichtenstein, one of their senior Veeps WHO'S NOT EVEN A DIVER said he thought it shouldn't like a good idea and he kicked in $1q50 of his own money on top of the corporate donation. (And this is on top of the two boats they sponsor and the three tables at Chamber Evening they'll.) So many thanks. There's no question that through sheer numbers, it may seem easier for Sport Chalet to dip into the coffers fro a donation, but the point is that it's nice to see stores steeping up and making donations in addition to any promotional support we get and we hope to see some more stores (in addition to Ocean Adventures, previously acknowledged) on this list soon.

So, store, instructor, diver, or whomever . . . WHO'S NEXT????? Who will help us get over $7000???

CHAMBER CHALLENGE 2006 - $6640 total
(Updated 4/7/06 @ 2PM - last updated 4/4)

Gold ($1,000 and up)
Sport Chalet
Michael Emmerman & Pat Stockhausen
Ocean Institute
Kendal Raine

Silver ($500-999)
Karl Huggins

Bronze ($100-499)
Jeff Lichtenstein
Jerry Nickelsburg
Scott Cox
Diver.net
Gary Romanik
Jeff Mandel
Susy Horowitz
Tessa Alburn
Michael Gallagher
Debbie & Derek Karimoto
Michael Swinney
Frank O'Donnell
Ocean Adventures


Ken Kurtis
Chairman, Chamber Day/Eve 2006
www.chamberday.org

 

[headhunter]

Chamber Day and Evening are only a little over 3 weeks away.

As is the case with any very popular event, the demand for seats at Chamber Evening is higher than the supply of seats.

At this moment ScubaBoard has an nearly empty table.

Be sure to call Ken at Reefseekers and let him know that you will be attending if you are interested.

If we do not fill the table by the end of this week, Friday April 14th, then we are going to release the table to those who are now trying to get a seat at Chamber Evening. If the table is released, our group will be combined with another group. We'll still all be able to sit together, but will no longer have our own table.

This is a great way to support our local chamber and of course to get yet another chance to have dinner with our fellow ScubaBoard members.

So, call Ken Kurtis at Reefseekers by dialing 310 652-4990 and make your reservation.

See you all there!

Christian