To all members:
Some exciting things are happening here at
Four State QRP Group. Up until
the last few years, the club was small enough
that individuals could take
personal risk in buying parts and supplies to
produce the kits that fund
OzarkCon each year. However the number of kits
and sales increased
to the point that there was a serious
financial burden on a few people who were
using their own credit cards and bank accounts
for purchasing.
To eliminate the burden and potential
liability to those individuals we had no
choice but to create a non-profit and put in
place the structure required to
maintain it. We aren't unique in that respect.
Sooner or later every
successful club that sells kits or other
fundraising items, and began with
"no rules - no officers - no dues", will reach
the point where they
need to
make a decision to incorporate, or otherwise
restructure their activities.
Ron Potter, AG1P, guided our effort and we are
now incorporated as a non-profit
in the state of Missouri.
This had to be done as the tax and legal
implications on individuals were too severe to
be ignored. Incorporation
required officers and a board, a list of which
is included below.
Income from kit sales has been sufficient to
fund Ozarkcon
and we continue to work with volunteer
designers to come up with new ideas,
several of which are now in development. Our
goal to not become a big
profit making organization; in fact it's the
opposite. We intend to only
have enough money in the bank to fund 2 or 3
OzarkCons, and to sell enough
kits to continue at that level, thus ensuring
a bright future for OzarkCon.
We also see Four State
as an educational facilitator,
providing a venue for
members to learn electronics principles and
skills, with rf-related
subjects being the primary focus.
I hope you understand and support our reasons
for taking these actions.
Some members have already stepped up to help
us through our infancy as a
non-profit. Other volunteers will be needed in
the future. If you have a
passion for QRP and would like to help, please
contact me, Ron, or any
board member. Together we can continue to
provide a quality experience
at OzarkCon every year in early April.
Current Officers and Board members:
Officiers:
President: Terry Fletcher, WAØITP
Vice President: Jim Kortge K8IQY
Sec'y/Treasurer: Ron Potter AG1P, Tom Brown
W0MFQ backup
Board:
Johnny Matlock, AC0BQ
Walter Dufrain K5EST
Rich Fowler K8MEG
Herb Case WR9H
Jim Kortge K8IQY
Dave Cripe NM0S
Paul Smith N0NBD
Ron Potter AG1P
Terry Fletcher WA0ITP
---------------------------------
I love this radio stuff !
72 WA0ITP
www.wa0itp.com
www.4sqrp.com
