[pct-l] Donna Saufley/Hiker Heaven Stance on Trail Angel Fundraising

Thu Jul 10 13:20:33 CDT 2014

I agree with Kevin and Donna, without knowing too much about the situation,
and without knowing any of you personally.  There's an obvious (to most)
need to protect and respect the privacy and wishes of the TAs and others
who go out of their way to give their part, discussions of trailwork-vs-TA
aside.  It seems like that entire tenet has been bypassed here.  Were the
listed TAs asked to opt-in prior to being listed?  Or, are they simply
being offered to opt-out after the listing becomes public, maybe even
without being extended that offer in person, maybe just by heresay on an
email list or such?

After a lot of personal experience on the nonprofit organization world (no
I've never been paid for it), the biggest detractor and biggest headache is
when folks with pure hearts and good intentions act before thinking, damn
the torpedoes, full speed ahead.  The toes that get stepped on (sometimes
with legal consequences) were never a thought in the mind of the
instigator.  Critical thought of the plan and of those who would be
effected were never part of the equation.

Eric, I think we all understand that you were deeply moved by your TA
experiences and by being saved on the trail.  Who wouldn't be?  Everyone
here is.  However, though we've never met, it sounds like the right thing
to do to respect and encourage all the TAs out there would be to step up to
the plate, admit that this wasn't well thought out, and gracefully take
down the listings and give up on the plans.  Everyone makes mistakes.  Not
everyone has the balls to say so publicly.  Please take that opportunity.
 We're all working towards the same goal.

2 more cents.

On Thu, Jul 10, 2014 at 10:26 AM, <kevin at kegphoto.com> wrote:

> As a former member of the BMW Motorcycle Owners Association, we would be
> invited to participate in something similar.  However, by design, VERY
> limited information was made publicly available to members of the
> association:  a phone number, your city, and what services you were
> willing to provide.  No names, no addresses, etc...  It was up to you
> receiving the call if you wanted to / were able to help out.
>
> If someone is trying to build a network of trail angel information, I
> might suggest looking at this BMW MOA model.  It affords TAs the
> anonymity they rightly desire (and rightly deserve!) as well as giving
> hikers a resource should they actually 'need' the help of a willing and
> able angel.
>
> The only money involved was the membership fee to the BMW MOA, and the
> little directory was a bonus for joining.  Anything beyond that was
> sorted out between the rider and the volunteer host ("road angel?")
>
> This is probably something the PCTA would be more than capable of
> compiling with the willing TAs, without adding another organization to
> the mix.
>
> My .02.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jul 10, 2014, at 09:49 AM, dsaufley wrote:
> > It seems to me Mr. Fuller that you need a reality check.  Just exactly
> > what is it you've done to build my confidence, or anyone's, before you
> > made a huge splash all over the internet about your trail angel fund?  I
> > have posted this because I don't want people, especially newcomers to the
> > trail angel community, to be hoodwinked.
> >
> > (1) You've done nothing in the trail community that establishes your own
> > credibility (in fact, the opposite is true).
> > (2) You want money to start a trail angel association trail angels did
> > not ask for.
> > (3) You have stated your intentions to represent trail angel needs to
> > possible donors, though no one asked you to be our representative.
> > (4) You've ignored existing respected fund raising organizations (The
> > Wolverines for trail angels and the PCTA for the trail) and seek to
> > duplicate their efforts rather than support them. No one needs a middle
> > man to take another slice out of already scare fundraising dollars, but
> > you want to nominate yourself to this position.
> > (5) Your idea of having trail angels sit on your board to make decisions
> > about which trail angels get money is just insane.
> > (6) Everything you have presented is a regurgitation of information
> > available elsewhere, WHICH IS DISCREETLY LOCATED ON PURPOSE!!!
> > (7) You are trying to gain money and attention by leveraging the hard
> > work and dedication of trail angels while you yourself have merely
> > created (yet another) resource website -- by posting unauthorized
> > information.
> > (8) You are an imitator, not an original. There is already
> > www.planyourhike.com
> >
> > Get this straight:  where and how trail angels announce their location is
> > solely up to them, not you. Some hosts are selective about who and how
> > many hikers they host, and when. Because of the sensitive nature of
> > putting your home address and phone number out there indicating complete
> > strangers can come to your home, trail angels tend to be discreet and
> > post the information in locations only thru-hikers visit. By you putting
> > a trail angel list on the internet and then promoting the crap out of it,
> > you have taken that away, big time.  Without permission you have open the
> > doors wide for the non-hiking community to impact the trail angels, and
> > taken away their to control where, how, and how many people know about
> > them. I suspect that some of them do not even know their information is
> > out on the internet already.  Trail angels can have big problems with
> > squatters and unwelcomed homeless visitors.  And, to rub salt in the
> > wound, you want to pat yourself on the back for that.  What you have done
> > is especially unconscionable in light of the onslaught that is coming
> > next year after "Wild" hits the theaters in December.
> >
> > Others can join forces with you if they wish, but I wanted my opinion to
> > be heard loud and clear so maybe they won't be bamboozled by the bullshit
> > I smell.
> >
> > Donna Saufley
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Eric Fuller [mailto:efuller at planhike.com]
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 2:10 PM
> > To: dsaufley at sprynet.com
> > Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> > Subject: Re: [pct-l] Donna Saufley/Hiker Heaven Stance on Trail Angel
> > Fundraising
> >
> > Thanks for your vote of confidence Donna! Your not in the list nor does
> > it look like you will be.. No worries.. Your thought are duly noted..
> > Thank you!
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > > On Jul 9, 2014, at 1:19 PM, "dsaufley" <dsaufley at sprynet.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > I post quite infrequently on this list, but am doing so preemptively
> today.  A fellow named Eric B. Fuller has proposed creating a trail angel
> fundraising non-profit all over Facebook, and who knows where else.
>  Directly below is my response to Eric’s message.  Eric’s message is
> directly below mine.  He has posted this intent in emails and on Facebook.
>  I have posted my response to him everywhere I’ve found his posts.  I have
> also told Eric publicly that I will bring legal action to stop any attempt
> by him to leverage me or Hiker Heaven in his fund raising efforts.  So this
> is my way of getting word out there that Donna Lynn “L-Rod” Saufley, Floyd
> Jefferson Saufley, and Hiker Heaven do not endorse or support this fund
> raising attempt in any way.  I would greatly appreciate any information
> that would indicate that Mr. Fuller ever uses us (our names, images, or
> references) in any way in his campaign to legitimize his efforts.  Thank
> you.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Donna “L-Rod” Saufley
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ***************************
> > >
> > > Eric:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Here’s my $.02:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I appreciate your enthusiasm, but frankly I don’t know who you are.
>  You came out of nowhere with a failed record attempt, and have spent more
> time promoting yourself and trying to develop a non-profit than you have on
> the trail or in the trail angel community. In fact, you’ve promoted
> yourself more on your failed attempt than actual successful record holders
> have about themselves.  This puts red flags on the field for me.  On your
> Facebook page you state “  Long Distance Speed Hiker <
> https://www.facebook.com/pages/Long-Distance-Speed-Hiker/274285892722994>
>  at Pacific Crest Trail <
> https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pacific-Crest-Trail/105616572804764>  and
> Chairman  <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chairman-CEO/101256216649658> &
> CEO at Eric B. Fuller, Inc. <
> https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eric-B-Fuller-Inc/467010510064112> ”  None
> of this is credible in my opinion.  For me it takes time to build trust,
> and a reputation.  I cannot speak for others, but you have not earned this
> with me personally.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > As far as I know, no one in the trail angel community is asking you to
> assist or promote them.  You should ask trail angels whether they want to
> be featured on your site or promoted by you. Other sites
> >
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