Olympics - The Unwanted Legacy For Charities

[DEEJAYKEG]

As you admire the stadium, the velodrome, the water sports centre, the Olympic Village etc etc, consider how they were paid for and the people in need who will now not receive help because the Games stole the charity cash to fund the building works. The government now says the money will not be refunded till the 2020s! This is shameful!

 

"London 2012 Olympics: Charities who lost funding to pay for the Games 'won’t see their money for another decade'

Money diverted from charity funding to pay towards the cost of the London 2012 Olympics will not be returned to hard-pressed voluntary groups until the mid-2020s, it has emerged."

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/london-2012/9366935/London-2012-Olympics-Charities-who-lost-funding-to-pay-for-the-Games-wont-see-their-money-for-another-decade.html

[little_old_man]

I was reading a story just last night about the Big "O" stadium that was built for the 1976 Olympics in Montreal and how it was just paid off in 2006 and nobody uses it anymore. Most cities want to host the Olympics to make some money, but many have lost billions because of the costs involved. I predict at some point in the near future cities will no longer be interested in hosting the Olympics.

 

I was also reading yesterday that the London trasit workers union said they were going to strike on the first day of the Olympics if their demands for more pay were not met. Talk about extortion. I hope they fire those fuckers as payback after the Olympics are over.

[baldie]

Deejay the national lottery has been a big scam from day one..

I know this because I used to run coaching sessions 3 evenings a week and every second sunday for 3 years for Tag Rugby and Baseball..

And because I did not charge these kids because there parents could not afford it I was not eligable for any funding that was a total of over a hundred kids a week slapped in the face....

With crb checks and insurance and first aid training it was costing me 5 and a half grand a year but we were not classed as a worthy cause.

So after 3 years me and my missus could not afford to carry on..

To apply for funding you have to fill in a 72 page application have a bank account in the clubs name with 2 signature's have been running for at least 2 years,

Cater for all age groups, sexies and disabled, and prove that you have at least 20% of the kids from ethnic minority's.....

Then you must also submit 2 years financial statements for the organisation and explain how you funded it......

It was total bullshit if you do not have an accountant and a lawer helping you then forget it.....

 

But the biggest Laugh It was the Major League Baseball who tried to help us out the most by supplying all the baseball equipment...An American organisation not British. They even helped by covering the kids with Insurance. And the rugby league a bunch of wankers who not only charged us £500 each for our qualifications in tag rugby they wanted us to pay them £65 per child a year for insurance........

In this country if you are not connected or paying someone off you do not stand a chance.....

[hxtr]

What the fuck? Are you serious? Thats a good reason to have a riot. Start smashing some windows and set the place on fire. Ok a bit extreme... how about boycott the Olympics.

 

How is this possible? Is it a sharia law kind of thing?

[Shamu]

I am very cautious about charitable donations and limit mine mostly to animal welfare groups. The only two "people charities" I will support are the Make a Wish Foundation and Wounded Warriors. I am also a token donator the the Ronald McDonald House. Make a Wish and Ronald McDonald House have origins in Philly

 

http://www.wish.org/

 

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

 

Unfortunately too often charities are like welfare and only serve to keep people unemployed and useless. Not to even mention the corruption often found in charitable organizations.

 

Yea, I know, I am a bitter old man. Very hard for me to find any sympathy for charitable donations dropping.

 

Bottom line, if you choose to donate to a charity take the time to do some research as to it's operation and effectiveness.

[hxtr]

I am very cautious about charitable donations and limit mine mostly to animal welfare groups. The only two "people charities" I will support are the Make a Wish Foundation and Wounded Warriors. I am also a token donator the the Ronald McDonald House. Make a Wish and Ronald McDonald House have origins in Philly

 

http://www.wish.org/

 

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

 

Unfortunately too often charities are like welfare and only serve to keep people unemployed and useless. Not to even mention the corruption often found in charitable organizations.

 

Yea, I know, I am a bitter old man. Very hard for me to find any sympathy for charitable donations dropping.

 

Bottom line, if you choose to donate to a charity take the time to do some research as to it's operation and effectiveness.

I did volunteer computer work for Child Advocates http://www.childadvocates.org/ in the 90’s. Since I was doing server work for them I started attending meetings. I was expecting the conversation to be about how to improve and reach more kids. The only thing they seemed to talk about was how to make more money. I was very disappointed and I stepped away.

 

And Shamu a friend of the family who was wounded in Vietnam missing a leg and most fingers on one hand and other damage got a 2 nice golf bags 3 months ago. Gave one to my father as he does not need two. They send him stupid shit all the time like cups, hats and shirts.... you know advertisment stuff. Money well spent. What a way to help a vet.

 

Sorry rant over... and off topic.

[DEEJAYKEG]

What the fuck? Are you serious? Thats a good reason to have a riot. Start smashing some windows and set the place on fire. Ok a bit extreme... how about boycott the Olympics.

 

How is this possible? Is it a sharia law kind of thing?

 

I am accused of being a "grumpy git" due to my complete lack of enthusiasm for anything connected with the Olympics. In addition to despising the way that money has been appropriated, I see them as contaminated by the politicians and corporate sponsors like Coca Cola and McDonalds. It is nauseating to watch Prime Minister Macaroon and "Mad Boris" talking about them on TV. So, though it'll hurt them not a bit, I shall boycott the Games.

[DEEJAYKEG]

I am very cautious about charitable donations and limit mine mostly to animal welfare groups. The only two "people charities" I will support are the Make a Wish Foundation and Wounded Warriors. I am also a token donator the the Ronald McDonald House. Make a Wish and Ronald McDonald House have origins in Philly

 

http://www.wish.org/

 

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

 

Unfortunately too often charities are like welfare and only serve to keep people unemployed and useless. Not to even mention the corruption often found in charitable organizations.

 

Yea, I know, I am a bitter old man. Very hard for me to find any sympathy for charitable donations dropping.

 

Bottom line, if you choose to donate to a charity take the time to do some research as to it's operation and effectiveness.

 

Though I am struggling to find something in this post relevant to either the Olympic Games or theft of charities' cash by government for non-charitable purposes, the final suggestion is common sense. By law, all charities in the UK have to file their accounts with the Charities Commission and they are accessible online for scrutiny. Donors can see how much is taken in overheads.

 

However, it is a convenient cop-out for some to make non-specific allegations of fraud or waste against charities in general to somehow validate their personal decision not to donate for the benefit of their fellow man. That is their decision and it requires no justification until they stand before God for judgment.

 

Shamu, your description of charities serving to keep people "unemployed and useless" is ridiculous. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

[DEEJAYKEG]

 

I was also reading yesterday that the London trasit workers union said they were going to strike on the first day of the Olympics if their demands for more pay were not met. Talk about extortion. I hope they fire those fuckers as payback after the Olympics are over.

 

I don't know where you read that but it's fiction. They aren't.

 

The Border Agency officers who check passports at the airports were going on strike but that has now been called off.

(Only 20% of their union members bothered to vote in the ballot and just over half voted to strike so it was no big deal anyway.)

Their grouse was that their members are being made redundant (1,000 too many in the last year) leaving Heathrow and oher places

unable to cope!

[little_old_man]

I was also reading yesterday that the London trasit workers union said they were going to strike on the first day of the Olympics if their demands for more pay were not met. Talk about extortion. I hope they fire those fuckers as payback after the Olympics are over.

 

I don't know where you read that but it's fiction. They aren't.

 

The Border Agency officers who check passports at the airports were going on strike but that has now been called off.

(Only 20% of their union members bothered to vote in the ballot and just over half voted to strike so it was no big deal anyway.)

Their grouse was that their members are being made redundant (1,000 too many in the last year) leaving Heathrow and oher places

unable to cope!

 

If you Google "London Transit Workers Strike" you will find many links from various news organizations. It looks like there is not going to be a strike becuase London was left with little choice but to meet the union's demands and give them raises before the Olympics. At least that's what I surmised from a few of the links.

 

Here are some examples.

 

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/London+Olympics+More+setbacks+transit+workers+threaten+strike+Nadal+pulls+injury/6961576/story.html

 

http://espn.go.com/olympics/story/_/id/8029369/london-bus-workers-threaten-olympics-strike

 

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/story/_/id/8180226/olympics-2012-threatened-worker-strikes-affect-games

 

http://www.atu.org/media/releases/transit-union-shows-solidarity-with-striking-london-bus-workers

 

http://www.adballa.com/2012/07/feliciano-lopez/setbacks-nadal-threaten-workers-injury-out-strike-london-more-due-olympi

[PimpedOutPete]

I was reading a story just last night about the Big "O" stadium that was built for the 1976 Olympics in Montreal and how it was just paid off in 2006 and nobody uses it anymore. Most cities want to host the Olympics to make some money, but many have lost billions because of the costs involved. I predict at some point in the near future cities will no longer be interested in hosting the Olympics.

 

I was also reading yesterday that the London trasit workers union said they were going to strike on the first day of the Olympics if their demands for more pay were not met. Talk about extortion. I hope they fire those fuckers as payback after the Olympics are over.

 

You are correct, the Montreal Olympics was a financial disaster for that city. There are some sucess stories as well. I live in a host city, Calgary, Alberta, Canada which held the 1988 winter Olympics. Our Olympics has been considered the most successful Olympics, artistically and financially.

 

Many of the facilities built for the games are still used today. They act as training grounds for many athletes around the world. As a nation with a relatively small population, we went from winning only a handful of medals in Calgary to settting the modern record of most Golds by a country and second in medal count behind the US.

 

The legacy of our games has lived on, something we Calgarians take pride in... I hope London feels the same way, years after the games of 2012 are over.

 

[Joe Canadian]

Canada won the most gold medals ever (14) during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Pete, but winter and summer Olympics are two completely different type of events

[little_old_man]

I live about 2.5 hours from Sqaw Valley home to the 1960 Olympics. It's still a big tourist destination and popular ski resort.

[PimpedOutPete]

That is the record Joe.. 14 gold medals by one nation at a winter Olympics.

[Joe Canadian]

That is the record Joe.. 14 gold medals by one nation at a winter Olympics.

 

Yes, but your post was missing the word "Vancouver" lol

[PimpedOutPete]

Ops! You are correct.. I didn't..

[Shamu]

 

Shamu, your description of charities serving to keep people "unemployed and useless" is ridiculous. You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

 

Just a matter of opinion that "free stuff" often has a negative effect in a persons desire to be self sufficient.

 

Here in the states it is very well known that many people simply choose to stay on welfare because it's easy money and eliminates their need to work for a living. I doubt England is much different with those on the "dole"

 

Charities are by no means on the scale of welfare but there are instances where charities could contribute to the same mindset.

 

Hence do your research and contribute where it does the most good.

 

And I do not know that I would solely trust a government endorsement on a charity.

[Shamu]

 

And Shamu a friend of the family who was wounded in Vietnam missing a leg and most fingers on one hand and other damage got a 2 nice golf bags 3 months ago. Gave one to my father as he does not need two. They send him stupid shit all the time like cups, hats and shirts.... you know advertisment stuff. Money well spent. What a way to help a vet.

 

Curious if that was the Wounded Warriors organization. I will be disappointed if it were.