Any ideas or suggestions?

Suggest not signing up for a triathlon forum and then asking for donations as your first posts...the spin about proposing at the end detracts from any true altruistic goals of raising money for charity.

Reminds me of this VVVV

Can you send me $100?

---

I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

 Somehow I don't think this is the crowd that is going to fund ya.

Why do I feel like we are just funding the ring purchase?

Also, think about it... is this what SHE wants? You proposing at the end of a race? Sounds like you're making it all about you...

Well since the donations would be going straight to crowdrise which is Ironman specific fundraising platform and I have no access to the money you would not be funding the ring in anyway. (And fyi I already have the ring)

As for not having any true altruistic goals, I will be honest I signed up for this as a way to get in the race, not saying I don't car about helping people because I do (ask the families I have helped when I did church work camps (basically they are just like habitat for humanity).

And no I'm not making this all about me and it is something she would love.

Also, I understand that it is a first few posts for me, and if you wanna donate then great, if not suggestions for different fundraising methods would be greatly appreciated, there is no need to come in here talking all bad when you don't know the whole story, I have nothing to hide, so instead of making assumptions about me or my motivations, maybe you should ask first.

As of now I am asking anyone and everyone I can, I am also selling homemade candles, scents, etc, also selling coupon books to a local restaurant to help me raise money. I do have a little more money raised then is on the site already but I am waiting till just before the first deadline of June 8 in order to get the maximum amount in with the minimum amount going towards the website(since they charge a transaction fee, and putting a larger chunk in at once will allow more to go to the charity then putting in $20 here and there)

Yeah your making this all about you. By your own admission you want funds for the race not because you care but primarily that you can do an Ironman. The proposal is just a justification to ask for money. A proposal is something every married guy has done, I do not think it should be funded by others. Its a free country so you are free to ask. So, your married propasal would be a disappointment if has to be done in a way you can afford? ..............I don't get it...............You gonna tell her how thankful you are that you only proposed this way because other people gave you money for it?

I think public proposals are kind of cheesy. But to each his own.

It does seem a play for attention instead of an intimate special moment. It, to me, sort of rings of, "look at us we need some attention." And asking for money from strangers as a firsts time poster just adds to the bad taste.

It's more I wanted to do it a unique way, and I'm doing the race either way, just asking for help with the fundraiser

Your trying to make me come off as a selfish person when I am not in anyway selfish, when people need help I am typically the one they turn to, I have done plenty of other fundraisers in the past and charity works projects.

Also by using that logic 99% of the people are doing the fundraise me so I can race not because they wanna help people but because they wanna do the race, which I will not believe. Yes there are a lot of selfish people out there, but there are still a lot of good ones out there too (they typically just don't make a good news story)

So I ask, again, unless you have suggestions to help me, don't come in here and criticize acting like you know everything about the situation or the person posting (me)

Your trying to make me come off as a selfish person when I am not in anyway selfish, when people need help I am typically the one they turn to, I have done plenty of other fundraisers in the past and charity works projects. //

But since you just came here and your first posts were these, we have no way of knowing what kind of person you are, or your motivations. Even though there are 10's of thousands here posting, we are a pretty close knit community here, and we know each other pretty well. Too well in some instances. (-;

So any negativity you are getting is just for this reason, so don't take it so personal. We just really don't know you and you are asking for money from us. I know the internet is this new age thing and all, but kind of like a total stranger coming up to you at dinner and asking for $50 bucks. It would seem rude and I'm sure you would just say go away. He could have a very good reason and story to need that money, but it would be the approach that would turn you off.


So that is all it is, good luck with your mission. And if you feel like it, come on over here and join us in the many and varied discussions we have here. Lots of great info from A to Z, and from some of the most knowledgeable folks in the business. Or you can just go over to the Lavendar room and trash you least favorite politician, or get a movie review from a couple dozen completely different personalities. You can even find some great micro brews over there too..

Dude, you came on a public forum for the first time, you are going to get public responses. If you do not like criticism, don't publicly post. If you are just asking for the fundraiser like you just stated, why throw in the proposal, unless thats is a reason to ask for money.
Said all I have to say. Like I said its a free country so you have every right to ask. Good luck to you

Don't be that douchebag.

So just to be clear: rather than paying to race you are asking strangers on the Internet to fund a local community charity that benefits residents of Chattanooga in some way. In return for this you get to race for free and tell us about how you are planning to propose to your girlfriend. Am I missing anything?

I don't understand why the donations aren't flowing in by now...

- Proposing at the end of a long race has been done 100's of times. I've personally seen it done at least 6 times at Ironman. You can do better than that.

- You are not doing a good job to communicating what donated money would go towards. If I didn't know better it sounds like allowing you to race an Ironman and propose marriage. Do you ask for donations from strangers for your vacations also?

- 1000's or ST forum readers raise money for various charities, but never post here asking for donations. Why do you think that is? No, really think about it.

Ding, ding, ding......We have a WINER^^^^^^

Saves $700 in registration fees by asking others to raise money.

OP, add $700 of your own money to your fundraiser as a show of good faith and you might get a better response here.

What amazes me is that he seems quite surprised and indignant that people are objecting.

Frankly the gall of people today astounds and amuses me.

I would totally donate to this if someone can promise me that this will turn into the T-3 girl situation again :)

---

__________________________________________________________________________
My marathon PR is "under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."

^This. The principal charity of almost all of these sports-related event charities is the athlete. The fact that the OP is miffed by the response shows how values have changed over time. In past times, very few would have begged others to pay for their entry fees, vacations, etc. that is now so common place. As common place as a proposal at the end of an IM. Unique my ass.

This from a guy who trolls on a thread that is about the death of a racer.

I was just telling my wife the other day how much I can't stand it when people fundraise for events instead of paying for them. PAY FOR THE RACE! if you want to separately raise money and donate on the side GO FOR IT.

I would like to apologize to the Slowtwitch community. Apparently the OP is from Columbus and we have to take responsibility.

The good news is that he just joined the local tri club and immediately spammed the club email with almost this exact same request so the local triathletes who have apparently spawned this behavior are now paying their penance.

The bad news is that he has not learned his lesson at all from his experience here and is doing this to a whole new group. I'm betting he is asking everyone he comes into contact with to try to get them to pay for his hobbies too.

If any of you are feeling guilty for not helping him go on vacation I could also use some help. I do a lot of gardening and landscaping on my property. Right now I need approximately $10,000 for some prime granite block for a pool and fountain, decomposed granite for paths and plants for a new garden I am thinking about, let me know if you want to send me some cash,.

---

I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

This is exactly what I thought.