I don't know how to broach this subject or bring it up, but with all the discussions, I think now is the time and it ties in with everything we are trying to do.
You can register a society officially in many capacities. As a Financial Society (in the UK that would be with the bank of England via the FSA). As a friendly society - again with the B of E for the purposes of making investments for widows, pensioners or kids in trust.
But you can also register charities. And I've always thought this is something that the flat earth society could do, and would give us a real purpose. I mean, we have a great name, a thing people want to engage in, we could make money from merchandise and other ancillaries. And it would give our society a real purpose other than trying to swim against the stream telling everyone the earth is not flat.
*Serious hat on*
I've not really mentioned it on here before but in my private life I do quite a bit of charity work. I'm actually Vice-Chairman of my local
round table. In about 8 months I will be Chairman. I organise all kinds of events from archery competitions (2 weeks from now) to a sleigh thing each year that raises about £5k which we give to local causes. The disabled sports centre, education monies, dream flights etc etc all for people in my area.
I just think this is something the flat earth society is geared up to do already, and is something we can be proud of. This isn't something I'd mess around with. I'm very focussed when it comes to doing the right thing. My FES persona and attitude to actually helping real people are polar opposites.
I know the forums are filled with mischievous but essentially decent people. We are at a crossroads right now. I think we could turn the society into something that matters.
I know a lot of you come here for the social side of the society, but if it happened to be raising money from interaction with the outside world, that's a good thing right? It doesn't effect day to day here. No one is asking you for money. But you are then part of something and your every interaction actually has a good cause behind it.
I've felt like this for a long time, but I know it would take a lot of work to get going. Its something I would pour a lot of time into unlike a constitution for a forum or wiki of flat earth history.