Well, the 1998-99 season is rapidly getting underway. Many of the CSAC
mailing lists have come into use either regularly or at least with a
beginning of season message, resulting in the usual flurry of
bounced e-mail messages (some of which are pretty cryptic). Things have
really gotten moving in the wake of the first fatality this season in
Utah this past weekend. (See our Incidents page if you haven't heard about
it.)

We plan to continue offering a reliable and spam-free mailing list
service, as we have for three or four seasons now. However, some changes
are anticipated. This e-mail contains some important news concerning this, 
so please read it. [Otherwise you may be left wondering what happened to
your subscription a few weeks from now.]

First, a few reminders and short announcements:

1) We are holding a fundraising auction, follow the link from the top of
any of our main section pages. Please consider contributing something for
auction if you are in a position to do so. We have a variety of things
including snowshoes, books, a subscription to Ski Canada, and even a day
of SnowCat skiing. Check it out! All proceeds will support the operation
of the CSAC.

2) To manage your CSAC list subscriptions yourself go to
http://www.avalanche-center.org/Bulletins/maillists.html

3) Contributions can now be made by credit card as well as by online check
or mailing in a check/money order. (More on this below.)

4) Lists are, for the most part, set up with a Reply-To: address to the
CSAC. This is because replies are often list management requests which the
originators of the bulletins either don't want to be bothered with or
cannot address (or both). If you want to respond to the originating
avalanche center please make sure your To: field is correct. (If such mail
ends up at the CSAC we do forward it in most cases.) Please note that
Utah, Colorado, and the NW US have never cooperated with this service and
cannot be contacted through the CSAC.


Contributions, Funding for the Lists

The big change this season is that, with a few exceptions, each list will
be expected to pay for itself. (The exceptions will be small and/or new
lists.) This is an added-value service, and not a matter of whether or not
a bulletin is available. All bulletins are available on our website in
html and/or by telephone. 

For the past few years we have requested a contribution and, after many 
reminders, about 10% of our subscribers have made the contribution. The
constant reminders necessary to reach this level is not something we
enjoy doing.

This year we need to receive contributions from at least 50% of our
subscribers, or equivalent funding from some other source. (See below on
other sources and possibilities for this list.)

Sometime in the next 4-6 weeks we will make this service available to only
those who contribute unless another funding option is realized, or unless
50% or more of the list has contributed by that time. The suggested amount
will remain $10, however you may contribute whatever you feel is fair. As
long as you contribute something. 

Contributing is easier than ever, which we feel is only fair if we are
likely to require it. To use your credit card online go to:

http://www.avalanche-center.org/Organization/contribute/itransact/

You can also write a check online from the same page. Or you can mail your
contribution to us. Please include your e-mail address and list(s) you are
subscribed to. We'll sort all this out and try for a smooth transition,
but it will help if your e-mail/lists are recorded in our contributions
spreadsheet. (You can also use credit cards in our store now. Check out
our great t-shirts, http://www.avalanche-center.org/store/)

The alternatives to a mandatory contribution follow. Let us know if you
feel you can help with option 1 or 2.

1) The list can be underwritten by some foundation, government agency, or
company. (For companies it is a better deal to sponsor a web page so that
source is unlikely.) We have a few leads and/or ideas for some lists but
no resources to pursue them. For other lists we have no leads or ideas.

2) A fundraiser could be held in the area served by the list to raise
funds to cover the list operation. (We'd be so impressed at such
involvement that we would consider the list underwritten regardless of
results, if the effort is serious.) 

3) If we get enough contributions (approaching 50%) over the next month or
so we may leave the list open for the rest of the season, subject to the
occasional reminder as in past years.


We hope everyone will understand the need for this service to pay for
itself. Over the past four seasons we have experienced rapid growth and
our operating funds have increased at about the same rate as our expenses.
Meanwhile the workload has increased exponentially. 

We also hope that most of you will find this reliable and spam-free 
service worthy some modest contribution. 

Jim