Help!

[drbrock]

Hey guys,
I signed up for the charity race on the condition that if my new position training program conflicted with the race, I could cancel my participation. Now the charity wants to pay for the expenses they have incurred that I never authorized them to do in the first place and have not benefited from. If it were a small amount I would just pay, but they want 4 grand.

What should I do?
Thanks in advance

 

[EagleKeeper]

How did you inform the charity that there were conditions attached.
When did you know how those conflicts would interact.

Can your program (because it is for charity) accomidate the committments.

Or were you unsure and chose to back out.

What type of race requires 4K in expenses?

 

[drbrock]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
How did you inform the charity that there were conditions attached.
When did you know how those conflicts would interact.

Can your program (because it is for charity) accomidate the committments.

Or were you unsure and chose to back out.

What type of race requires 4K in expenses?

I informed through telephone calls and personal interactions. Because I knew this could be become a potential problem in the future

I knew these would conflict last week when I was told by my boss that I should not go.

The program can not accomodate, because the race times would not work out and I can't take a chance disobeying my company and getting fired, especially in today's economy.

The race is in california at the end of july. and I think true expenses are in the 600-800 for travel and accomadations range but they want you to raise 4000 so your are not going on cost.

I was trying to work with the company to continue raising funds but I was not going to be responsible for the large amount of money on a trip that I can't go to. So far they are against any type of arrangement.

Sad thing is that they are not going to get the money from me because I don't have it.

 

[OdiN]

WTF? How can a charity charge you for anything? You're donating your time right? How could they possibly incur any expenses whatsoever? What...were you the only person in the race?

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: drbrock

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
How did you inform the charity that there were conditions attached.
When did you know how those conflicts would interact.

Can your program (because it is for charity) accomidate the committments.

Or were you unsure and chose to back out.

What type of race requires 4K in expenses?

I informed through telephone calls and personal interactions. Because I knew this could be become a potential problem in the future

I knew these would conflict last week when I was told by my boss that I should not go.

The program can not accomodate, because the race times would not work out and I can't take a chance disobeying my company and getting fired, especially in today's economy.

The race is in california at the end of july. and I think true expenses are in the 600-800 for travel and accomadations range but they want you to raise 4000 so your are not going on cost.

I was trying to work with the company to continue raising funds but I was not going to be responsible for the large amount of money on a trip that I can't go to. So far they are against any type of arrangement.

Sad thing is that they are not going to get the money from me because I don't have it.

Just because it's a charity doesn't mean they might not just be trying to guilt you in to making a large donation.

I'd just ignore them and assume they won't be calling back next year.

 

[drbrock]

Originally posted by: OdiN
WTF? How can a charity charge you for anything? You're donating your time right? How could they possibly incur any expenses whatsoever? What...were you the only person in the race?

They have it set up if you raise the money they fly you out to the event and your hotel is paid for. In this event we are staying at a hilton or hyatt and sharing a room so the cost per person can't be that high. The plane ticket from florida can't be that expensive either.

 

[bonkers325]

both parties are wrong... but if you weren't sure that you could participate, then why would you sign up (especially if they were going to put you up in hotels and pay for your airfare)?

it sounds like they are trying to guilt you into paying for the room/airfare, but i dont think they have any sort of legal ground unless you signed/agreed to some sort of contract. ask for any bills/invoices to be sent to you in paper and start from there. if they cant produce, then u dont pay squat.

 

[drbrock]

Originally posted by: bonkers325
both parties are wrong... but if you weren't sure that you could participate, then why would you sign up (especially if they were going to put you up in hotels and pay for your airfare)?

it sounds like they are trying to guilt you into paying for the room/airfare, but i dont think they have any sort of legal ground unless you signed/agreed to some sort of contract. ask for any bills/invoices to be sent to you in paper and start from there. if they cant produce, then u dont pay squat.

good points
I signed up orginally because I did not know I got promoted. A few weeks into the training I got the news and told about it before I had to sign the commitment paper. I told them not do anything until I had heard back from my work to make sure I could go. the woman that was doing it at the time, said to send the form because they needed to know if there were any special things needed for me and not to worry about it. Since I had been working with them for about a month and built a rapport I trusted the woman to not start buying tickets and rooms.
Either way I don't think I should be responsible for the full 4100 because I am not using any of the benefits of the program.

 

[nanette1985]

What charity is this? Because I want to be sure I never donate anything to them.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: drbrock

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
How did you inform the charity that there were conditions attached.
When did you know how those conflicts would interact.

Can your program (because it is for charity) accomidate the committments.

Or were you unsure and chose to back out.

What type of race requires 4K in expenses?

I informed through telephone calls and personal interactions. Because I knew this could be become a potential problem in the future

I knew these would conflict last week when I was told by my boss that I should not go.

The program can not accomodate, because the race times would not work out and I can't take a chance disobeying my company and getting fired, especially in today's economy.

The race is in california at the end of july. and I think true expenses are in the 600-800 for travel and accomadations range but they want you to raise 4000 so your are not going on cost.

I was trying to work with the company to continue raising funds but I was not going to be responsible for the large amount of money on a trip that I can't go to. So far they are against any type of arrangement.

Sad thing is that they are not going to get the money from me because I don't have it.

:roll: way to throw that in there

it's not like they can send you to collection. fuck them.

 

[EagleKeeper]

The rooms can be easily backed out of. The only problem is if you were the odd man and they had to pay for a full room for the other person.
However, with enough people participating, the hotel should provide a bulk rate as a per person basis.

Airline tickets are a different story, once purchased, they are committed unless they purchased the higher refundable.

Find out if they have purchased the tickets yet in your name?

Worst case, this should be the only thing that a guilt copmlex can be laid on you.

Based on what you have stated and others pointed out; they are trying to use this as a fund raiser and play the guilt trip on you.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

You aren't legally obligated to pay a pledge unless you specifically signed a contract indicating you would pay for costs incurred in the event you were unable to attend. As such, you face no obligation to pay beyond moral, and $4,000 sounds ridiculously steep.

That said, as someone who processes gifts for a non-profit, writing off pledges at the end of the fiscal year is a huge pain in the ass. Don't agree to something if you aren't sure you can do it. Chances are fairly good that the non-profit organization has already spent the money on airfare, hotel reservations, food (if there is a celebratory catered luncheon for the racers, for example), setup, etc. You dropping out won't bankrupt them, but it does mean they are paying more than they have to, and that's never good, especially for a non-profit organization. Expenses incurred from indecisive people (or worse, people who want to be decisive even though their future is uncertain) is a constant thorn in the side of development officers everywhere.