Help
From Sept 3,2003 it was funded by donations from members and from Aug 2007 voluntary membership fees to access certain areas of the newly launched BIL Library site. I underwrite the shortfall. When unable to do that I borrow from the Bank. By the end of 2008 the debt burden was unsupportable so with great reluctance I introduced a 60 day free trial membership with a compulsory Annual Support Fee for the membership to then remain active.
As BBO can attest the current (Dec 21) active membership is 1885 of those 354 are Honorary members – Teachers /Mentors/ BIL Grads who naturally pay nothing, 246 have a trial ( free )membership - 92 are Youth members 6-15 yrs who have a free membership - 390 have gifted free memberships being those who help/have helped in some way – e.g. made donations, TD tourneys , Manage Teams , BILAssist at every lesson, assist with Admin of Beginner Bridge Programme, and Mentoring Programme, arrange Special Events, Scribblers, Translators, BILFriend group, make lesson Movies, and others giving of their time in many, many ways plus those whose exchange rate would make paying a burden. = 803 less dual logins and family groups for which only 1 ASF is requested = financial members .
Where does the money go ?
33% off the top goes on Bank charges, international money transaction fees , transfer fees and Levies.
The balance being used to make Payments for : Prizes , monthly charges for bulk mail handling - up to 10 publications per month. Debt reduction . Programming costs for development, upgrading and maintenance of the BIL Library and its databases and to develop, upgrade and maintain the Mentor Programme Console. Here in NZ, IT assistance is expensive, the November account cost $724 . In my day the word computer wasn’t even in the dictionary, creating web pages and uploading data are about my limit. Then there are all the usual general overheads incurred by any organisation.
Neither I nor any of the good people who assist me including the teachers, mentors and guests receive any remuneration for the many thousands of hours that are collectively given to the BIL members each and every year. For me it is a 7 day week, the hours being the equivalent of a full time occupation with overtime !
I would dearly love to be able to offer the Teachers, Mentors and key personnel an honorarium, maybe in time this will be possible - as a reward, not as a prerequisite – I am only interested in having around me people who are prepared to give back to the game by helping newcomers in their pursuit of becoming good bridge players .
Another dream I have for the BIL is to be able to sponsor promising new players travel and entry costs to f2f regional and national tournaments in their home countries so they can actually play with their Mentors / BIL partners – as many of my members have found bridge on the internet, and they don’t belong to f2f clubs. BIL members who do, fare pretty well according to the ACBL results.
What does the BIL member receive for their Annual Support Fee ?
The BIL Annual Support Fee provides the BBO Beginner, Intermediates who choose to join the BIL with
• Free lessons in the BIL on BBO daily (generally 30 - 40 hours per week)
• Participation in any of the special courses that ones skill level qualifies one for (usually 6 courses running)
• access to all BIL Special Events on BBO (usually 2 per month, often more )
• access to all BIL sponsored Free tournaments on BBO – ave 7 a week .
• Participation in any BIL sponsored Team matches
• Participation in the monthly “How to Use BBO software “ session
• One on one BBO software assistance from the BILFriend group
Use of BIL Library: www.bilbridge.com
• access to the News Noticeboard (24/7) to keep up to date with BIL activities
• access to the FAQ section (24/7) - all you need to know to get the most out of BBO
• Tournament details and extensive illustrated help
• the Event Calendar - know what is coming up. (a paid version to provide members with emailed alerts and conversion to their own time zone)
• the Forum (Alfresco café) to interact with fellow members, get advice from the Experts
• Gazette archive - every gazette has articles to learn from.
• The Bridge Quiz'/Crossword to participate in (24/7) currently 5 different formats
• A dedicated Beginners Section with own Ask a Bridge Question and Quiz
• A dedicated Youth section with own Ask a Bridge Question and Quiz
Plus
• the BIL Mentoring service - 6 months free!! one on one/ small group tuition
• A monthly emailed Gazette (20 – 30 pages) and regular bulletins to advise of Special Events
• And more
The Premier Membership includes the Annual Support Fee for the term of the membership and also provides access to the otherwise restricted parts of the BIL Library
I believe the BIL Volunteers and I give an extraordinary service to those who choose to join us.
One member wrote recently
Happy Holidays to all of the wonderful teachers, mentors, friends, and volunteers who make BIL a year-round bridge treasure
.And another said
I find myself lost for words so a zillion thanks goes to everybody behind the scene for their highly appreciated work, the one and only club which has none higher, none aside, respectfully appreciated by me and many BBO'rs, who have had their first hours of bridge in the club.
Of the Mentoring Programme a recent graduate who had not played f2f said
When I first acquired a computer following retirement ..I quickly joined BBO and Maureen's BIL club, forever grateful to be given great mentors, first as a beginner to intermediate and thence to my present status.. I have made many bridge friendships along the way which has given my retirement life an added dimension, and which (I'm sure) helps keep the synapses firing on all four cylinders…I am grateful and thank my mentors for their dedication, humbly accepting their faith in me as being worthy of advanced status. It has been an amazing experience ….
While we may not receive any monetary reward we are richly rewarded in ways that really count - In 2010 members have said on here
If you have read this far and feel that the BIL does provide BBO’s beginner and intermediate players a value for money service and
if you do have the skill, the time and the patience to be a MENTOR
I have members who need your help.
You can read all about the BIL Mentor Programme - here.
The Pay ?
as one Mentor told me - “ should have done it years ago, my bridge has improved tremendously !!”
Seasons greetings to you all and all the very best for 2011 – watch out for the BILlies one already has a Star and several more are now acknowledged Experts.
Another dream which maybe you can help me make come true - to one day be watching a BIL Graduate playing in the Bermuda Bowl
