After the post I made last night, I got a flood of e-mail, and obviously there was a lot of public discussion too.

We were very happy to see that you all seemed to concur that a great use for the donations many of you offered to help keep the Bonaire WebCams running was to solidify the Internet connection for the system on Bonaire.

In terms of a way of showing our gratitude, a number of you made a very valid point, namely that while you would love a t-shirt, you would not want it to detract from the donation - and it would. Our cost for such t-shirts, before even shipping them out from where ever they would be made or getting them to Bonaire, would be between $6-8 (depending on size - we prefer Hanes Beefy-Tees).

As such, we'd like to offer an intermediate solution - we can send our individual sponsors the heat transfers (those were printed some time ago) to take to their local custom Tee shop to get them applied to whatever size t-shirt they want, and then they could also have whatever Sponsor phrase they want applied (e.g. "Addicted Sponsor", "Desperately Seeking Return Ticket", etc.) We were thinking one set (front and back) of heat transfers per each $50 sponsorship contribution. Heat transfers would only be available to sponsors and not for sale to anyone else. If you all think this is a stupid idea, please let us know!

In any event, we would still like to list you all on a special Sponsor page on the Bonaire WebCams Web site (tell us explicitly if you don't want to be listed).

So, on to the next issue - how to make your sponsorship donation...

Two options:

1) Send a check to:

Caribbean WebCams, LLC
101 W. Main Street, Suite 820
Norfolk, VA 23510-1694

2) Make your donation via PayPal to info@caribbeanwebcams.com (this way you can use MC, Visa, AMEX, and maybe even Discover). See http://www.paypal.com for details.

In either case, please indicate your mailing address and whether you would like the heat transfers mentioned above, and if you do not want to be listed (by name only) on the Sponsors page.

If neither of those is possible, as a last resort we can accept a cash donation on Bonaire, but would prefer not to for accounting and tax reasons.

Please note that as Caribbean WebCams, LLC is a for-profit company (although it's never made a profit) your donation is not tax deductible (thanks Greta for asking that question).

I think that covers everything. If you have any questions, please go ahead and post them here, or if it's a private question drop me and Dan a note via info@caribbeanwebcams.com

Thanks again for all your support!

Jake

I like the heat transfer idea: not a big cost to ship, either.

I like the heat transfer idea as well....will be making my contribution soon!

Jake, I will be send a check Jake. As I already have a nice (still clean) webcam shirt, I think I will make a transfer with the words "Lucky Addict" to the front of it.

Being on the page after you receive my check is fine.

Tom

Sending heat transfers is NOT a stupid idea, Jake. It's a great alternative! Are they going to be mailed from the east coast (Dan) or from Bonaire? Probably cheaper if from the east coast.

I've sent "thank you" emails to WannaDive & Eden Beach!

Thanks for noting that the donations are NOT tax-deductible. I'm going over to make my contribution right now!!!

Just sent my paypal payment!!

Just sent my payment too!

Just sent $100.00 as promised. Good job on saving the Bonaire Wed Cams!

Just sent $100.00 as promised. Good job on saving the Bonaire Web Cams!

Check going out end of week - emails of gratitude sent to the new sponsors.

Thanks again!

Carl and Patty

Congratulations, Jake, Dan and LInda! Great work. This is terrific news. I will be mailing a check to Dan today for the $200., as promised. I will place a smile inside the envelope, too.

The heat transfers are a great idea and cost saver. Good thinking!!

Again, thanks for your hard work and efforts....I know Gibi's will be a wonderful celebration tonite! See you soon. Carole and Joe

Sponsorhip Money = $100
T-Shirt for Heat Transfer = $12
Your happy mug in the webcams = PRICELESS!

Count me and my wife Kathy for $100. I did not pledge staying at the resort that would sponsor the webcams since I already made commitments to another resort, but I will bring plenty of patronage to Bongo's. Thank you very much guys! Coach Izzy

We have just sent payment to Paypal!
YAAA-HOOO!

Transfers are cool! & BonaireWEBCAMS rule.
Paypal works for me.

Just sent my $50 thru paypal!!

Hope everyone had a great time celebrating at Gibi's tonight! Just wish I was there!

YIPPPPEEEEE Thanks for all your time and effort to SAVE THE WEBCAM... Paypal is busy tonight.. my $100 should be there as well.. have a joyous time at Gibi's

We had a very nice time at Gibi's and there was cheering when the new WebCams home was mentioned :-)

I think we'll be sending the heat transfers from Massachusetts. Dan & Faith - are you ready with scissors and envelopes? ;-)

Jake

Jake, I will use paypal, and I'd be very happy to receive a heat transfer instead of a t-shirt.
Denise

paypal sent, first time I've used it
- very easy :-)
Denise

Heee Haw...knew my buddies would come through. Checks in the mail Jake. I know what I'm doing this weekend....I'll hollar at ole Bob and Bart.



Our good friend Bart at WannaDive



and crazy ole Bob from WannaDive

\image(hank}

Henk, great guy....great barkeeper



Can't believe I don't have a picture of Jose or any of the Domingo clan (will fix that this July), but for you future supporters....here's the few from the balcony.

Great thinking Jake! I love the heat transfers idea
I'll send the money 2night!

Great job Jake I am so happy. I will be sending my donation when I get paid on the 15 of the month.

Jake, I'll send my donation at the end of the week. Thanks for all your hard work. We are all very happy about the this.

Donation sent via paypal, hope it arrives!

Jake - donation just sent via PayPal - added the address for the heat transfers!!! Great idea on the jus the heat transfers !!!

Great job on setting this up!!!

Great job, Jake. Thanks for all the hard work in ensuring the web cams would continue. I will send my contribution in mine and my son's names because we will both be there on Saturday with a large group from Tucson, AZ. It will be my son's first time to Bonaire, and I know he will be as addicted as I am. A great big thank you to all other individual sponsors who "stepped up to the plate". Carl and Derek McDaniels

OK, after unsuccessfuly donating through pay pal...the check is in the mail today Dan!

Done my payment through paypal, succesfully (sp?)

Just got my confirmation letter from Pay Pal.

Thanks for helping the ignorant one (me) Jake.

Tom

Tom, your not ignorant...I was just frustrated after 45 minutes of setting up an account, then not finding the right place to go to GIVE THEM MONEY!! LOL!...Really, check IS in the mail

Thanks for all the support guys! We've been seeing a lot of PayPal donations come in, and so far all of you who indicated you sent something via PayPal appear to be accounted for! I apologize in advance for not being able to individually reply to all of you!

The heat transfers, which we have stored in Miami, are being shipped up to Dan's office in Mass. tomorrow, and should be there next week sometime. He's having his office staff take care of logging everything and sending the heat transfers out. May be a week or two before you see them. Just to correct one misconception - the heat transfers are of the four cams on and the Bonaire WebCams logo on the back, and then a small transfer of tweety (our baby blue tang) on the front. Any "sponsor" or "addict" phrasing you will need to arrange to add yourself at your local t-shirt shop (most malls used to have them back when I lived in the U.S.). This allows you maximum creativity in labeling and creating your very own Bonaire WebCams sponsor shirt(s) :-)

In the meantime, Dan and I (along with Wally's help for an enclosure) are trying to wrap up all the details and equipment we need for the move.

The marine park will be surveying our mooring block shortly to see if it in fact can be moved or not, so keep your fingers crossed that it can!

Also awaiting word on whether we can get Internet access set-up at Eden Beach in time for our planned move in two and half weeks.

Thanks again for all your support!

Jake

Great work Jake.

We're very impressed with your acumen and diligence. What are our options should the mooring block move not work out? Can we purchase one, or how do we help get this done.

Thanks for the update Jake.
Looks to me that you are up for a couple of busy weeks.
Good luck and stay cool

jos.

I guess Amber and Alexander might look pretty cool in one of these shirts ,

Brian,
if you hold the housing , I'll wheelbarrel the concrete in

jos

Done!!! Any excuse to get in the water. I'm sure Jake has plan options, just want to help out. Sometimes officials can be a bit less enthusiastic than BT'ers.

Okay! I must share this. I sent emails to Wannadive & Eden's Beach yesterday thanking them for saving the webcams. I also told them that they will reap GREAT rewards in the near future! Today, I have a message in my inbox from Bart & Bob of Wannadive. Here it is:

Dear Greta,

You're ever so welcome !
Thanks for your friendly and quick response.
They're be up and running mid july
At Bongo's Beach Bar
Eden Beach Resort and at Wannadive Bonaire.
Ain't jake the best !!

Warm regards
Bart Snelder & 'Bob' Roeland Labots
Wannadive Bonaire.

What a happy page/thread! Our check is in the mail.....it really is! Great work, everyone. Carole

I received an answer from Wannadive as well, telling me the cams are saved for at least 3 years. There will be one reefcam, one streetcam, a diveshopcam and a beachcam.

Can/Will you take guilders? I have some spare ones. My USD are allocated for a new driveway & sidewalk so grandpa doesn't fall and break his neck, but I want to give something!

I received a reply from my/our friends similar to Martin's. The guys asked where I thought the reef cam should go. I mentioned the wreck directly in front of the Dive Shop, or, suggested that possibly Roeland (Bob) could just carry the cam around in his hands following the fish;-{)}

I volunteer to clean the lens a few times in October.

If the old mooring can't be moved, the marine park would provide a new one. Although, Eden Beach says it has a spare mooring available too (but it would need to be moved into location).

Dara - sure :-) Send them to Linda's mom in NH (you should still have the address?) and we'll collect them at the end of July when we get there.

For ReefCam placement, there appear to be two good options. I have to go for a dive with Roeland to figure out which location would work best. One downside for snorkelers will be that unless you're a really good skin diver, you probably won't be able to reach the new ReefCam location, as it will be quite a bit deeper than the present 8 feet (30-50 feet is what Roeland/Bob told me).

Jake

Mmmmm, 30 feet or deeper. We will see a few other reefcam-visitors!
Jake, will there be enough light for the reefcam at 50 feet?

Easily enough light at that depth, during the day, of course :-)

Jake