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Monday, November 30, 2015

Gail Gygax Responds to the Community's Questions Regarding the Gygax Memorial Fund

Gail Gygax has responded to the questions posed by the gaming community and previously posted here at The Tavern.

I am posting her responses as screenshots below. You can read the questions asked at this previous Tavern post.



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29 comments:

  1. James M. SpahnNovember 30, 2015 at 2:06 PM

    She stonewalled you. That's not cool and doesn't bode well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mystic ScholarNovember 30, 2015 at 2:07 PM

    I'm not on Facebook. DID she answer the questions?

    ReplyDelete
  3. AEgir's Dark MusingsNovember 30, 2015 at 2:13 PM

    So, a very wordy way of saying, "checks in the mail. Trust me."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tim SniderNovember 30, 2015 at 2:21 PM

    "Watch Facebook for updates. Read the newspaper for updates. Watch our website for updates. Come to the city planning meetings for updates."

    Just don't ask her for updates, apparently.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Andrew ByersNovember 30, 2015 at 2:27 PM

    She has always struck me as the Yoko Ono of the gaming world.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KersusDecember 1, 2015 at 5:18 PM

      Heh.... I try to remain positive, but that did make me laugh. I guess I wish I'd made more of an effort to know Gail when Gary was alive. It really just never came up.

      Delete
  6. AnonymousNovember 30, 2015 at 2:42 PM

    "We are moving slowly, however we are making Progress"

    --Gail Gygax

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Angry MonkNovember 30, 2015 at 2:47 PM

    She sounds like she's hiding something to me. If I were her, I would want to as open and honest as I could be, especially if I knew people doubted my motives. Why is Gygax's work and his legacy always tangled up with this type of skulduggery? It's not like there are millions of dollars at stake.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Grand DMNovember 30, 2015 at 2:54 PM

    That is the comprehensive and detailed response to the questions? That ambiguity makes me just a tad suspect :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownNovember 30, 2015 at 3:02 PM

    There's probably a lawyer behind those words.

    ReplyDelete
  10. RogerNovember 30, 2015 at 3:33 PM

    That's it?

    ReplyDelete
  11. java n jazzNovember 30, 2015 at 3:44 PM

    Hmm, kinda sparse.

    ReplyDelete
  12. BadmikeNovember 30, 2015 at 5:11 PM

    I doubt she herself actually responded. That response had Lawyer-Speak all over it. Just enough CYA to say "See! I responded to them! Controversy over!"

    ReplyDelete
  13. CeronomusNovember 30, 2015 at 6:38 PM

    Yeah, not really any responses so far but I'll wait, I didn't expect all the (non)answers to arrive in one day. But yeah, she hasn't answered anything and has merely reinforced my impressions of her.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Marvin the MageNovember 30, 2015 at 8:02 PM

    If there were only a few typos, I would think that Ken Whitman wrote those avoidant passive-agressive non-respones. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Grumpy Old ManDecember 1, 2015 at 11:45 AM

    I hope nobody is shocked by this "response". I mean...you know...history.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Eric_PotterDecember 1, 2015 at 6:31 PM

    "...'Til Death Do Us Part." Part already, damn you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Angry MonkDecember 1, 2015 at 7:57 PM

      It's the use of "Mrs. E. Gary Gygax," that makes me shake my head. What's wrong with "Gail Gygax"? It seems as though she is grasping onto a legacy that she wasn't really part of. Perhaps I'm petty.

      Delete
  17. EOTBDecember 1, 2015 at 9:52 PM

    "Mrs. E. Gary Gygax" is a very traditional way for a wife or widow to sign correspondence.

    That said, I'm sure that form was specifically chosen, to re-emphasize the legitimacy of her decision-making due to her designation as Gary's heir. As if that status is particularly weight-bearing to anyone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Angry MonkDecember 1, 2015 at 9:59 PM

      Yes, you're right. And you expressed it better than I did.

      Delete
    2. UnknownDecember 3, 2015 at 10:53 AM

      My wife doesn't even sign anything as Mrs. Lloyd Metcalf. And I'm still alive.
      As a matter of fact. ...i don't know any living post WW2 wife that does that.

      Delete
    3. bad wolfDecember 6, 2015 at 11:48 PM

      The discontinuity is highlighted when the facebook name at the top is "Gail Carpenter".

      I would enjoy it if she would just change it to "E. Gail Gygax" though. Sort of simplifies everything.

      Delete
  18. kaskoidDecember 3, 2015 at 10:03 AM

    Wisconsin law requires that all 501-c-3 corporations must file an audit each year, as well as minutes of any meetings of the principals. This is a matter of public record.

    GMF has failed to do so for several years. Let usd see those audits.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownDecember 3, 2015 at 10:57 AM

      Having worked for a few, Tim is right. Although minutes from notes isn't adhered to so much. That 501-c must be in hot water with the state.

      Delete
  19. UnknownDecember 3, 2015 at 10:51 AM

    Did Ken Whitman help her on this project?
    *evil snicker*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SpicerDecember 3, 2015 at 11:21 AM

      You just made me laugh really hard. Thank you.

      Delete
  20. CeronomusDecember 3, 2015 at 11:28 AM

    Having looked at the Wisconsin State requirements for 501c(3)s it appears that the audit requirement is for groups that raise more than X in donations per year. According to the state they should submit the following forms under the following circumstances...

    Form 1943 if organization receives less than $5,000 in contributions annually or solicits only in the county in which the organization is located and receives less than $50,000 annually.

    Form 308 (Charitable Organization Annual Report)

    Possibly Form 1952 (Wisconsin Supplement to Financial Report). The IRS Form 990 is required to support this form.

    If contributions received > $400,000: Submit complete audit with financial report.

    If contributions received between $200,000-$399,999: Submit review audit with financial report.

    So, it doesn't appear that, for the money raised, there has been an audit requirement prior to tax year 2014 (which I haven't seen). I'm not defending the fund or its actions in any way, just pointing out that it appears that the Gygax Memorial Fund has NOT been required to file financial audit info.

    "Every registered charitable organization that received contributions in excess of $400,000 during its most recently completed fiscal year must file an audited financial statement, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and accompanied by the opinion of an independent certified public accountant relating to the financial statement.

    Every registered charitable organization that received contributions in excess of $200,000 but less than $400,000 during its most recently completed fiscal year must file financial statements that have been reviewed by an independent certified public accountant. Audited financial statements will be accepted in lieu of reviewed financial statements."

    https://www.wdfi.org/CharitableOrganizations/faq.htm#AR_required

    ReplyDelete
  21. BadmikeDecember 3, 2015 at 12:27 PM

    Alex Kammer, a gamer and attorney practicing in Wisconsin (and the head honcho behind Gamehole Con), states in a post on Luke's FB that there is little that can be done since the type of trust here allows the people running it to simply ignore all inquiries unless subpenas are filed. I suspect that will be the case from here on out...flat out ignoring any calls for information or more "lawyer speak" posts from "Gail". The best thing to do is to simply not support any donations to the memorial and let everyone you know why, and also state you will not purchase anything donating to the memorial or supporting the Gygax IP...if making money is what these people care about above all, hit them where it counts, the pocketbook.

    ReplyDelete
  22. CeronomusDecember 5, 2015 at 11:47 AM

    we've seen Gail's "transparency" with no other follow ups or answers. I think the lack of answers says volumes.

    ReplyDelete

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