Become a Supporting
Member of SCM!
We ask for your support! We are committed to keeping the Membership
free but as SCM grows, our operating costs continue to increase.
More Members and more events make what used to be small jobs
into big ones. We're not complaining, in fact, we're thrilled
that SCM is so popular! But we are seeing our monthly expenses
go up and up; and the last thing that we want to consider
is a mandatory membership fee for everyone ... No, No!
So for those who would like to support SCM and its mission,
we are offering our 'SCM Supporting Members' program. Read
on…!
Supporting Members get Cool Perks! As a Supporting
Member, you will receive:
1) Discounts off of special SCM Events!
2) A Space City Mixer t-shirt!
3) The warm feeling that you're personally helping to keep
SCM going! {Big Hug from Andrea!}. The knowledge that you're
helping to keep the backbone of SCM strong and ensuring that
the community of SCM will continue to grow.
The bigger the group, the more fun people there is to meet!
4) Recognition for being a kind and generous person! Next
to your Alias, a star 
will appear signifying to others that you are an esteemed
Supporting Member of SCM.
5) Your name will be included on our SCM Supporting Member
List.
To become a Supporting Member, we ask that you make a donation!
We'll accept whatever you're willing to contribute ... $20,
$40 ... $100. Contributions of any size are greatly appreciated,
and aid SCM in its growth and services.
As SCM is growing, its operating costs are getting
higher and higher. To understand the costs behind Space City
Mixer events, here is some information specific to our growing
expenses.
- Event Insurance! This is a biggie. To offer
events as a business, we need insurance. Carriers classify
our events as fairly high-risk since they often consist of
a large gathering of people, alcohol is frequently available
- and now SCM is adding more outdoor and physical activities
(where slips and falls are more prone to happen). As SCM continues
to offer a wider variety and larger number of events to the
membership, the premiums of our insurance policy increase
as the carrier anticipates increased chances for potential
mishaps.
- Computer related pieces A huge part of how
SCM operates is computer-related: the Web site, emails, software
and the computer parts. In addition, there are the monthly
computer expenses which are the web host and email list server.
The more traffic that the Web site gets, the more we are charged
by our web host to handle the online correspondence or "traffic."
Ditto for the list servers...the more mail addresses on our
list, the higher the cost to send our weekly email to all
the email addresses. These costs continue to increase as the
SCM Membership increases.
- People Help As we get bigger, the small
jobs have begun to become big jobs. One example would be the
processing of payments. Tracking payments coming in, issuing
refunds and updating each event with the paid guests...this
used to take just a few minutes every day, but now it's a
part-time task. We have had to pay someone to do this particular
job for months now, and that is just one example of an uncompensated
expense.
- Sometimes events lose SCM money This happens
when we guarantee an element of an event. For example, SCM
hires an instructor to teach a class and rents a room to hold
the class; SCM is hoping that a minimum of 15 will sign up
for the class to cover the cost of the instructor and room
rental (so the event at least breaks even). However if only
10 people sign up, the class won't break even and SCM will
pay the difference which becomes lost money out of the SCM
event pot. Luckily this doesn't happen often, but when it
does, it definitely takes a bite out of the funds for that
month's expenses.
And with all this said, Andrea's desire is to do everything
possible to ensure that the SCM Membership remains free. Why?
Because she thinks it attracts a wide, diverse and interesting
range of people that perceive and experience SCM as more a
community than a corporation just trying to make a buck on
what they have to offer. It also makes SCM an inviting place
for newcomers so that the Membership continues to grow, and
there are always brand new and interesting people to meet
at every event!
We thank you for your support!
