Race wants prize money back

That's really nice of you "Let's Run Spirit" but again this is my mistake and I will cover it. No one but no one should have to pay for my error. Put your money towards a local charity that you really love or better yet, volunteer a few hours of your time this holiday season to help some less fortunate ones if you don't already. We can all make a difference if we carve out a little time to help others, even if its just dumping some of your old clothes off at the local Salvation Army.

Thanks again for your kind words "Let's Run Spirit".

Happy Holidays :)

Bob

It was a tough decision, but after looking at the website more clearly and looking at it from another persons perspective I have to agree that I screwed up.

Bob

Let's Run Spirit wrote:

I think we should make donations to cover the overpayment of award winners. If just a few of us made a $100 donation, it would more than cover the cost incurred by the charity.

and I'm not discounting it. But why, oh can't why the runners who were given unjust enrichment make a nicer gesture and just return the money Bob and Company who would like to have back?

I'll for the last time mention the word "integrity." Who has some? Who doesn't? We all have to look at our reflection in the mirror at least once a day. Wouldn't you rather be proud of your reflection instead of casting your gaze away from it?

I think everyone has heard the expression that, "money is the root of all evil." Perhaps, but it doesn't have to be if you don't let it.

Good night,

Signed; Irene

Irene,

I appreciate what your saying. But the runners honestly believed they were suppose to get the prize money that was on our website and why wouldn't they. I screwed up and thought that " total prize money" listed in each division would make sense to the runners, but I was wrong. And based on everyone else's opinion on here, I need to look at other sites and see how they post their prize winnings. I should know better and unfortunately this was a costly mistake, but I can assure everyone that I will cover this and not the organization. These athletes work hard for their money and someone of them wouldn't have traveled the distances they did if they knew that the amounts were going to be split 50/50 between the male and females.

I'll never assume again, I've learned a valuable lesson and I take full responsibility.

Thank you for your generous support and all your kind thought Irene. Have a wonderful Holiday.

Best,

Bob Nichols

reply and I hope you have a Very Merry Christmas also. I have supported you and your charities position from the very beginning of this thread. I've RD'd or assisted RD's in the past and it can be an awful thankful task.

I took umbrage with many posters position. So much so that many of them actually thought I was you, Bob Nichols. I hope this didn't cause you anymore added inconvenience than what you were already experiencing. Although, I have to admit it was kinda fun. There are a lot of idiot conspiracy theorists in the world and it seems that LetsRun has way much more than their fair share of them.

I am a printer by trade and I'd be happy to donate some printing for your cause if you're interested. Respond here if you are and I'll contact you at an e-mail you provide with my LR unofficial user name "I'm not Bob!"

Have A Good Day, HappyJack

MegMarie55 wrote:

It’s all settled!!!

My name is Megan McCarthy

I hope this will end all of the negativity and hateful comments. We have another big race that is in the works and this situation is taking away from all of the positivity and excitement for 2016. We appreciate all feedback, good and bad, and if anyone would like to discuss this further, we’re happy to talk on the phone.

Merry Christmas to all… :)

The comments were deservedly hateful and negative because your race director threatened legal action from the start and bullied a runner by threatening to use lawyers. That action is disgraceful. So of course like minded runners (your clients) are going to come to the defense of the athlete.

Rdsurfingmadonna wrote:

I screwed up and thought that " total prize money" listed in each division would make sense to the runners, but I was wrong.

It didn't make sense to you either, because you wrote out the big checks for the wrong amount.

If your mistake was assuming the stupid runners would be able to understand something that was so clear to intelligent people like yourself, why did you write the checks?

Primo Numero Uno wrote:

To the race director you listed the prize money in a way I have never seen it listed before. Totaling the male and female money is something no race I have ever participated in has done.

Also I was a prize money winner at your race in 2014. As far as I can tell the prize money was listed the same way on the website. Maybe the totals added up to what you intended to give out I'm not sure. But the prize money I received for the place I finished matched up with what was on your website. There was no splitting the amount between genders. I'm not sure what changed between last year and this.

Is this true?

MegMarie55 wrote:

I hope this will end all of the negativity and hateful comments.

You mean hateful comments like:

"when a few bad apples who can't find moral decency decide they are not going to give back what was overpaid, like spoiled children crying over ice cream, yes I will go all the way with this.

Again I almost vomited. Who says things like that. I'll tel you who....The kind of people that aren't doing what is right in this situation.

greedy selfish people

What I don't respect is self entitlement"

Yes, hopefully this will end Bob's hateful comments.

for the 93rd time wrote:

Rdsurfingmadonna wrote:

I screwed up and thought that " total prize money" listed in each division would make sense to the runners, but I was wrong.

It didn't make sense to you either, because you wrote out the big checks for the wrong amount.

If your mistake was assuming the stupid runners would be able to understand something that was so clear to intelligent people like yourself, why did you write the checks?

guys still standing on his neck? He made his mea culpa, is calling off the hounds and is reaching into his own pocket for the mistake.

If you feel the need to blow off steam, I'd suggest perhaps you go for a run. Maybe a long run off a short pier.

Or if you aren't runners, start a new thread about how you're mad as hell, don't know why and just can't take it anymore. Who knows, maybe if you're lucky you'll find yourself being checked into a "nice hotel" where all the rooms are rubber rooms.

Why are you wrote:

for the 93rd time wrote:

It didn't make sense to you either, because you wrote out the big checks for the wrong amount.

If your mistake was assuming the stupid runners would be able to understand something that was so clear to intelligent people like yourself, why did you write the checks?

guys still standing on his neck? He made his mea culpa, is calling off the hounds and is reaching into his own pocket for the mistake.

And some things still don't make sense. Why did he write the checks if it was clear to him? Did they or did they not pay out in previous years according to the standard way we stupid runners interpret it?

[/quote]Yes. Good for him. But he couldn't resist a parting shot that his only mistake was assuming that runners were sensible and could understand something so clear.

And some things still don't make sense. Why did he write the checks if it was clear to him? Did they or did they not pay out in previous years according to the standard way we stupid runners interpret it?[/quote]

the news? The war is over! Bob surrendered! Hooray!

Can't you all just let it go and be gracious victors. Or is it necessary to rub salt in his wounds after the hostilities have been concluded?

Or maybe you think it's necessary to have a LetsRun version of the Nuremberg Trials.

Most of you have already found him guilty so I suppose there's no need for that. So somebody go and get a rope and someone else go find a tree with a stout limb. Who wants to be the one to slap the horse on the rump?

Thank you "Happy Jack", that's an incredibly generous offer, and I appreciate your support. There are definitely some people on here that say some really terrible things. It's unfortunate, but so be it. Some people love the drama and the hate and will do anything to hold on to it, it's like a fuel for some people.

Your gesture was really nice, I'd be happy to put your printing company or logo up on our website with a hyperlink as a way of saying thank you for your support.

It's so nice of you to lend a helping hand and offer to help when we've been kicked around the whole day. Please let me know if you'd like to run in our race and I'll make sure you get a free entry this next year if your around. My contact info is on

www.surfingmadonna.org

.

Have a wonderful week and Happy Holidays :)

Best,

Bob

Laughing my ass off. Thanks for adding some humor to all this. Seriously, I think someone should take me out back and put me out of my misery. I wouldn't be surprised if I found my wanted picture in the post office tomorrow that read "Wanted Dead or Alive".

Thanks again for the added humor :)

Bob

Pretty clear what happened here. The board told Bob to STFU before someone wrote a letter to the IRS pointing to their sham "non-profit".

nicey nice wrote:

MegMarie55 wrote:

I hope this will end all of the negativity and hateful comments.

You mean hateful comments like:

"when a few bad apples who can't find moral decency decide they are not going to give back what was overpaid, like spoiled children crying over ice cream, yes I will go all the way with this.

Again I almost vomited. Who says things like that. I'll tel you who....The kind of people that aren't doing what is right in this situation.

greedy selfish people

What I don't respect is self entitlement"

Yes, hopefully this will end Bob's hateful comments.

Glad you guys are bffs.

Bob, seriously, you made the right (tough) call and you sound like an overall well-intentioned, good (albeit somewhat conflicted) guy. I now respect you and your decision. But you are losing some respect by still playing the judgemental victim card. If you cool it with that I may even make a donation. In all fairness You were dishing it out hard this morning too before your board talked you off the ledge and you changed your tune.

Let's let it go and cool it on both sides

This ended well, let's just leave it at that. And I wish you, your charity, the race and the prize-winning runners involved the very best

Trying to decide how I feel about this dramatic and sudden turnaround from the RD.

Either

1) This is one fantastic troll thread

2) Someone who has influence laid down the law for the RD

3) If not one of those two, then I'm extremely impressed. There aren't all that many people that can flip between the extreme of being almost arrogantly confident you're totally in the right and everyone else is being ridiculous to embracing you were wrong and being very friendly about it.

If that last one applies to you RD, forgive the skepticism above. Letsrun is known for several things, one of which is it's trolling. Assuming the last one I'm impressed. Kudos to being able to pause for a bit in the heat of the moment and take things in from a different perspective. That's lacking in people today and nice to see.

I'm not playing a victim card and not looking for your sympathy. I'm not asking for anything from anyone. I appreciated your comment and responded to it. I can't and won't respond to anymore bad comments because its pointless.

However, what I can do is show some decency and give a bit of respect back to people who are saying nice things.

Bob

Congrats to the race director for doing what he should have done in the first place. $9,000 is now settled in the most reasonable manner.

However, the real issue is non-profit's tax forms.

In 2014, the had 151,040 in revenues. The revenues include a deduction for 49,994 in direct expenses, presumably for the race.

In 2014, they had $32,486 in expenses for actual charity work (non salary or admin expenses).

That's right, 20% of their revenue went to their actual non-profit work. That is abysmal, even for a small non-profit. Good non-profits run at 80+% generally.