FUNDRAISER TIME!
Low On Funds!
We are low on funds after the recent, major site upgrade and migration, so we must raise the money to cover this year's expenses if we want to see the BRS continue to grow and flourish.
You can check out the site upgrade and migration costs in the 2023 Financial Summary here: https://www.thebarefootrunners.org/Financial_Summaries/BRSFinancialSummary_2023.pdf
Support Your Club
Here's the usual spiel:
Dear Friends,
The Barefoot Runners Society needs your support.
As you know, the BRS is funded and operated solely by its members. A modest income from advertising and tee shirt sales no longer covers the monthly costs for running and maintaining the site. Site hosting, support, maintenance, enhancements, and upgrades all cost money. In addition, the BRS has other bills that need to be covered, for example, annual reports and filing fees, tax preparation, taxes, etc. Yet, we are committed to keeping the site free.
The BRS is the most visited barefoot and minimalist running site around because your kindness has enabled it to be #1. In order to maintain the level of quality you have come to appreciate (basically just to exist at this point), we need your continued help. Your donations will go far to allow the BRS to stay afloat, reach more potential members, and continue to grow.
We don't want to boast, but we do think we offer our members quite a range of services and content:
Forums:
The most active forums going on barefoot and minimalist talk. Learn and grow with other members, new and veteran alike, as you transition to healthy running. We have forums for Barefoot & Minimalist Running; Ultra Running; Ask the Docs; Gear & Footwear; Health, Nutrition, Injuries & Medical Conditions; Mileage Reporting; New Member Introductions; Races & Events; the Barefoot Pub; and more.
Giveaway Contests:
Simply post in the contest thread in the Gear & Footwear forum for you chance to win! It's free with no obligation to you! We have giveaways for all types of minshoes. Check the Gear & Footwear forum to see what we have scored for you! If you are a Donating Member, then your chances to win increase depending on your donation amount. See below for more info.
Chapter Clubs:
Join in on group runs and races with other members in your area, or head up a chapter in your area and arrange meetups.
Calendar of Events (been kinda lacking lately to be honest):
Stay informed on the barefoot and minimalist running, racing, and meetup events taking place around the country, in your area, and where you may be traveling to.
Ask the Docs Forum:
We have real doctors "on-call" to answer your questions about your barefoot and minimalist running and living health.
Map of Barefoot-Friendly Doctors & Specialists:
Find a doctor or specialist near you who won't treat you like an outcast for your running-style, or you can share those barefoot-friendly docs you learn of with the rest of us.
Map of Barefoot Running Instructors:
For those who need an extra bit of help and some face-to-face instruction.
Product Reviews:
Share your experiences and rate a product you may have tested--gear & footwear--and read what others are saying about products you may be interested in buying.
Course Reviews:
Rate a course, trail, or race on barefoot-friendliness you have experienced, so others will know what to expect should they want to run it too.
Home Page News:
Stay informed on the latest in barefoot and minimalist running and the news that impacts our sport.
Blogging:
Share your experiences with others or learn more about your friends’ personal triumphs and trials in an all-inclusive place.
Library (under construction but really needing a volunteer to step-up and take it on):
Review our Library, THE go-to source for academic research and info on the benefits of barefoot and minimalist running, review how-to instructionals, and learn safe transitioning through Barefoot Running 101. (Hopefully, being added back soon...)
Mileage Clubs & Mileage Reporting:
Be inspired and motivated by logging your barefoot and/or minimalist running miles and inspire and motivate others along the way. Earn a merit award at the end of the year to keep as a memento of your hard work and efforts.
International Barefoot Running DayTM (IBRDTM) (a great BRS event that will be on its own come 2023):
We no longer host IBRD, but we sure are please to have been the organization to start it all. On the first Sunday in May each year, barefoot runners from all over the world get together to share camaraderie, express unity, and share with the world an alternative, viable way to run.
Stomp of ApprovalTM Program:
The BRS’s Stomp of ApprovalTM is given to those individuals, organizations, and running events that show support for barefoot and minimalist running to display on their sites.
Communication:
Communicate with other members through private messaging.
For those who donate monetarily to the BRS, we have a special donor footprint that can be added to your profile's signature which will appear under your posts, so everyone who visits the site will know that you are a financial contributor to the BRS.
The BRS is a supportive, international community of barefoot and minimally-shod runners. All donation amounts are truly appreciated. Consider the cost of a pair of shoes that you no longer have to buy. Consider the amount you give to your favorite magazine for a subscription. If you feel the Barefoot Runners Society has enhanced your life and your running experience, please donate by clicking the Donate button below. It's for a good cause, and with your help, we are changing the running world one odd look at a time!
Donation Levels:
$1 - $24 gets you a Pinky Toe (one toe)
$25 - $49 gets you a Ring Toe (two toes)
$50 - $74 gets you a Middle Toe (three toes)
$75 - $99 gets you a Morton's Toe (Yikes!) (four toes)
$100 + gets you the Big Toe! (five toes)
ABOUT GIVEAWAY CONTESTS:
If you are a non-donating member of the BRS, you may post one time. Posting more than once will void your entry. If you have made a monetary donation to the BRS, then you may post once PLUS one time for each toe you have accumulated in the 12 months since your donation. For example: If you donated on 06/01/22, you can post your extra toes in each giveaway contest up until 06/01/23. (You may post all toe-entries at once or you may spread your posts throughout the contest.) To increase your chances of winning, please consider making a donation by visiting the Donate Button on the home page.
Support Your Club
The BRS Mission:
• To offer resources that unite barefoot and minimalist runners from around the world;
• To promote barefoot running and minimalist running around the world and at race events as a competitive sport;
• To educate the running public on the health benefits of barefoot and minimalist running;
• To dispel the myths associated with barefoot running that negatively impact the sport.
FILING STATUS:
The Barefoot Runners Society is a running club registered in Georgia as an LLC. We are no longer a non-profit corporation registered in Florida because we no longer have a registered agent living in Florida (which is required to file an Annual Report); the cost to file for federal 501c3 non-profit status at this time is too expensive; and filing corporate taxes are too high. Once we have the funds and the time is right and the purpose warranted, we will work toward filing for federal 501c3 status.
No one at the Barefoot Runners Society receives a wage, and all efforts are voluntary; many of our members volunteer their time in some way or another to support our running club. Some have stepped up to lead a chapter club in their area, some have taken on roles from administering the site, moderating the forums, writing articles, creating artwork, managing the Library, etc., while others have made monetary donations. Every little bit helps to keep our club going and growing. We all must do our part. If the BRS has made an impact in your life and if you believe in what we are doing here and can contribute in some way, we would more than appreciate it. Please locate the Donate Button above or email [email protected] for more info on how you can help your club.
Financial Summaries for the previous years (including donation totals) can be found here: http://thebarefootrunners.org/library-articles/financial-summary.24/ (Will get this link fixed soon!)
More info about donations/purchases on or through the site can be found here: https://www.thebarefootrunners.org/threads/contributions-please.20337/#post-187735
