This thread and your email box will soon be full (maybe already is) with messages from people around the world testifying to Uncle Bill's honesty (and more).
Perhaps your friend may be concerned about the lack of Uncle Bill's affiliation to a well know charity like the United Way, etc. That is understandable. One should always be careful. And he might understand that (unless Uncle Bill has grown a liking for IRS paperwork
), he probably won't be seeing a nice IRS approved receipt allowing him to deduct any contribution from income taxes
But in Uncle Bill's case, the lack of overheads means that 100% (and I would bet in some cases even more
) of funds donated go directly to the student to cover his education expenses in Latvia (and like in Nepal, I would imagine that a dollar there would go a long way). So his contribution will have a direct impact for a very worthy cause (who knows? After our young student begins practicing in Nepal, perhaps your MD friend can visit him to see his work and may get motivated "Uncle Bill" style to do something more over the long term).
Perhaps your friend might be more reassured (as well as coaxed into a larger donation) by a gesture from the Forumites to show how much we support Uncle Bill's cause. Please tell him that if he makes a significant contribution, there will be an offer on the Forum to trade an unused high end HI khukuri for a used/battered YCS (with ying-yang, preferably the old convexed ones) I've been eyeing plus a cash donation to go to our Nepalese medical student.
(By the way, this leads to all sorts of complicated scenerios such as a Forumite donating a used YCS for a donation from your friend, etc. But let's see where the chips fall)
Please let me know what your friend decides. All the best!
