Monday, November 11, 2013

2-4-6-8 WHO DO WE APPRECIATE??

 My daughter is a cheerleader for the Police Athletic League.   It's grouped by towns and they completely fund the group through donations and volunteers.   There is a small cost to join, but there are no tryouts or cuts.   You pay, you play.   It's all in good fun.   It's especially fun for us since this particular football is undefeated for the 2nd year in a row and it's awesome to watch.  My family does their part every home game.  I bake for the bake sale and my husband work the chains for which they are ALWAYS asking for volunteers. 

The two cheer leading coaches are terrific.  I just love them.   They are  young (probably around 19 -early 20's) and they volunteer their time three days a week.   Two evening practices and game day.  I really do admire them because when I was their age, I spent all my free time either going to a bar with my fake id, studying or watching Lifetime movies.  I certainly wasn't wasting my time with nine and ten year old whiny, snot nosed kids.   They are great role models for our girls and I know the girls look up to them.

I bet you're wondering what the issue is then.   Stacey ALWAYS has an issue to bitch about on her blog, right?

Well, here it goes:   I sent an email out to all the parents of the cheer leaders (there are about 30).   It was about a month before the last game.  I wrote how I really appreciate the coaches and I'm planning on giving them a monetary gift since they do not get paid for the wonderful job they do.  I invited all the parents to join me in this gift.  I suggested an amount of $10.00 per family but it's really their discretion on what they wanted to or could give.   As much of a big mouth as I am, I am not into pressuring people.  If they want to give, then great, if they don't  then I don't bother or ask.   I wrote in the email that I will be at every game and if they don't know who I am, I gave my phone number to call or text me at the game and we will find each other.  I also wrote that I will be at every practice if they wanted to  hand me a donation.  I made it real easy.  At the second to last game, just in case someone was unintentionally left off the email, or forgot to come find me at games, I walked up and down the bleachers with a large envelope shouting that I was collecting for the coaches gift.

About 1/2 the parents gave.  Not great but whatever.  I was able to give the coaches a gift that I wouldn't be embarrassed to give.  The day before I was going to give the gift, I sent out an email thanking those who contributed.  I also mentioned that to be fair, I would sign a card and list all the family names in alphabetical order.  Wouldn't want anyone to accuse me of having a pecking order.

Two days after this, I received an email from a mother of one of the cheerleaders.  It accused me of ostracizing those parents who "forgot to give" or did not give towards the gift for financial reasons  by not signing their names to my card.   She ranted about "not being able to afford" to give, not that it's my business and (direct quote here) "her personal financial situation is not one that the public needs to be privy to."  She also mentioned that she will be sending the coaches her own personal token of appreciation at a later time.

Huhhh?  Her personal financial situation is not one that the public needs to be privy to?   I don't recall asking for financial statements, nor did I post anyone's income taxes or related document for the public to see.   I wrote an email back to her stating that I apologized that she felt that way.  (Notice I did not apologize for my act - but for her attitude about it) and I explained that I wasn't about to force anyone to give.   If someone did not contribute, I didn't say "oh come on"!  I didn't beg, and I didn't ask why.  First of all I didn't care.  Second of all everyone has their reasons.  Not for me to determine that they should give a gift to the coaches.  It was optional.    Then to say that I ostracized them.   I don't think so.  If I wanted to do that, instead of writing the names of the contributors on the card, I would have wrote "this card is from everybody EXCEPT (and listed names). 

Once I hit send, I realized, that she didn't just send me the note, she copied her husband and the woman who is in charge of all the PAL cheerleading.  What a douche!!!  Like that woman has nothing better to do or even wants to be dragged into the squabble of parents.  I got more mad at the fact that she copied people than at her idiotic accusations.    So I wrote an email to the head of the cheerleading  lady that if I don't collect for the coaches as I did this year or the year before, that she can thank Ms. Smith.   I added that I will continue to show my support by baking, private donations and my husband will continue to volunteer at all the home games.   Oh, and I copied Ms. Smith and her husband.  Was it childish?  You bet.  Did I mean it?  Probably not.  I just wanted to be obnoxious because that's what I'm good at.   My version of saying "nanny nanny poo poo on you."

Well, of course then the husband has to pipe in and save his damsel in distress.   Ugh.  Really?  This isn't done.  She says her thing, I say my thing and that's it.  Isn't this how it's supposed to go down?   I guess not in Whinersville. 

This was the dad's response:  If my wife pointing out her concern with how only those who could / did donate where exclusively included on the card given to the coaches caused me to write such a strong statement then he would personally take on the responsibility next year and that he felt no reason that the coaches should not be shown appreciation for their efforts.    Oh, there was much more to this email but this about sums up the nonsense. 

  So let me get this straight:   You wouldn't  contribute anything, ANYTHING, to my collection.  Not even an offer to make a card.  Not even an offer to take the collection and use your time only to buy the gift card.   But you will personally organize it next year?   You see no reason why the coaches should not be shown appreciation but you refused to show appreciation.  The dollar donation was too much money for you but yet you can give your daughter a dollar every week to buy something at the concession stand.  Ok.  That's not hypocritical or anything.    Let me get another thing straight.  You are offended because I didn't sign your name to a card attached to a gift that you didn't give???????   This boggles my mind.   Hey asshole, the gift wasn't from you.   I don't give gifts to people and sign random names to the card.  When I bake the brownies every week, I don't put your fucking name on the container either. Why?  Because YOU didn't contribute them!  I did!  Plus, there's 30 girls in the group.  I didn't even KNOW everyone's name.  Other than a handful of people, I only new the names of the people who gave.  Because I asked them their name and wrote it down.  

So, asshole...your wife says that she will be providing her own token of appreciation at a later date.  Are you going to practice what  you preach by signing MY name to your card?  Huh?  You friggin better or else I'm going to send you a nasty email.  Oh, and I'll copy everyone too, just to be a jerkoff just like you.

Phew....I publically vented my frustration.   At least it's nicer than "making the public privy of their financial situation".   Now I'll just make the public privy of their assholeness and stupidity.   Oh, and since they like credit where credit, even when they don't deserve it,  their real name is Smith.   Happy?  I signed your name biiiatch. 




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