[Ares-races] Avon Products Foundation AKA Pallotta Teamworks

Sat, 13 Apr 2002 20:04:13 -0400

I believe the FCC has ruled on this stuff several times- during the late
'80's and early '90's- their basic ruling, if my memory serves correctly, is
that regardless of the "for-profit" status of an organization, amateur radio
is there to serve the public interest and protect the general public- and
that overrides any benefit that the for-profit organization may gain by
utilizing amateur radio's services.

Of course, be cautious and don't take any money for your services.  But when
you have hundreds or thousands of participants who are all donating their
time and effort to a bike or walk-a-thon on public roads, and it is
publicized as a charity, I believe the FCC allows amateur radio
participation.  As long as you are limiting your communications to
protecting and serving the public in a safety role and not assisting the
for-profit organization in internal logistics, I believe the FCC thinks you
are fine.

The key to making that work is 1)- make sure I'm right in what I'm saying
(going strictly on memory here), 2) be involved in the early planning of the
event and make sure that the sponsoring organizations know where amateur
radio has to draw the line on the type of communications you are handling
(good with any organization or event), and 3) do not deviate from the plan
you develop unless it is a true emergency where life or property (including
money) is at stake.

Just my opinion and $.02.

73,
Marlo Montanaro- KA2IRQ
Monmouth County RACES Radio Officer
Monmouth County ARES DEC
Monmouth County Skywarn Deputy Coordinator
ARRL PIO
ARECC Level I/II

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Mark C. Whitaker
> Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2002 7:43 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [Ares-races] Avon Products Foundation AKA Pallotta Teamworks
>
>
> Rob,
>
> While the Avon Products Foundation is a non-profit; there is
> another company
> that actually created and handles all aspects of the event called Pallotta
> Teamworks which is a for-profit company, this is what made it somewhat
> suspicious to us as to whether this is a commercial venture with only a
> portion of the money going to the charity or a charitable venture
> where the
> charity gets all the money and uses a portion of it to cover
> administrative
> costs for the walk.
>
> Mark
> KD7KUN
> NCI-4243
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> Message: 2
> From: "Rob Roller N7LV" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: [Ares-races] RE: ARES-RACES digest, Vol 1 #28 - 2 msgs
> Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 16:26:29 -0600
>
> According to the writeup on the web page, this is a non-profit, 501(c)(3)
> corporation:
>
> "Gifts are awarded by the Avon Products Foundation, Inc., a non-profit
> 501(c)(3) accredited public charity. The Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day
> is one of
> several fundraising efforts of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, a U.S.
> initiative of Avon Products, Inc., begun in 1993."
>
> I don't know anything more than that.  That would eliminate the
> worry about
> the FCC.  But if it's true that volunteers are expected to pay to
> participate, that right there would be enough for me to say, "No."
>
> However, on the registration page, there is the following text:
>
> "Register as a volunteer. Call us at (800) 825-1000 to find out more about
> volunteer programs happening in your area or download a registration form
> here. See section 5 of the form to sign up as a volunteer - there is no
> registration fee - and mail the form to us at 2709 Media Center Drive, Los
> Angeles, CA 90065."
>
> It doesn't come through my area, so I'm not going to be a part of this
> event.  But from what I've seen at first glance, it sounds like it's not
> much different than other kinds of "walk for research" events.
> Sounds like
> a worthwhile cause.  There may be more to it than meets my eye, though.
>
> 73
> Rob
> N7LV
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mark C. Whitaker" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 10:50
> Subject: [Ares-races] RE: ARES-RACES digest, Vol 1 #28 - 2 msgs
>
>
> > Fred,
> >
> > There was some discussion about this locally here in the
> Seattle area as a
> > possible event to participate in.  But (and a big one for us) in
> researching
> > the event we discovered that the event planner is a for-profit
> corporation
> > which we believed precluded this from being a true public service event
> and
> > would give the appearance of being a commercial venture
> (whether it would
> be
> > interpreted as such by the FCC, we don't know, but decided not
> to test the
> > waters).  There was also some question as to whether the "volunteers"
> would
> > have to pay for the privilege to support this event...way too many
> questions
> > kept coming up for this to prove to be a viable opportunity for us to
> > consider participating in.
> >
> > Mark C. Whitaker, KD7KUN
> > Mike & Key Amateur Radio Club, Public Service Committee
> > Assistant Emergency Coordinator - Operations, ARES of King County