Parents Anyone have size Child Large Leos they dont need?

[cbifoja]

To quote Shakespeare....."me thinks she doth protest too much."

 

[lhmom]

Wow, you're familiar with the law and couldn't find the EIN number? Let me provide it for you, as it IS a matter of PUBLIC record: LEFT OVER LEOS - EIN Number 45-933320

This is the one on their recent Facebook post:

45-3933320.​

 

[gymmomtoo]

This is the one on their recent Facebook post:

45-3933320.​

I searched that and got this:

Organizations Eligible to Receive Tax-Deductible Contributions (Pub. 78 data)There were no tax-exempt organizations found matching the search values you entered. Please refine your search and try again. SeeSearch Tips for help in reformulating your search request.
Note: The organization you are searching for may not currently be eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. See Deductibility Statusfor a description of the limitations on deductibility of contributions to different types of tax-exempt organizations.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Having an EIN and having 503(c)(3) are separate things, but an organization with 503(c)(3) status will be listed by EIN.

 

[kayjaybe]

Yes - I saw that there, too.

Bonsue and the owner of LOLs, your tax ID does NOT come up as a 501c3 on the IRS official website. If you truly have that status, I suggest you get your lawyer working on that immediately. Something is amiss. I hope that it is just an oversight, but you will have a devil of a time filing the taxes and form 990s without a properly filed & approved application.

I think that it is possible for this truly to be a wonderful organization but I fear that the person heading it up may have not received the best information. For example, she answered a ton of stuff on the FB page and said that one of the things that the "credits" may go to in a gym is a piece of equipment. But unless that gym (not the booster club, but the gym itself) is also a non-profit, I believe that is in violation of what a 501c3 can do.

I would love for this sport to be more accessible to people of all financial means. Please make sure you are doing your due diligence and operating in a completely transparent and legally proper way so you don't get burned.

 

[gymmomtoo]

Having an EIN and having 503(c)(3) are separate things, but an organization with 503(c)(3) status will be listed by EIN.

True and they did apparently file as a Texas non-profit corporation, but that's also different than achieving 501(c)3 designation by the IRS. And once they DO achieve that designation, I still want to know how exactly they are helping gymnasts in need--where are all the leos being donated going? If they are selling them, where is the money going?

 

[MaryA]

There is more info on the facebook page answering a number of the questions. The EIN number was given as 45-3933320. I tried to search it and nothing came up, but I've never tried to search via EIN number before, so I might be doing it wrong.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

And once they DO achieve that designation, I still want to know how exactly they are helping gymnasts in need--where are all the leos being donated going? If they are selling them, where is the money going?

As someone who does alot of fundraising for gym and schools, this has to be the #1 most frequently asked question! In fact, in all of our solicitation letters, we automatically include that info in the introductory paragraph.

 

[bogwoppit]

More than that, what are people being told before they donate? If I knew my leo was not being handed directly, and quickly, to another gymnast why would I send it when I could just give it away myself?

 

[level9mom]

The organization's own description
Does not say that Leos will go to "needy" gymnasts. It says it provides them at a lower cost.


Every awful story begins with "we were on beam and..."

 

[level9mom]

It's basically a "resale" company. There is no charitable component.


Every awful story begins with "we were on beam and..."

 

[bonsue]

First - yes, I had a type. My apologies. The EIN is 45-3933320. Second, let me answer EMILYISOK: Not snarky or anything - but to answer your questions. Sadly, the questions that have been asked here on Chalk Bucket were not answered, because they banned her. She was out of town yesterday, so that she was UNABLE to answer questions on FB yesterday. She is currently answering all questions on FB today. As far as the lawsuit, I am not privy to everything they have discussed with their attorneys, but they did meet yesterday, along with her parents and the Board of Directors, because of the negative things said about her and Left Over Leos. The things said has already caused harm to the business - all because of gossip. Chalk Bucket allowed it, and not one other ADULT did anything to stop any of this horrid behavior. Sadly, the administrator should have stood up and stopped it. Assumptions were made about it being a scam and threatening to speak to USAG is what got me so mad I couldn't hold my tongue, and if you google Left Over Leos right now, the FIRST thing that comes up, is now Chalk Bucket. These are not unfounded allegations, assumptions, or threats of a lawsuit. The attorneys have confirmed that this already has harmed and could potentially continue to harm Left Over Leos. All of the negativity, threatening to go to USAG, and so much more are defamation of character and so much more. All of the words I used -- were based upon the bashing of a young girl, and a good, legal, and legitimate non profit - and I as and adult, a business woman, and a Christian, was and am appalled that all of this would go on between adults - all while she was unable to defend herself or the charity that she founded. To the best of MY knowledge, not one member has sent an email or letter that has NOT been answered within a timely manner. I too, know all too well that there are many scams and "fake/false" non profits out there. However, to allow days of this nonsense to go on, is sad to me. Most everything I've read here is unfounded, or has been downright mean. Every person that is guilty of this, knows who he or she is. It is sad to me that no one here tried to stop any of this type of talk - KNOWING that she had been banned from Chalk Bucket. The continuation of all of this is beyond sad to me. I can not fathom doing this to another person, let alone another business within the gymnastics community. What happened to supporting each other? What happened to giving a person a chance to answer questions? I do not believe questions have gone unanswered for any unnecessary length of time. I believe someone was on the Left Over Leos page yesterday to inform all those with questions that she was out of town -- but apparently it wasn't enough to attack here. I'm beyond sad that an upstanding girl has had her reputation tarnished - and that a legal, legit charity that is doing GOOD WORK has been attacked here. THAT is why it was decided by both the Board and her parents to seek legal counsel.

 

[bonsue]

Ein number 45-3933320

 

[bogwoppit]

The board of directors are her family aren't they, or I am missing something? I think people who gave leos believed that they would be directly handed to gymnastics who needed them. I think this is where things got cloudy, don't you Bonsue? I cannot close threads for no good reason, but I can ban people for breaking the rules, like spamming. I know you and LOL use the same computer, so you are either sitting next to each other sharing the computer or you are the same person. Not that that matters much, but really the legal threats are baseless as I have read the thread at least three times over and there is nothing libellous or slanderous. Public forums are like this, they speculate, they ponder, they dig. The CB has some amazing sleuths on it, gym parents love numbers and statistics, they want to know what is happening with leos they gave thinking they would be handed directly to another gymnast. Damage was done to LOL's business because she slandered CB on her FB page more than once and members did not like that. That was not the admins or the mods, just loyal members.

 

[Empowered]

Not one of the "answers" to these questions has cleared up anything. If anything it's made it worse. I am allowed to have an opinion about ANYTHING in the United States. I can say that Lindsay Lohan is an addict and a pathetic excuse for a role model, I can say that Barry Bonds is a steroid ridden freak who should be banned from the Baseball Hall of Fame, heck I can even call politicians liars and cheaters if I see fit.

That is called FREEDOM OF SPEECH. We have this handy dandy thing called the FIRST AMENDMENT in the United States. If a lawyer tries to sue anyone on this board for exercising their first amendment rights, the lawyer will end up with a countersuit and paying for all of that person's legal fees.

It is only defamation if what you say you know to be a lie. Are you not soliciting donations of leotards? Are you not reselling them at a cost that is grossly higher than the cost of shipping? Are you not selling the donated leotards in your gym's pro shop?

I am fully and completely within my first amendment rights to say that I think Left Over Leotards is a lousy excuse for a charitable organization. Taking 3 years to be able to get these leotards to gymnasts that need them? Are you kidding me?

Furthermore if any gym, any person with USAG, any judge, any athlete, anyone asks me about LOL I am well within my first amendment rights to tell them that it is poorly run, it is not accomplishing what it's mission statement is and they would be better to find girls in their home gym to donate old leotards to.

 

[cbifoja]

Not one of the "answers" to these questions has cleared up anything. If anything it's made it worse. I am allowed to have an opinion about ANYTHING in the United States. I can say that Lindsay Lohan is an addict and a pathetic excuse for a role model, I can say that Barry Bonds is a steroid ridden freak who should be banned from the Baseball Hall of Fame, heck I can even call politicians liars and cheaters if I see fit.

That is called FREEDOM OF SPEECH. We have this handed dandy thing called the FIRST AMENDMENT in the United States. If a lawyer tries to sue anyone on this board for exercising their first amendment rights, the lawyer will end up with a countersuit and paying for all of that person's legal fees.

It is only defamation if what you say you know to be a lie. Are you not soliciting donations of leotards? Are you not reselling them at a cost that is grossly higher than the cost of shipping? Are you not selling the donated leotards in your gym's pro shop?

I am fully and completely within my first amendment rights to say that I think Left Over Leotards is a lousy excuse for a charitable organization. Taking 3 years to be able to get these leotards to gymnasts that need them? Are you kidding me?

Furthermore if any gym, any person with USAG, any judge, any athlete, anyone asks me about LOL I am well within my first amendment rights to tell them that it is poorly run, it is not accomplishing what it's mission statement is and they would be better to find girls in their home gym to donate old leotards to.

I think the American term for this is "boo-yah"!

Unfortunately, LOL could have avoided this by not getting hateful in the first place and by answering question in a straightforward manner. Every explanation I've read uses some crazy, circular logic to try to justify this bizarre charity. If olympians understand, have truly been told up front, how this operates and they still choose to donate, that's between them and the company. But if LOL isn't making it abundantly clear, then sorry BonSue.....I just don't think that is on the up and up.

Yes, there has been harm to LOL, but it seems more like a self-inflicted gunshot wound than homicide. Oh, and can we stop with the rape comments? They are beyond offensive to TRUE rape victims.

 

[level9mom]

I wonder How many Leo's would be donated if the gymnasts truly knew this
has nothing to do with "charity?" Or if they knew their Leo's would supply
a pro shop I'm the Presidents gym?


Every awful story begins with "we were on beam and..."

 

[Linsul]

I got to the part in the wall of text where asking questions and presenting the lack of 501c3 status was compared to rape and stopped. Frankly if answering questions and being transparent in the role she took qualifies as "rapey" then she should step down, no humor intended here. Step down and take a leo label and boxer role to avoid the stress of a job that's public in nature.

More importantly, elevating the inability to cope with a public role to the level of rape is disgusting. I stopped reading the rant because that kind of manipulation degrades actual distress from true victims. The notion that it's okay to compare things that are not rape to rape just encourages a cultural acceptance of that behavior. That sort of social entitlement screaming back at us from your caps wasn't started by you, but clearly you took every celebrities "I was raped because I was photographed despite being a public person" and angry tech genius "my copyright was infringed upon! RAPE!" to heart.

When you take away the power of the word, its impact, you desensitize others to it's true horror and meaning. Knowing that it was done out of internet rage just makes it worse.

When people asked about the charity they got nasty replies attacking their will to give or their feelings toward other gymnasts. Emotional attacks designed to shame them into going away and not asking legitimate questions. You know who else gets manipulated like that for asking questions or reporting crimes in some parts of the world? Think about it. Again, the stress of running the place seems to be getting on top of her. If you two are friends you should salvage the reputation of her work by helping her with transparency, PR, and of course a mission statement. Then immediately stop employing every horrid tactic brought to you by the worst societal tendencies.

 

[Empowered]

Brilliant Linsul, absolutely brilliant. I wish there was a love button next to the like button.

 

[profmom]

Bonsue, if you are still reading -- please tell your friend that she is treading on some very dangerous legal ground. If LOL is not a 501(3)(c), she has perpetrated fraud and could be prosecuted civilly or possibly even criminally. While she may mean well, she should consult with a qualified attorney and an accountant as soon as possible to try to figure out how to mitigate the many problems in her business plan and its operation. A conviction for fraud could be very damaging to her future. At best, from looking at the FB page, it appears that she has engaged in some misrepresentation, even if it is inadvertent.

Parents/gymmies/coaches, if you donated a leo to this organization and itemized on your 2012 taxes, you should contact your accountant to ensure that you are not going to run into any difficulty if you are ever audited and claimed a large donation as charitable. You can protect yourself from legal penalties, which could be substantial, if you proactively contact the IRS and your state tax folks.