Gail Gygax On Memorial Funds & Legal Expenses

Amidst the whirl of debate that sprang up in response to the recent news about the Gygax trademark and Gary Gygax's widow, Gail, and sons Luke and Ernie, one question was asked frequently -- the legal dispute was an expensive endeavour (in the region of six figures, according to some speculation) and a number of folks wondered whether it had eaten into funds set aside for the Gygax Memorial Fund (administered by Gail Gygax to create a memorial statue of her late husband). I figured the most expedient thing to do was to simply ask her.

We're talking two different entities here. Both are headed by Gail Gygax. One is called The Gygax Memorial Fund (GMF) and the other is the Gail C. Gygax Revocable Trust (Gygax Trust).

I'd add that other questions have circulated that I do not feel comfortable asking; I feel those issues are between the family members involved. However, the Memorial Fund is, of course, a more public affair. Here's what Gail Gygax answered when I asked her about the funding situation for the legal dispute and the Memorial Fund (bearing in mind it's Thanksgiving today in the US):

"The Gygax Memorial Fund is a 501 c 3 Corp. All tax returns have been filed and all donations accounted for. The GMF does not pay Mrs. Gygax a salary for her endless hours of service nor has it loaned her or the Gygax Trust any funds. Unfortunately, on the heals of a press release regarding the "Gygax" trademark, it would seem certain individuals are out to sabotage the efforts of the GMF by engaging in wild speculation and mis-leading statements. This only serves to hurt the memory of E. Gary Gygax."

It also seems that Gail Gygax has agreed to answer some questions about the GMF over at the blog Tenkar's Tavern.

The Gygax Memorial Fund has a website. The fund was started about 6 years ago, shortly after the passing of Gary Gygax. In 2014 a proposal sketch of the statue/plinth was revealed (below). You can also read about it at Lake Geneva News.

 

[Mark CMG]

I've done some charity work, and that only amounted to about $10,000, with support from a much larger organization, and that was a great deal of effort that ate my life for some time.

The point is that managing charities, even simple ones, is non-trivial.

And what does your experience tell you about transparency and proper management of a charity?

 

[tenkar]

The questions certainly aren't easy ones. As of the end of 2013, the fund (according to their tax return that I was able to obtain) had over $222k in it's account. The questions dealing with the money and how much is needed before they can move forward with the project are legitimate questions. All the questions are legit.

Now we just await the answers.

 

[delericho]

And what does your experience tell you about transparency and proper management of a charity?

My experience of running a charity is that Umbran is right - very often the people left to actually run the thing are doing so as a labour of love, and not necessarily because they're the best people for the job. Very often, they're the only people for the job.

That said, I've also found that while there are many things you can be flexible about, there are two things you must be absolutely scrupulous about handling, because even a hint of impropriety can destroy you. One of which is the money, which must all be clearly and openly accounted for. If you're not equipped to do that job properly, you either need to hire someone to do it for you, and accept the resultant cost, or you need to close down.

(The other area of especial importance is the child protection (and other vulnerable groups). Of course, that doesn't apply here.)

 

[tenkar]

Gail responded:
http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2015/11/gail-gygax-responds-to-communitys.html

 

[Cody C. Lewis]

[MENTION=15047]tenkar[/MENTION]

Did she really though?

Hahaha

 

[MichaelSomething]

http://www.gygaxmemorialfund.org/
Here's a link to the the offical memorial site. Not much activity it seems. They don't even finish the "Tower of Gygax," whatever that means...

 

[tenkar]

[MENTION=6802841]dakotahorn[/MENTION] - I chose my words carefully. Yes, she responded.

 

[Le Noir Faineant]

Collected some hard info on the GMF and the GT over here:

http://knights-n-knaves.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13605&start=75

Take your own conclusions, folks. - To me personally, this is a case for Hanlon's Razor. The Gygax Trust appears inept to a point where it makes my head spin.

 

[Morrus]

This thread is turning into a links directory. Please try and post more than just links, guys. Thanks!

 

[Le Noir Faineant]

Your wish is my command, Lord Morrus! Just didn't want to spam the thread with stuff that makes for an easy read:

***From the K&K A.***

"Woe is to the citizens of Greyhawk, when a man of Blackmoor has to come to their aid."

- Rowell the Blade



I am more worried about this:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Zko6WBDGxo/VlXiRb9aVdI/AAAAAAAAcuU/zlPIt_ZyQfs
/s1600/Screenshot%2B2015-11-25%2B11.25.51.png

Typos on the website, gaaaah. Also, mainly, this:

http://www.gygaxmemorialfund.org/fund-info/who-we-are

Dianne Curtis/M.S. Ed., NCSP –Coordinator of Educational Programs and Special Projects

Dianne brings to the Gygax Memorial Fund her unique credentials which lend another facet to our team. Sister-in-law of Gary Gygax, Dianne had weekly conversations with Gary, and she and Gary shared a standing “inside joke”—“no, Gail isn’t here, so you have to speak with me!” Dianne has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s in school psychology and has completed doctoral studies in educational psychology at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Dianne is a practicing school psychologist in the state of New Jersey at the high school level. Her professional interests include finding creative ways to provide therapeutic mental health services to adolescents and teaching social skills to adolescents with special needs utilizing role playing techniques. Dianne created an “in house” therapeutic program for students with mental health needs in her high school, which has been so successful that the model is now being utilized by several other high schools in northern New Jersey. Dianne has been assisting not only with the details of the fundraising for the Gygax Memorial statue project, but also with long range planning for educational programs and activities geared towards keeping Gary’s memory and contributions to gaming alive.

Mike Curtis, MBA-Business Manager

Brother-in-law of Gary Gygax, Mike brings to the fund his personal relationship with Gary and his expertise from a business standpoint. Mike holds an MBA from UCLA and is assisting the fund in both short and long-term business decisions. A major emphasis has been to keep operating costs low, so that preponderance of contributions to the fund are going to the building of the statue and other memorial projects. To demonstrate his commitment ot Gary, it was Mike who arranged for the Gygax Memorial Fund members to attend Gen Con 2012, paying all expenses out of pocket for the staff to attend. This trip allowed the GMF to bring more awareness to their fundraising efforts.

So, her sister and her brother-in-law are the de-facto executors of the GMF? - Take your own conclusions, gentlemen, by looking closely at those two curricula. Those people likely have no clue what they're doing.


FYI, this is the accountant of the GMF; rather than to Gail Gygax, in any interested fan's place, I'd direct my questions to him:

http://www.ptindirectory.com/tax-pr...-wi/648269/mjb-accounting/michael-j-buttleman

For tax preparation in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, you can count on Michael J. Buttleman at Mjb Accounting. Michael J. Buttleman assists taxpayers and small businesses with taxes in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and the surrounding communities. Whether you are an individual or a local business in or around Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Michael J. Buttleman has years of valuable experience as an IRS registered tax preparer. Contact Michael J. Buttleman, tax filing specialist in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for help with your taxes.

Mjb Accounting
1017 Geneva St, Apt 4, Lake Geneva, WI 53147
Phone: 262-903-0514

Looking for the best local tax preparers located in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin?
Michael J. Buttleman is a local tax preparer at Mjb Accounting located in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Michael J. Buttleman and other tax preparers located in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin will help you with tax preparation, tax planning, bookkeeping, estate and trust taxes, and so much more.

How the GMF has been using money, specifically, of course is difficult to tell in detail... But here you find their short form tax report from 2013:

http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/300/300580070/300580070_201312_990EZ.pdf


And, finally, here's to the two "writers" from the "publicity team" - under normal circumstances, those would also be the go-to guys for any sort of information:

Ethan Gilsdorf - http://www.ethangilsdorf.com/

Ezra Claverie - http://www.shadowoutofprovidence.com/about/


I assume that this person is Tim Hutchings, who's listed as "audio visual engineer" - http://timothyhutchings.com/TH2/Timothy_Hutchings.html


To be continued...