August 1978
A six-weekly newsletter put about by Leigh Edmonds, PO Box 103, Brunswick, Victoria 3056, AUSTRALIA concerning the progress of GUFF 7/8/78
FUNDS: So far a mere thirteen Australians have voted for GUFF, another two have made donations and what with the deposits that the candidates made the Fund in Australia now stands at an "interesting" Seventy Nine Dollars. Dave Langford, trusty British Administrator, tells that they will soon have Forty Pounds stored away (I wonder what that is in real money...). One of these days I'll get too and find out what the air fare is to Britain these days so that we know what sort of target we've got to meet, it will be around the One Thousand Dollar mark so we have a fair way to go yet.
RAISING FUNDS: So far most of the people who have voted have been generous and sent more than just the bare $1.50. However, even if those who are yet to vote keep up this admirable habit an aweful lot of people are going to have to vote or a lot of people have to be very generous. While we don't discount either of these as unlikely or not to be encouraged we have to get the money other ways. Traditionally there has been a mail auction and auctions at various conventions. Personally I'm not going to run a mail auction becuase they seem to be a lot like very hard work even if they do fill up the letter box. If any kindly soul out there want to run an auction for GUFF through the posts and can convince me that they know what they are doing and are trustworthy then we'll have one and perhaps print progress on that here.
Auctions run at conventions may be more hassle at the time but they seem to work fairly well and generate amusement as well as money sometimes, I know that often the prices bid are enough to make anybody laugh. This being the case the holding of auctions with the proceeds going to GUFF is an activity to be encouraged, unfortunately I won't be at the convention in Sydney either this month or most likely in January so I'm going to have to leave that up to others of good will and initiative to get going.
However I will be at the convention in Melbourne next Easter and there will be held a MONSTER GUFF AUCTION with some things you never expected or hoped to see up for bids. As always, GUFF is inviting donations of material to be sold off to profit GUFF and praise and thanks will be heaped upon the head of people who help out. Old fanzines are particularly sought...
Another thing we would like to do would be to set up small "Trash 'n' Treasure" stalls at conventions, run very much along the lines of ordinary affiars of this type. Another thing these stalls could sell off will be cakes, tarts, jams and that sort of thing. Ofcourse we intend that at the EASTERCON the GUFF candidates will have for sale examples of their homecrafts.
Any people with suggestions as to how to raise more money have only to write to me with their suggestion, if the ideas are workable and raise money they will be copiously thanked, if not their letter will be filed away with thanks anyhow.
GUFF PRONOUNCEMENT: Although GUFF exists to bring fans in Australia and Britain closer together by sending over a fine specimen of Australian Fanhood for the British to view, there is no reason at all why fans in other countries should not take part in the process of getting the lucky person to the WorldCon. It seems more than likely that in the end it is all of fandom that benefits from such activities and so if a fan in the US, Canada, South Yemen or anywhere else wants to vote and give money and any other kind of support we actively encourage them. We hope, however, that people who are not familiar with the activities of all the candidates will simply make a donation of money and goodwill and whatever else they think will help and leave the voting to those who are in a position to make a considered choice.