Published Dec 19. 2020 - 3 years ago
Updated or edited Dec 20. 2020

A heartfelt thank you!

It’s been one and a half years since I started accepting donations to keep the site running, and the support has been overwhelming!

Thanks!
Thanks!
Martin Joergensen

Now and then during the many years that this site has existed (which is more than 25 now!), I have been complaining about the chore of hosting and running it. Not the actual editorial work, writing articles, filling the site with content, which is great fun, but the technical side of it.

Running and maintaining a web server isn't all fun, and on a site the size of GFF with its substantial traffic, it's not enough with some measly, cheap web hotel. You need something a little more hefty, custom made, trimmed and tuned – and expensive. I have been complaining over the expenses, the work, the hardware and all kinds of hardships that both I and the site have endured over the years.

Other sites find their way out of such predicaments by having ads or by charging people a subscription fee. I do respect their choices, and I have also ventured into hosting ads and speculating about "premium memberships" and all sorts of constructions, which could pad the empty wallet of GFF. But I have dropped it again. It's so much easier to just keep things free. I don't charge visitors anything and I don't pay contributors anything. Zero in and zero out. But not exactly a zero sum game, because I paid for the hosting and the visitors got the value of the content...

I have also tried with merchandise, but that's more trouble than money, and honestly, the ones making the most from this are the companies who produce the goods. My share of a coffee mug or a T-shirt isn't anything that can run the site for more than 10 minutes, and I don't sell nearly enough for it to add up.

So a while back I decided to start accepting donations. A few loyal readers had actually asked for an option to support the site, and I finally created accounts with Ko-Fi, Patreon and PayPal to be able to accept donations, and published a page with a description of the idea and some buttons to press if you wanted to support.
And lo and behold!
People actually started supporting the site! With money! Real money.
Since the day I started this program, I haven't had any expenses for hosting. They have all been paid by donations. And there has even been a little money left over to use for paying for a few books, some fly-tying materials and a few, small photo gadgets.
And I thank all the donors from the bottom of my heart for this!

People actually started supporting the site! With money! Real money.

And it seems to keep on working.
I have some really loyal and persistent donors who have signed up for a monthly amount, and kept donating all through this period. New signups come in consistently. 1, 2, 5 US$ per month. It all helps.

I have also had some pretty substantial single donations, like two times 100 US$ given by a couple of really generous donors!
Adding up small single donations, monthly contributions and some nice large ones like the above has filled my PayPal account continuously and made sure that I didn't have to use my own money to pay for various expenses, of which the web server is by far the biggest, adding up to just shy of 1,000 US$ a year.
It's not like I'm making money on this. My current PayPal balance is 794.99 US$, and that will slowly be eaten into, mainly by server expenses, but also be replenished by the people generously donating.

Again I thank you!

I will not list people's names. I don't keep track of people. Some I do write a personal note to thank them, but not all. I don't register people, and those paying don't get special treatment. I the same manner I don't scorn the ones who stop paying – or don't pay at all. The site is the same for everyone, and paying is absolutely voluntary. I highly appreciate the contributions, but will not think ill of those who just browse and enjoy the site. You are just as welcome.

"I learn something every time I visit GFF! Its a consistently enjoyable place to spend time."

"Found your website looking for how to make my own leaders. What a help! How can I not support your efforts?"

"GFF really IS the Best Place to go for Online Fly Fishing and Fly Tying! I have learned so much from your site, I'm happy to donate."

"Thanks for everything you do for the Fly Fishing Community Martin. You're my first stop on most days and the content is always well done."

"I've used the LeaderCalc function from several years ago, but you've done an outstanding job on it & the entire site. Thanks so very much."

"My favourite site"

"Your site is my encyclopedia for every question or problem I encounter in my flytying"

But still, extra gratitude does go out to the many contributors.
You know who you are.
Thanks!

Comments

Activity...

Hi - I love the site and I am concerned about the future of it. All of my favorite posts are several to many years old. Is this site going to continue bringing wonderful articles, fly recipes, photos, and other information? I hope it will - I only recently found it and I don't want to lose it.

Martin Joergensen's picture

Lots of new stuff...

Eric,

Sure I do promote older material now and then, but there's also new material coming out. Not as much as I'd like, but certainly some.

Published until now in January:
https://globalflyfisher.com/period_articles/2021/1?type=all

Published in December 2020:
https://globalflyfisher.com/period_articles/2020/12?type=all

You can see an overview over all publishing activity here:
https://globalflyfisher.com/about/rhythm?type=all

I'm constantly trying to add new reviews, articles, patterns, galleries, videos and such, but I'm a one man show and depend on others to contribute if I am to increase the frequency of new articles.

Martin

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Since you got this far …


The GFF money box

… I have a small favor to ask.

Long story short

Support the Global FlyFisher through several different channels, including PayPal.

Long story longer

The Global FlyFisher has been online since the mid-90's and has been free to access for everybody since day one – and will stay free for as long as I run it.
But that doesn't mean that it's free to run.
It costs money to drive a large site like this.

See more details about what you can do to help in this blog post.