From: "Naomi Guss" <na-AT-puppetsinmelbourne.com.au>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:55:25 +1100
Subject: [Puptcrit] Help a puppet maker who just became homeless


I just saw this message on Puppetsandstuff.com from Michelle (Puppet
Planet). Please pass the message on to anyone who is a customer/interested
in helping.

 

http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php/topic,5229.msg46573.html#new

 

(For you benefit, I've cut and pasted her message here.)

 

"Dear puppet planet customers,
As many of you are aware, I have had several personal challenges over the
past couple years that have led to some difficulty in my business
transactions. Divorce, Illness, home foreclosure, and moving out of state to
name a few. All of which have contributed to a slow progression to financial
stability for my family.

Things have gotten so rough that my daughters and I had to spend a few
months recently in a one room homeless shelter. At this time, I have no
means of transportation as my vehicle needs the transmission replaced. I no
longer own a computer due to being forced to sell most of my valuables and
furnishings when transfering my family to the shelter. I have, however,
recently been provided a home on a ranch with the opportunity to work off
the value of rent and utilities until I find regular employment. I do not
have a telephone. I live in a very small rural town where there is no public
transportation available. I know very few people here all of which help me
with transportation when they can. The nearest library is about 15 miles
away, where I am currently using the free computer for communication when
I'm able to get here during open hours. I am telling you this to express the
difficulty of being able to communicate via email in a reasonable manner.
And to let you know of the limits to resources currently available to me at
this time.

I have read some despariging remarks about myself and my business practices.
I am very sorry that my personal life has interfered with my ability to run
things in a professional manner. I suppose I have to live with those remarks
and negative word of mouth about me. However, I have no intentions of
changing my business name to hide behind some other persona. I am working to
get my family back on stable ground and I will make no pretence of the fact
that it will take some time. I will continue to do business under the name
Puppet Planet for as long as the desire to build puppets remains within me.
I will build my reputation back to respectable status via means of facing
the issues at hand and taking responsibility for them. Over time, positive
word of mouth will replace the bad things that people have chosen to say and
spread about me. I feel that's the right thing to do rather than filing
bankruptsy or other methods that some people choose to "start fresh". I
certainly hope that those who took the time to label me as a "fraud",
"theif", etc. will also take the time to update the status of their remarks
when I have worked to make things right between us.

In an effort to start with a clean plate and resolve problems, I would like
to offer refunds to everyone that currently has open transactions with me. I
must admit up front that the refund process will be slow, and done in small
partial payments due to my current financial situation. But I intend to make
this right and this is probably the best way to proceed. If you have an open
transaction with me, please send details in writing with any available
copies of payments you have made to the address provided below. In return, I
will provide you with a signed letter in writing indicating my agreement
that a refund is due and begin to send partial payments.

A refund probably wont please everyone, but since I currently have very few
options available to communicate and very few resources available to
complete custom orders.. this is the resolution that I feel would suit
everyone involved. I do have some completed puppets/figures belonging to
people but with no computer I have not had any means to obtain contact
information. The owners may opt to receive the completed items or to receive
the refund via payments as described above. I have no intention of forcing
someone to choose one option over the other despite any completed orders
that I have in my posession.

Due to my lack of supplies in stock and lack of resources to obtain special
supplies, I will not be able to accept custom orders until things have
improved financially enough to do so. When I can find a means, I will be
attempting to use donated and remaining supplies to build and sell my work
online. This will help me obtain funds to start making refund payments to
everyone since I currently do not have any other means of income.

I am asking everyone reading this, and if they desire to help find other
customers I may not reach here, to please copy this message in it's entirity
and post it where you feel others might be able to find me. The computer use
is limited here and I may not get to all of the forums that I would like
within the time set for my computer access. I'm hoping to reach
puppetsnstuff, worldvents on yahoo, christpups on yahoo, magic forums, and
other places where similar people of puppet & vent interest may gather. If
you don't see my post there, please feel free to duplicate for those who
would benefit.

Regards,
Michele Acquin
Puppet Planet
PO Box 175
Creston, NC 28615"

 

------- 

Naomi Guss

www.puppetsinmelbourne.com.au

 

 

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