We will be regularly talking about ways to enjoy the CSTB.
I’ve had a number of questions from people with businesses about how they can work with the time bank. “Why should I give my work away?”, “How can the CSTB help my business?”, and “ How can I get ahead by using the CSTB?” are common questions. In today’s topic, I would like to talk about business using a time bank and address how the time bank can help a business!
The first question, about “giving something for free” ignores the basic principle of time banking -our exchanges aren’t free. Time credit is paid! If someone fixes your washer, you pay that person/business the needed time credits. That person/business then can turn around and spend the time credit on something needed -website help, editing, learning a skill, etc.
A business can also potentially earn new business by offering a small discount to members. Posting an offer for a small discount on the CSTB website can be an excellent way to spread the word about your business. While straight-up advertising is not appropriate on our website, offering customers a discount and telling what services qualify for that discount is fine! Getting the word out to our membership (over 440 members) is a valuable consideration!
The CSTB can also be helpful in building your company’s reputation. Many entrepreneurs lack references, experience, and a network of customers. Being part of the time bank and offering a discount or other consideration can encourage people to come to your business and give a positive review.
Another common technique for businesses is to offer X number of services for a time credit exchange per time frame. For example, a massage therapist can offer two massages for time credits per month, but that’s all. In this way, the massage therapist can tell everyone in the CSTB about their business, can get the added benefits of being in the CSTB, and can still maintain their business for money.
In the same vein, a business person could offer the first portion of a session for time credits, but work after that would be done for money. For example, a Reiki practitioner could offer a ½ hour session for a .5 time credit, but, if the customer wants an hour session, the customer would have to pay cash for the additional time.
Remember, it is FREE for a business to join the CSTB. On the application, the first question asks for the membership type -the business applicant just selects “Business” on the drop down menu.
If you have any questions, please contact us at csgeneral27@gmail.com.
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CSTB member Betsy Smalley plays a recorder with the group Underground Recorders. The group is having their Christmas recital on Thursday, December 7th, 2023 at 4 PM at the Indianola church at 2141 Indianola Avenue, Columbus, Ohio. 43201. They are FABULOUS!
The church is asking for a free will donation to go to the church. It will support the space they rehearse in.
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The next Care and Share potluck will be on December 17 from 5-8:30 at the First UU (93 W Weisheimer Rd, Columbus, OH 43214), and I want to keep everyone updated!
We want to try something new this time --we are asking for people to bring EVERYTHING needed for the potluck: thermos of coffee for themselves, table settings, cups for water, plates, etc. We want everyone to gather and chat, not to have to clean up! If you are able, bring an extra place setting for another attendee who forgets theirs!
We are “adopting” a family-getting presents for this struggling family with 3 kids. There is a size 4t boy, a 12-14 year old boy, and a 7-8 year old girl. They have a huge need for clothes of all kinds, but, since sizing is so hard to manage for kids, we are collecting money for clothes. Thank you, Andrea, for locating this family!
Offers have been coming in for the family, so I wanted to answer questions:
To those who want to contribute cash -THANK YOU! Please let me know via email (csgeneral27@gmail.com) and just bring your donation that night!
To those bringing a gift -THANK YOU! We will wrap it for you! Bring the gift and a little tag (for outside the wrapping) to indicate who it is for. Bring it to the potluck on the 17th! Please let me know via email what you can bring (csgeneral27@gmail.com).
We will also have a “White Elephant” gift exchange! Anyone wanting to participate should bring a
wrapped (or in a gift bag) gift suitable for a man or a woman to the potluck that night!
We’ll gather to wrap presents, then we’ll munch on holiday cookies, enjoy good company and
conversation with each other, and listen to music and poetry.
We were also thnking about offering a recipe exchange for holiday treats. If you make something you are proud of, send the recipe to csgeneral27@gmail.com so we can share it!
We’re offering gift wrapping help for anyone who needs it! Our own Pat Magee is arranging
the gift wrapping! She has several people lined up to wrap gifts. She is now accepting
donations of wrapping paper, seasonal bags, ribbon, package decorations, blank tags,
and tape! People able to donate any of these things can contact Pat directly at 614.264.6030 by
TEXT (1st choice) or phone or csgeneral27@gmail.com. Pat indicates it would be helpful to know what wrapping supplies are being donated before Dec 17th and preferably having them at the church when we start wrapping at 5:30 on the 17th. So if you do have supplies to donate
how about snapping a picture of the supplies and sending it to Pat via TEXT along with your
name and phone number to facilitate a supply pick up before the 17th.
People should bring the gift to be wrapped, a box to put it in (if you want it in a box), and a tag attached to the gift (something we can place on the outside of the gift once it’s wrapped so you’ll know who it’s going to). If you want some special wrapping paper, ribbon, tissue paper (etc., for padding), or decorations, bring them as well. Bring everything in a bag (the gift, its box or container, any decorations, and its tags (to ID the recipient)) with your name and phone number firmly attached or written on the outside of the bag so you can ID which bag(s) is
yours once the gift is wrapped and placed back into the bag along with any surplus supplies
you want to have returned to await being retrieved by you.
I have received some offers from people to perform and entertain each other with music, poetry, and
other talents. If you are interested in joining others in entertaining the group for a short time, please contact us
at csgeneral27@gmail.com.
Anyone willing to help would be earning time credits! Interested? Respond to csgeneral27@gmail.com.
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Stephen V Beckett pur together some GREAT VIDEOS to help teach some software tips! Check these out!
SOFTWARE OVERVIEW (17 minutes) First 3/4 member side / last 1/4 admin side
RECORDING HOURS (5 minutes) - for members
RECORDING INTERTRADE HOURS (2 minutes) - for members
How to Enter a Bio: https://youtu.be/
Whole v1 Playlist
https://www.youtube.com/
OFFICE HOURS-office hours are open to new and long-term member, and EVERYONE in between! (Plus people thinking of joining who want more information!)
The office hours are held every 2nd Tues on Zoom. Check back for the link! If you have any questions now, ask csgeneral27@gmail.com
Specifically,
How to Record your Inter-Trade Hours:All the above links are courtesy of SWACO.
Here is a GREAT one that Michael Greenman sent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB8ifVJ34JU
OTHER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS:
I am thrilled to announce our contest winners for ideas to increase membership in the CSTB! There were some EXCELLENT ideas submitted -I couldn't just pick one winner. We have FIVE winners! They are:
Bill Cohen-Offer to appear on the local TV morning shows to talk about the CSTB, offer to speak on the two local radio stations
Lily Spontak- Offer to speak on the Ann Fisher NPR program
Susan Closson -include info on CSTB in the library newsletter
Rita Haider- promote Gatherings to friends with a similar interest
Donna Brooks- have 'information' meetings to offer info about Time Banks to people in groups that are NOT already interested in the CSTB, seek out those groups, and then, find out their specific needs and interests.
These 5 individuals have been sent their prizes...but, why stop now? There were so many good ideas, I want to keep this contest open! Do you have ideas about increasing our membership? Would you like to try for a $25 gift card? Send your ideas to csgeneral27@gmail.com!
I've also thought:
Vilvi -start a Meetup account
Vilvi- form anonymous surveys to get input from people in different groups.
Vilvi-contact the Free Press with info about CSTB.
Did you know we have a Facebook page? Go to https://www.facebook.com/Care-and-Share-Time-Bank-220723677943718
Also, we have a page on Facebook for members to chat, share pictures, talk about exchanges, and offer material items for sale or exchange!
Care & Share Chat Room is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/508376542518372
Past events
At the potluck on June 18 at the UU Church we had a wonderful time! The CSTB is focusing on going out and having events at (and in partnerships with) our affiliates over the past several months: we've had two Gatherings at The Royal Oak Initiative (ROI) (a chess-based mentoring agency that seeks to sustainably equip under-served populations with the education and the resources needed to eliminate personal and economic challenges as obstacles to growth- theroichess.org), had a work day at the Hedron Hub (https://thehedronhub.com/about-our-space-1), spent time at the Sunbuy Urban Farm (https://sunburyurbanfarm.wixsite.com/farm) for their seedling sale/open house, helped out the First UU Church at their Rummage Sale (https://firstuucolumbus.org/), worked at the Repair Cafe with the Clintonville Resource Center (CRC) (https://www.clintonvillecrc.org/-our affiliate is Vill in the Ville, a part of CRC), and spent time working and celebrating community twice at Sunny Glenn Garden (https://www.sunnyglengarden.com/). Our next activity will be with Simply Living (https://simplyliving.org/) at ComFest June 23-25 and helping with their garden tour in Linden on July 15th.
At the potluck, we heard from/about most of these affiliates and a FANTASTIC talk from member Anisa Ahmed about her Urban Garden and upcoming events at her space and other Urban Gardens! We look forward to your participation with any of these affiliates -and remember, work done for an affiliate earns you time bank credits!
Any questions? Write to csgeneral27@gmail.com!
The work day at The Hedron Hub was WONDERFUL! A LOT of Timebankers showed up to clean, create projects, and build community! THANKS TO EVERYONE who was able to come and help out!
Thanks to EVERYONE who made the UU Rummage Sale a success! Those who helped set up and organize, helped at the event, baked items for sale (YUM!), helped pack up and clean the church at the end, and those who shopped at the sale, THANK YOU ALL! I hear the church made over $16,000! THANK YOU!
On Saturday, January 14, many people came to a very informal meet-and-greet at Upper Cup Coffee shop at 79 Parsons Ave, Columbus, OH 43215 to have questions answered about the Care and Share Time Bank, chat, make suggestions, and tour our affiliate, the Royal Oak Initiative. Several Board members were present to answer questions, provide help, conduct very informal orientations, and chat!
The Gathering on Dec. 18 at 6:30pm at he UU Church in Beach Hall was a wonderful chance to see each other, and relax together! Our own Andrea Gorzitze presented about the holidays in her German upbringing, and how Christmas has changed with American influence. Her slideshow is here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HLLoOyh4FFe1LRb5W3JKBsZUSjtJGgvm/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102753895494357680714&rtpof=true&sd=true
Jennifer Sieck (new member!) presented about the pre-Christian culture and rituals, and the history during the time leading up to the birth of Christ. Also, she talked about the clamp down on lay healers by the church, and how those pre-Christian myths and rituals were later adopted by Christianity.
The potluck was delicious! Thanks, everyone, for sharing such wonderful things! And, thanks for everyone who brought their own table-settings; it made clean up so much easier! Please, anyone who helped in set-up or clean-up, let csgeneral27@gmail.con know -we didn't have a way to note it that night!
Thanks to everyone who made it special!
Here is a link to the article about us that appeared in the Columbus Dispatch: https://tinyurl.com/CSTBmedia Have you seen this news clip delivered some years ago on PBS by David Brancaccio? It is a FABULOUS introduction to the concept of time banking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?CSTB Collaboration Groupsv=DovdsMBVmCs