There are times.....

[John D.]

I am left speechless by a few individuals generosity and support of the LugerForum.. This is one such time. I would like to welcome laoshi75 as our newest LugerForum Patron.!!

Here is the e-mail I just sent him in reply to his more than generous donation. In fact, laoshi75 is now the second largest contributor to the LugerForum during it's multi-year history. I hope to be able to buy him a glass of wine on the Champs-Elysees someday - and just say "Thank you" in person...

Dear Christian,

I just received your kind donation - and I am speechless. To be honest - I just do not know what to say except "Thank you". As well - know that the LugerForum exists only because a few, such as yourself, have assisted in the cost of its operation - and with you, and a few like you - I appears on the Internet for all to enjoy.

As for me - I am simply a collector, just as yourself. I do not sell Lugers as a business - but rather, simply enjoy the community the LugerForum has provided for many years to many collectors throughout the world. I think it has been an area on the Internet where people can learn, enjoy - and relax just to enjoy their passion for Lugers

Christian - my sincerest thank you again. I am both humbled and proud to be able to provide the site for people like you and me...

I hope to have the honor of meeting you one day - just to say "Thank you".

From the US - in kindest appreciation,

Yours,

John Dunkle

Thank you, Christian.

John

[Don M]

Let me add my thanks as well, Christian.

[shadow]

THANKS Christian!

[Parabellus]

Christian, John, all Patrons,

As one who has yet to contribute a nickel let me put in my 2 cents.
The expertise of the moderators and contributors to everyday posted questions and problems combined with your monetary generosity puts the rest of us in your debt.

Hereâ??s to yâ??all.

Russell

[John D.]

And yet another to add to the list of those who continue to support the LugerForum:

c3006

My sincerest thanks. Just for the continued support...

Thank you..

John D.

[John D.]

And yet again... Tonight....

Sit down...

Thank you Ed Tinker for you continued support... As most of you know - Ed gives much to this Forum - as a Moderator and as just a "regular guy"...

Ed - my thanks!!!

I'm guessing your donation will haunt me - as next pizza night - I'll have to buy...



Seriously - just thank you....

John D.

[John D.]

After a month - I'd like to add another contributor to the LugerForum..

Jayhawk21 - my sincerest thank you for your generous and kind donation!

Sometimes, when I get home late at night, as tonight - a few simple - random - acts of kindness puts a smile on my face. For that smile, tonight - Paul - Thank you!

John D.

[John D.]

A couple of notesâ?¦ I saw the turn that this conversation took last night when I got home from work, and frankly, I wasnâ??t certain how to reply. So I gave it 12 hours to think about it â?? as I didnâ??t want to offend anyone with a short reply that could be construed as offending anyone (which can happen after 13 hours working retail and being tired) â?? so here goesâ?¦

Iâ??m deleting some of the posts in this thread, and at the same time â?? Iâ??ll address many of the issues a few of you raised in your comments. You see â?? this is my thread. The intention of it â?? originally, and now is to say thank you and acknowledge those who have recently stepped up to sharing the financial cost of running this site. To those folks who Iâ??ve mentioned in this thread â?? this is â??theirâ?� thread as much mine.

However â?? if your name isnâ??t in this thread â?? this thread is not yours. It isnâ??t a place to debate the who said what to who, who has software ability, who has rights to claim support, nor even â?? what that support isâ?¦

Why?

Itâ??s pretty simple â?? if you stop and think about itâ?¦..

Iâ??ve owned, hosted, programmed, provided and paid for the â??LugerForumâ?� since January 2001. During that time â?? it has developed into the worldwide community it has become. Many of you, to attain the status of one of the predominant collectors communities on the Internet â?? have shared your knowledge, pictures, time and efforts in Moderating and contributing to this same success. For example â?? Iâ??ve contributed a knowledge base on Kreigs. Ron has done so with early Lugers, Ed with Simson Lugers â?? and the list goes onâ?¦.

But â?? for all that â?? all those things have absolutely nothing to do with this thread â?? nor the folks â??thankedâ?� in this threadâ?¦.

Rather â?? they have stepped outside the box and donated funds to the operation and monthly cost of this site â?? so all the community, sharing, knowledge mentioned above â?? even exists. At the end of the month â?? each and every month, since this sites inception â?? circuit providers and hosting charges need to be paid. Thatâ??s each month â?? at about $500 per month. I get to pay those. I donâ??t have the luxury of thinking â?? â??Oh, I have an extra $500 this month â?? should I pay for the LugerForum, or should I buy a Kreig related item on the â??O-boyâ?� auction site. The decision is made for me â?? as the choice is â?? either I pay or there is no Forum. I have made that decision each and every month â?? since January 2001.

So this thread is about those who support the financial costs of this forum. It has nothing to do with the community, the sharing, the photographs, the Moderators time, my time â?? nor any other self glorified aspects of how this Forum appears on the Internet each and every day.

I donâ??t sell Luger parts to pay for it. I donâ??t sell services. Iâ??m not a dealer who makes a living by selling firearms. Rather â?? this site is funded â?? PAID for out of my pocket and those in this thread and previous threads. There are no hidden agendas. There are no â??Sponsorsâ?�. There are no banner ads flashing about which I charge for. There are no paid advertisements. In short â?? at the end of the month â?? there is â??meâ?� writing checks to pay for this communityâ?¦.

Finally â?? each of you who has LugerForum Patron in their title have also stepped up at various times throughout the past years â?? and donated as well. You have been thanked publicly and privately. You have had your own threads saying Thank You. You have donated as little as $10 up to hundreds of dollars over the year â?? which was as appreciated as much as this years donations are appreciated.

However â?? please do NOT taint this thread and my thanks to these new folks in THIS thread by hi-jacking it in the future. Itâ??s not about you. Rather â?? itâ??s about the very few, a handful of folks that most recently have stepped up to join me in paying real dollars each month â?? every month â?? in defraying those real expenses of itâ??s operationâ?¦

It has nothing to do with sharing anything (knowledge, pictures, parts, etc.) in the Forum â?? as you probably understand a bit better â?? those donâ??t pay for the cost of this site.

Please do not post in this thread â?? unless you, too â?? want to just say â??Thank Youâ?� to those named in this thread. For their kind contribution â?? so this Forum even exists. Each and every hour, every day and every month.

It really is that simple.

John Dunkle
LugerForum.com

[Dok]

AMEN!

Dok

[John D.]

Thanks Dok!!! - not only for your comment above - but for your continued support of this Forum... I just arrived home, and saw your donation...

My sincerest Thank you...

When/if Jen and I ever get back to Bermuda - the first beer is on me - and the first glass of water (spilled) will be on you.. (Sorry - inside joke.. )

Les - my sincerest thanks again...

John D.

[John D.]

And as well - again - I'd like to thank tudorbug. Dave has not only been a frequent contributor of this site - but is a repeat benefactor.

David - my thanks.. Once again...

John Dunkle

[John D.]

As well,

I just want to say "thank you" to Bill - in public..

Bill - or wlyon.... Here was my reply to you in a mail message which bounced

Hi Bill!

Just home - and I just wanted to say "Thank you" to you - again - for another year..!! My sincerest "thank you" for your continued support of the LugerForum... You have no idea how much it is appreciated...

Bill - simply - thank you...!

John Dunkle
LugerForum.com