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Troubled Times, Inc.
Annual Report, 1999
During 1999, Troubled Times, Inc. re-located to a new headquarters in central Wisconsin, received generous funding from several new donors, and saw progress on a number of supported projects.
Projects
Projects the corporation is supporting can be categorized into media projects, administrative projects, short wave network, demonstrations, prototype development and educational projects. Media projects which saw progress during 1999 include:
- The Passage, a Film Script
- This project does not require funding from the nonprofit but is a pending gift by the author - 10% of the film's royalties. The script has attracted attention and is being promoted in Hollywood by insiders Nicholas Kobusch and Aron Wright, but no contract has yet been signed.
- TV Film Clip
- A film clip was completed by Geson Perry at a cost of $530 and is ready for distribution to the public in either CD-ROM format or as video cartridges in NTSC and PAL format. Distribution will be free to organizations making a request on letterhead, with a $5 charge to individuals requesting a copy. Hollywood special effects artist Jason Martell provided a streaming video version for the Internet.
Administrative projects which were supported during 1999 include:
- Seed TEAM Support
- This project supports the Troubled Times Seed TEAM volunteers by paying postage on the mailing of seed and purchasing seed. The project has a dedicated contributor in John Kelso, who contributed $800 during 1999. Active Seed TEAM hubs include Roger Thuma and Michel Davelaar, both Board Members of the corporation, and Toni Simpson.
- Administration & Operation
- All outstanding expenses through the end of 1999 have been paid, including $495 for 1999 operations. Quickbooks upgrades were purchased, a corporate bank account opened at the headquarters site, and the interim Gift Pool operation subsequently closed.
- Guest Cottage
- The Board allocated $400 for supplies and tools to repair a cottage at the headquarters site which is available to be used as a guest cottage. Additional repairs are needed, though the cottage is operational and housed a guest working on headquarters cleanup during the summer of 1999.
A Short Wave radio network, to use short wave as an Internet replacement, was established during 1999.
- Short Wave as Internet
- Regular classes were started by instructor Ron Darby, with enthusiastic attendees. During 1999, the Board allocated $250 to ship a transmitter and purchase an antenna.
Demonstration projects which saw progress during 1999 were sited at the headquarters, and include:
- Storm Shelter
- $2,000 was contributed toward this demo in 1999 by Bruce and Barbara White, but has been set aside toward the purchase and installation of an off-the-shelf buried storm shelter with a metal trap door. Additional funds are needed to complete this demo.
- Family Garden
- An old garden site, neglected for decades, required extensive preparation before a garden could be planted in 1999.
The Board designated $725 during 1999 to cover equipment and supplies. The garden, tended by Ron Darby, produced spectacular 15' high seed corn as well as sweet corn and several varieties of beans and squash.
Seed for the Seed TEAM was collected.
- Root Cellar
- The Board allocated $400 to install a wall and door and storage containers in a portion of the basement of the headquarters building under the steeple, surrounded on 5 of 6 sides with stone walls. Biennial produce from the garden was stored in the Root Cellar to produce seed the following year.
- Hand Tools
- A variety of antique hand tools were donated by the headquarters site owner, Nancy Lieder, to the corporation. These include scythes, drills, saws, hammers, and grinding wheels. Cleanup of the rusty tools was started in 1999 by Ron Darby.
- Wetlands as Food
- A bushel of wild rice was sown by Nancy Lieder and Shuichi Inoue in 1999 at a cost of $120.
Prototypes that saw progress during 1999 were situated at the headquarters, the only site made available as of the end of 1999, include:
- Worm Beds
- The Board allocated $250 for worm bed materials. The worm beds will be built according to the design used by the Vital Earth company of Australia - raised beds watered from above, with a metal drain to collect the liquid fertilizer below. An antique washer with wringers was purchased for $250 to demonstrate purging and crushing by wringing the earthworms.
- Hydroponics
- A space for both the worm beds and hydroponics was cleared in the basement of the headquarters building and power washed by Ron Darby. Plans were made by the site owner, Nancy Lieder, to upgrade the plumbing and electrical infrastructure to support hydroponics pumps and lights.
Educational projects approved by the Board include a video of pole shift history, a video of solution sets, and a video of backpack survival in a post pole-shift environment. These projects are in the planning stage, and did not see significant progress during 1999.
The corporation received several generous gifts during 1999, some of which were designated for certain projects.
John Kelso ($800) and Milly Gumper ($200), both members of the Seed TEAM, funded it's continuing support. Barbara and Bruce White ($3,000) provided a generous start to a bermed and metal roofed storm shelter to demonstrate pole shift survival techniques.
Several anonymous gifts ($1,000, $625, and $500) were used by the Board with other non-designated gifts to fund various projects.
Balance Sheet
as of December 31, 1999ASSETS Current Assets Checking/Savings 2,687.16 Accounts Receivable 0.00 Other Current Assets 0.00 --------- ----------- ----------- Total Current Assets 2,810.07 Fixed Assets Equipment Tiller 490.99 Chipper/Shredder 337.49 Back Pack Sprayer 45.82 Garden Seeder 21.65 Weed Whacker 144.99 --------- ----------- Total Equipment 1,040.94 Software 124.95 --------- ----------- ----------- Total Fixed Assets 1,165.89 --------- ----------- ----------- TOTAL ASSETS 3,975.96 ====== ======= ======= LIABILITIES & EQUITY Liabilities Current Liabilities 570.22 --------- ----------- ---------- Total Liabilities 570.22 Equity Retained Earnings -248.08 Net Income 3,653.82 ---------- ----------- ----------- Total Equity 3,405.74 ---------- ----------- ----------- TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY 3,975.96 ====== ======= =======
A loss reported in 1998 saw progress for recovery in that an arrest and prosecution was made, with the defendant pleading guilty as charged and ordered to pay restitution.
Profit & Loss
January - December 1999Ordinary Income/Expense Income Restricted Donations/Contributions 2,900.11 Unrestricted Donations/Contributions 3,257.00 ---------- ------------ ------------ Total Income 6,157.11 ---------- ------------ ------------ Gross Profit 6,157.11 Expense Uncategorized Expenses 0.00 Program Expenses Campground 57.14 Ham Radio 250.00 Home Garden 50.58 Seed Team 325.52 TV Video 530.00 Worm Culture 0.00 ---------- ------------ Total Program Expenses 1,213.24 Bank Service Charges 109.00 Depreciation Expenses 179.01 Miscellaneous 254.02 Office Supplies 153.64 Postage and Delivery 136.16 Delaware Agent Fees 270.00 Cottage 161.69 ---------- ------------ ------------ Total Expenses 2,476.76 ---------- ------------ ------------ Net Ordinary Income 3,680.35 Other Income/Expenses -26.53 ---------- ------------ ------------ Net Income 3,653.82 ====== ======= =======
An annual fee was paid to the State of Delaware. The Company Corporation acts as the corporate agent in the State of Delaware, a presence required by law. Operations supported at the headquarters during 1999 include correspondence, files, and e-mail and telephone access.
Troubled Times, Inc. currently operates on the Internet and is staffed with volunteers. The corporation is international, with the Vice President elect living in the state of Alaska, and the Secretary elect residing in Canada, and the President and Treasurer in Wisconsin. The monthly Board of Directors Meetings is held via NetMeeting on the Internet, with members during 1999 coming online from the states of California and Georgia, and from Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands. The Internal Audit head reviewed vouchers and receipts and corporate Bank Statements from Norway.
Directors are nominated by the membership, and elected during the annual elections held in February. Officers are likewise elected by the membership, but confirmed by the Board, at whose pleasure they serve. During 1999, the roster was:
President: Nancy Lieder Vice President: Clipper Ordiway Treasurer: Ron Darby Secretary: Shirley Short Internet Comm: Gerard Zwaan Internal Auditor: Jan Board: Pat Ard Board: Brand Beacham Board: Michel Davelaar Board: Geson Perry Board: Roger Thuma Board: (vacant)
All staff positions are appointed by the board at this time. Appointed positions at the end of 1999 included:
- Internal Audit
- contributed oversight of the Treasurer’s accounting and adequacy of the vouchering system
- Internet Communications
- connecting Board Members during meetings via NetMeeting, IRC, Instant Messaging, and handling net splits and other emergencies
The Company Corporation
1313 N. Market Street
Wilmington, Delaware 19801-1151
