"So I said, 'why don't we pass the hat, and each of us put in $5.'"
-The wise and Wonderful Betty Gray

Support the Joy Troupe

Is there a fee to join? How do I pay my donation? Do I need to bring money to my first event?

Certain expenses are incurred to maintain, promote, and grow this group.

There is NO FEE to join this group, and most of our events are totally without charge. This group is about having fun and making friends, and you do not have to "pay to play."

We hope that each member will donate as she is able to support the group she and her child(ren) are enjoying. You can also support the Joy Troupe and keep this group FREE for everyone by visiting the Joy Troupe Shop and by attending our periodic fundraising events.

Members are not expected to donate at or before their first event. Figure out if the group is for you, and then contribute as you are able. Every donation from $1 on up helps keep us in web service, advertising, business cards, table top signs, and all the other miscellaneous items that add up over time. You can donate via cash (just give it to an org at an event) or PayPal (use the button at left), whichever works for you.

From time to time we plan special events and projects that need a budget. We will conduct fundraisers and/or solicit earmarked donations for those events. We feel that an event fee may represent a barrier to participation for some families, and so prefer to raise money on the front end, and avoid event fees whenever possible.

This group is operated on a cooperative principle. Your greatest contribution is the gift of time and talents that keep this group growing, free, and fun for all. Financial contributions are voluntary, and gratefully received.

"That's like, NSA paranoid security.  Online banking is only 128 bit." -Michael, my favorite IT Geek.

Our group functions such as our calendar, forums, and roster are hosted on a site called Big Tent.

Big Tent is designed to be a secure platform for trusted groups to connect.  They take the security of our information very seriously.  For more information, keep reading, and then visit their website at www.bigtent.com.

You are correct that you should be careful with your personal information online.  We, too, are cautious about who can see information about ourselves and our kids.  That's why we, as moms and group leaders, chose to move our group to Big Tent.  We tried other services, and Big Tent was the only one that we felt really protected our own and our group information from casual snoopers.

We've seen phone numbers, addresses, and complete profiles from other sites turn up on Google searches.This just does not happen for Big Tent groups.  Most of your information is visible only to group leaders and, if you choose, other members of some of our optional sub-groups, and NONE of your information is ever visible to anyone outside our group.

 Here is a quote from Dawn, a staff member at Big Tent:  "Each page on Big Tent is 100% encrypted using 256-bit encryption, which is degrees of magnitude stronger than the 128-bit industry standard. Basically, encryption prevents anyone from accessing or hacking into any information on the webpage. Every single page on Big Tent is entirely encrypted. Sites like Yahoo!Groups, Evite, do not have this level of security detail, making it easy for non-members to access information. Part of the reason we started Big Tent was our realization that no one was addressing the need for a truly secure site. Additionally, we have yet to see any "home-grown" website use this level of security on a page-by-page basis."  (emphasis mine.)

 What this means is that if you feel secure filing your taxes online or making online purchases, you are looking at the same (or better) level of security for the information you provide when you join our group.  You can't ask for more than that!