Recently, I received an e-mail from a Montana non-profit who shall at this time remain nameless, asking me to research several buildings on a subject I have been researching since 2004. I was quite flattered by the request and that they would ask for my assistance on information I already have on several of those buildings, and initial information on all of the others, but not in-depth as I would like but they are on my list of buildings to complete my research.
I responded that I would work on the project, but that I would normally charge for my services. I run a business, not a charity. However, because I know this organization can't pay me for my work and their money could be used more meaningfully elsewhere, in lieu of payment I wanted to be credited for my work and as the contact person should someone call their office seeking more information. I didn't hear back from the person who sent the e-mail.
I sent a request asking about their response to my proposal, and this was their response:
"We have found several local contacts and have obtained the history and sources that we need. Thank you for our quick response and persistence."
I'm calling bull.
First off, I suspect who their "contacts" are. How comic. Second, there is absolutely no way on Earth, Heaven, Hell or Purgatory this group "obtained the history and sources that we need." No way. I've been working on this project for several years, many of my contacts are dead, and there is no way humanly possible that they got that much information from that many buildings in that short period of time.
As the group who contacted me obviously got my e-mail address from this website and therefore they read what's here, for future reference I ask they please don't contact me again and expect me to do work that I should be paid for, that they themselves are getting paid for, and take credit for work they have not done. It seems they are offended that I dare to be credited for my work and be the contact source for persons looking for information so I can rightfully charge a fee like any other businessperson would deserve and expect, but they want to get a paycheck doing the same work I'm doing. I don't put up with that. They can do that to someone else at their expense; they will not do that to me. They do not have my permission and are not allowed. What they did was damage their reputations and the reputation of their organization.
As for the work I have already done on this subject, this just brings this project back to the forefront for me, and it will be done better than they could even dream of.
Hill County is my home county and I love its history more than they do. And I deserve to make a decent living doing what I love to do, as they do. Shame on them.
So much for "women helping women".
