Dear Hurricane Watch Net listener and/or web visitor,
2005 brought us 27 named storms, and nearly every record was broken. Fortunately, the 2006 season did not live up to previous billing, so we all were spared. As we now well into the 2007 hurricane season, we anticipate another year of unprecedented level of Tropical Weather activity. Researchers are calling for a high level
of Tropical Weather activity for the next 5 to 20 years.
This note is an effort to remind our served public that we continue to require your assistance as this increased Tropical weather activity has likewise taken it's toll on the resources of Hurricane Watch Net, Inc., including our ability to deliver
timely storm-related data which you have consistently found at this site. In spite of all the generous public contributions in response to our plea for financial assistance to date, plus a couple of small grants supplied by Corporate America,
we experienced late in the 2006 season the painful truth that we have a long way to go.
During Katrina's land fall for example, our web site server suffered extreme overload under the pressure of up to 1.4 Million web hits per minute. As the storm moved inland across central Mississippi, our ever present EMWIN system, used
for those immediate downloads and distribution of Tropical Advisories was put out of commission due to the wide spread power outages. The server outage was quickly remedied by a temporary action on the part of our Web Host provider. Disruption
of Storm Advisory delivery was overcome in short order as we moved that function to a make-shift resource loaned by a fellow member of our organization. Each of those failures revealed severe resource constraints which remain as a significant
challenge for us to overcome. Those projects require additional financial assistance from our viewing public, and from Corporate entities who have the ability to step forward.
As a reminder, in 2005 we acquired tax exempt status under IRS 501(c)(3) provisions. You might consult your tax accountant to determine if your donation qualifies for a tax deduction.
With each year we discover new and improved data delivery methods and new storm related information to better serve you, our viewing public. Consequently, our list of new, state-of-art software and Internet delivery vehicles seems never ending. All of that of course, comes with a cost which we must somehow seek assistance to cover. Your contributions are appreciated and needed to supply the endless list of updated software and associated mission-critical storm data delivery systems.
If you truly appreciate the services that we provide, and if you would like to continue to have a hand in helping to promote our effectiveness and success, we would certainly be thankful for your financial support. Also, if you are associated
with or know of business entities with an interest in our future, please either forward contact information to us, or invite them to contact us for possible access to their grants for community service. Contact myself, Mike Pilgrim either
at the address below, or via e-mail at k5mp@hwn.org.
If you wish to contribute, please remit your personal check, certified check, or money order payable to:
Hurricane Watch Net, Inc.
10374-178th Ct. So.
Boca Raton , Fl. 33498
Alternatively, for those who prefer, we have set up the following PayPal donation link.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY
ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. REFER TO FLORIDA REGISTRATION NUMBER CH17925
You will receive a personal letter of gratitude to confirm your contribution. Additionally, we have posted a special page on our web site to recognize all who have given to support our
volunteer efforts.
With our sincere appreciation for you financial support we thank you.
If you would like to know more about the Hurricane Watch Net please visit “ Who We Are”.
Mike Pilgrim
President
Hurricane Watch Net, Inc.
