I just realized that MonteCarloSS.com's 3rd birthday wizzed right by and was un-noticed (by me particularly). July 9th is the birthday for the site. The message board came along about 6 months later in December of 1999.

It's traditionally at this time of year that I look back and reflect at where we've been, and how we've evolved in the past year.

We suffered a devastating server crash and associated 6 month (8/01 - 2/02) data loss here on the Message Board. Thankfully, none of the sites files or images were lost. If we had not lost those 6 months, our membership count would be over 3000 by now. Thankfully the community continues to grow in leaps and bounds. For those who have joined us in the last 12 months.. welcome aboard! We're glad you joined us!

We gained many new Moderators this past year to help the community grow in the right direction. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank every one of them for stepping up and doing this community a great service. You guys are great!

We also touched off our website merchandise. While sales haven't been through the roof, I'm confident the merchandise is satisfying the itch for those who want products with some great website designs on them.

It's also at this time that I remind everyone that this is a user supported website... free of banner ads and user fees. All donations are used strictly for website maintenance and projects. Our current website fund, while adequate for the moment to support our near term needs, would eventually dry up if donations were to dry up. Those of you who know me well, know I don't like asking the membership to donate. I have always figured that if someone gets a lot of useful information, establishes lasting friendships and yes, obtains income from the site (for those selling cars and parts), that they would step up on their own to help support the site, and ensure it's around in the future. I have to swallow my pride once a year and put forth the plea for donations.. so I don't have to constantly remind and nag everyone often. The majority of our yearly website donation fund comes in during this "donation drive".. and it's those donations that carry us through the rest of the year. So here goes..

* If you feel you've gotten useful information from the website and community we have established, information that perhaps has saved you money in repair bills...
* If you've improved your on-track performance through performance tips and tricks here on the site and in the community...
* If you feel you've made lasting friendships unique to our common bond here in the community...
* If you feel you've finally found a fun and enjoyable place in this world to hang out with like minded enthusiasts...
* If you've turned a good profit from the parts or cars you've sold here on the site (with no fees charged)...
* If you're happy we don't have any of those annoying banner ads that spam your screen on every page like other automotive communities...
* If you really care about what we have going here, and want to see it continue far into the future...

** Please consider making a donation to the site, whether small or large in size. Every little bit helps in the long run. As I said earlier, all donations go into a separate website account that are used strictly for the website. I make absolutely no profit, and don't retain any personal fees for my administrative services at all. I'm a volunteer, like our terrific group of Moderators.

Donations can be sent to:
Paul Carreiro
15607 Cordary Ave
El Camino Village, CA
90260-3530

For those who have donated to the website in the last 12 months, a heartfelt thank you from me, on behalf of the community as a whole. MonteCarloSS.com would not be here without your collective contributions.

For those who have contributed to the community, with your guideance, expertise and frienship.. a big thank you is also due. As many know I'm very humble when it comes to the site and don't like taking credit. I truely feel it's the membership of the community that have made MonteCarloSS.com what it is today. So as a humble webmaster, administrator, moderator and member of this community.. Thank YOU, for making this such a great place to hang out. I consider each and every one of you a good friend.

So HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY MonteCarloSS.com!

I give a to montecarloss.com and a big thank you to you Paul for having the vision and creating this site and am proud to say I have made some good friends through this site and this is a wonderfull place to be and long live montecarloss.com

Paul,

I think the site is great. Any time I have a problem or question, I visit and find an answer. Your members are the experts in the field, in my opinion. If you have a Monte SS question (or any car question, for that matter) your members can answer it.

It is the website I spend the majority of my on-line time at, by far. Congratulations on your first 3 years. I plan on continuing my visits well into the future.

Paul,
I have made some very good friends on this site! Never to have even met but two in person. The help that is given is often gone unrewarded, but it doesn't go un-noticed! You and the moderators do a great job keeping the board "clean" and that is a hard thing to do in this day and time. The members here are all well aware of the guidelines and stick to them. Thanks for this great web site and friends. I also consider all the members friends. (More like family

Paul I bet if you had a Paypal account DONATIONS would grOW a little better.

I think you could even put a "link" to it on the bottom of the message board.

if it's there it may get used (more conveient than addressing a envlope)

Just a thought

Actually, I do have a paypal account for the website. I purposefully did not include it in the post above because it is just a personal (free) type account. They limit the amount of income you can have per month on personal accounts before they tell you you have to upgrade to a business (fee based) account. The last time we went through the donation drive I mentioned the paypay option. The account was soon swamped and I got the warning letter from Paypal. So I'd rather at this point accept donations via mail (either personal or money order checks) over Paypal. We can leave the paypal account for those who don't have checking or can't send a check through the mail.

Hope that explains it.

PaulC

yea i guess that is a good explaination.

my interptation is that your to lazy to upgrade to a buissness account............Just kidding paul. that was a joke really

I realize it was just a "joke". If the guy was lazy he sure would not have created "The best Monte Carlo SS site on the Planet." I also believe paypal charge extra $$$ for a business account.

Wow, didnt notice it but MCSS.com's b-day comes on my friends birthday and he is a member also. anyway, Paul, im sending some money this week, and Happy B-Day to the best site ever!!

If it wasn't for this site, I wouldn't have known about the convention in Nashville this year. My old man and I had a great time talking to people from all over and seeing the sites of a pretty cool town. THANKS MCSS.com

hey, sorry about the money, been out of town last couple of weeks, will be in mail by sat. And again Thanks for making this site one of, if not the best on the internet!!