GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW FOR SUBMISSION OF
PHOTOGRAPHS, WRITING, CDs, AND OTHER CREATIVE WORKS TO
THANKS! PLAIN AND SIMPLE
BEFORE YOU SUBMIT:
- Contact us about your submission. Let us know what to expect. Let’s discuss how we might use it and any qualifications either you or we anticipate.
- Make photos or copies. Do not send us originals or sole copies.
- Copyright your work, if that is appropriate and show that it is copy written or otherwise protected.
- Tells us how you believe you submission is best used - this web site, at an event, on a DVD or other ways.
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Provide written permission for us to use the submission, including,
- Your name, address, telephone and, if you have one, an E-mail address.
- Your statement of authority to give permission to us to use the submission.
- Permission to use the work.
- How you believe the submission should be considered for use, such as on this web site, at an event, on a DVD or any other ways.
Please be advised:
Thanks! Plain and Simple will NOT:
- Return submissions
- Guarantee use of submissions
- Be responsible for public comment about your submission.
Thanks! Plain and Simple will work diligently to:
- Give proper credit for submissions
- Correct any mistakes or deletions that we may make regarding credits.
- Improve any shortcomings within reasonable time.
- Gather more and more contributions from West Virginians, including their letting people in the military know that we are expressing our concern for their well being, reminding them of home, and hoping that they can work with all of us contribute and stay when they return.
Please work with us to:
- Continually improve our methods of showing unity about our concern for our troops, now and later, and our belief that showing what West Virginia is, in reality, is deeply desirable.
- Recognize that we are launching a large-scale communications project that will often speak about our state and our concerns for our people to be able to contribute, and we strive for a positive, realistic tone, which we believe that “the people” can best express. Thus, our being authentic will take cooperation.
- Encourage archivists and others to cooperate to help you preserve photos that show our history and culture.
- Avoid conflict, learn together, and continually improve, as we find new ways to express who we are and what we hope for our people and state.
- Make this project and West Virginia so genuine that it becomes a model for the nation, to the benefit of West Virginia and our people, now and into the future.
- Avoid pro- or anti-war and other argumentative messages, while we show we care about our people and state.
- Make our all-volunteer organization work for us all.
If you need a statement about the project to give to people who might want to contribute, you may use the following. We put it here for you to copy, in case people who might submit do not have a computer or Internet access.
REVIEW OF THANKS! PLAIN AND SIMPLE
About our project: “Thanks, Plain and Simple” is a project to help West Virginians have ways to let our active-duty troops know that we care about them and thank them. “Thanks, Plain and Simple” an non-profit organization registered with the State of West Virginian on Nov. 22, 2005, and it has applied for IRS tax-exempt (501-c-3) status.
We emphasize people-to-people communications. It is not a forum for political or other argumentation.
“Thanks, Plain and Simple” creates several ways for West Virginians to show our active-duty troops that we care. Our primary forms are
- This web site, which will include photos, writing and video, if they are clearly of high quality meet the mission of “Thanks, Plain and Simple,”
- One or more concerts, which will include ways for people to express themselves, such as in music, contests, opportunities to learn about the state and its past and future;
- A final DVD, which will be distributed to our service people the best we can, even though their addresses are not available to us,
- An “open letter” to our troops, to be an hour-long recording of West Virginians who come together with music, chat, tell stories and more, for web and other appropriate use.
Some themes we look for are:
- A. Messages that express, “Thanks, Plain and Simple,” “Come home with your wild, sweet smile,” “we got corn bread and green beans,” and similar ways to express what is central to who West Virginians are.
- B. West Virginia ways of life, history or culture. These can be local or regional.
- C. Simplicity of the message and depth of feeling that can show that people can care about people and that we all have the opportunity to make a difference for others and themselves.
Examples: The first photo by someone outside our staff was submitted by Rev. Eileen Dumire, of her son as he returned home to the US in his camouflage uniform. Everything in the photo is kaki except his smile and the bag in his hand that says, “Duty Free.” See “Coming Home.”
Photographs: We welcome for review any photographs that show your positive message to those who serve us away from home and messages about towns or regions which have a West Virginia or local feeling. Our goal is photos of the 55 counties by Feb, 2006.
Writers: We welcome for review short writings that could be used in various ways, such as on the web site, in print or electronic messages or to be read. We also seek writers to submit articles to local, state and national publications about Thanks, Plain and Simple.
Combination of Writing and Photos: We welcome for review short writings accompanied by photos. For example, one mother wrote a poem about her daughter’s fading ballet slippers, and in the end, she compares her daughter’s combat boots. We have suggested a photo to accompany the poem.
CDs of Music: These might be used various ways, with proper permission and, if necessary, royalties by those who contribute.
As You Submit, Please:
- Realize that we are a volunteer organization, and each of the goals we have set for ways to communicate with our troops depends on first-rate volunteer.
- Be patient and diligent ad you follow submission directions.
- Recognize that Thanks Plain and Simple reserves the right to review and choose submissions for use by the project.
- Do not expect submissions to be returned.
- See Guidelines, above. Help us improve guidelines, if you find flaws.
We all want to express well, authentically, pridefully and in unity as West Virginians.
We look forward to working with you for this goal.
