Fund Raising in Support of Estonian Eagle Club - Kotkaklubi

[Jo UK]

Fundraising for the seal camera support: updated 04.03.2025

The grey seal webcam, restored by the joint efforts of NGO Pro Mare and Teetormaja, needs viewers' financial support to ensure the camera's operation.


Innarahu, Vilsandi National Park

The grey seal monitoring camera was destroyed by a storm on April 1, 2022. This year, a completely new webcam system, transmitters, and receivers, enabling the observation of seal activity, were installed. The camera system needs to be maintained and repaired if necessary, and therefore, we ask viewers for donations for these operations, as Teetormaja technicians can only reach this remote, offshore islet together with seal researchers, in favorable sea conditions, and with a brought-in motorboat.

MITTETULUNDUSÜHING PRO MARE
EE252200221059776821

SWEDBANK AS
Liivalaia 8, 15040 Tallinn
SWIFT kood/BIC: HABAEE2X


Thank you for all that you do. We know that our donations will be used according to the moral and legal standards.

[Evelyna]

Hello friendly People
since I have only PAYPAL I cant make my Donation. No creditcard no Visa only Bank
I am new here with Karl 2 and his Familie. I did Donations earlier for the Eagles.
You have my Email so let me know what I can do
All the best to yall and Good Luck to K A R L Yours Evelyna P Germany

PS love your Smilies

[Evelyna]

Oh great I see the IBAN great Evelyna

[Liz01]

....

Evelyna great to see you here
you can donate directly! here -
KOTKAKLUBI
IBAN: EE182200221040359778
BIC: HABAEE2X
Swedbank AS, 8 Liivalaia Street,15040 Tallinn, Estonia

and as far as I know Jo UK can help you. she has a paypal account. She can also transfer it directly to Kotkaklubi

[Evelyna]

Donation is done ! Evelyna

[Jo UK]

and as far as I know Jo UK can help you. she has a paypal account. She can also transfer it directly to Kotkaklubi

Thanks, LIz. I had sent PM to Evelyna with the same.

[Jo UK]

The Leetchi fund raising page has been closed now, as Urmas would like to use the funds for a new camera on a Black Stork nest in Western Estonia.

Total funds raised were €4,222
Fees: €122.43

Leetchi will take 2.9% so that leaves €4,099.57.

Leetchi's office is in France so perhaps it is late in their working day to begin the process now.

I will post any updates here.

[Jo UK]

There has been some delay in processing the transfer of funds. Leetchi has changed its requirements for proof of eligibility to receive funds. As this is a very busy time for Kotkaklubi members to be out and about in forests, nests, cameras, etc, spending time in the office to find necessary dcouments is not a priority. Our birds are hurrying back from their winter migration and all must be prepared for them.
We are trying to find a simpler way around this situation - let's see what happens.

[Jo UK]

There was no simpler way to do this!
Leetchi insisted on having a "certifed translation" of the Articles of Association of Non-Profit Organisation Kotkaklubi.
So I used London Translation Services, Ltd.. and have sent it to Leetchi.
Maybe we can finish this after Easter.

[Liz01]

There was no simpler way to do this!...

Jo, what a hassle! thank you for your effort.

[Jo UK]

I wonder how much longer this can be dragged on? E-mail from Leetchi this morning - they want yet more. This time it is
"After checking with our Compliance department, the translation has been accepted, however we just need the original statutes signed and dated."
I dread having to send to Urmas all of these delays, but I must! In E-stonia there are no paper documents with written signatures and stamps. Anyone wanting to look up the Statutes of Kotkaklubi can do it. Urmas wrote -

All documents about Kotkaklubi are available in e-Business Register of Estonian Republic (English version):

https://ariregister.rik.ee/eng/company/ ... b=statutes

scrolling down there is tab named Articles of association, newest (12.12.2018) statute is original and is valid. Everybody could download it - easy and safe. Digital documents are much more tamper proof as paper versions.

In case of changes in statute, we have to apply the change in register. After checking the formalities new version will be uploaded by the Centre of Registers and Information Systems. Nowhere are needed papers or written signatures or stamps, only personal ID card of the member of management board and Internet.
----------------------------------

I said I would keep us all updated. We could begin a poll on how much longer before the Eagle Club gets its Leetchi Money Pot!

[Hellem]

Jo, it already seems that Leetchy is always looking for and finding new reasons not to transfer money to Kotkaklubi. Is it possible under UK law that they keep the money belonging to Kotkaklubi? After all, this is a scam in the sense of Estonian laws.
Thank you for your effort.

[Jo UK]

Hellem, I can cetainly sympathise with your viewpoint. Also, I have to remember that we first used Leetchi many years ago. I looked into their operating techniques then and found them to be the most suitable for our purposes, compared with other fund-raising sites. Their rules are more amenable - we can stop or change the end-date without restriction. We can aim for and maybe not achieve, a specific sum, yet still receive the funds. Other sites insist on us reaching the exact sum required or they will return each donation to the contributor.
Over the years since our first use of Leetchi, laws have changed. UK law will not apply as Leetchi is a French-owned company. Each country has its own Financial Conduct Authority and Leetchi became controlled buy the French version of that authority in 2019. I did not know that when we started the current fund-raiser. So much of this delay is, perhaps, my fault for not looking more carefully into current law and also it is caused by the change in French law itself.

I just hope that this French company will be able to understand Estonia's paper-free administration. If not, I don't know what will happen. The current Money Pot is worth waiting for - nearly 4,000 euro. But rather late for Urmas to buy a camera for this year? ("Nearly 4,000" because the certified translation had to be paid for, first.)

[Hellem]

Jo, thank you for the explanations. The situation is absolutely unbelievable and depressing . Let's hope that Kotkalubi still gets its money.

[Jo UK]

It is the most frustrating thing I have to deal with just now - that, and finding an electrician who will work before July!
I am sure that Kotkaklubi will, one day, receive the funds.

[Jo UK]

At last, after - how many weeks sisnce February 22nd - Leetchi tell me that they will transfer funds direct to Kotkaklubi, within 48 hours!

The only thing that seemed to finalise the deal was when I sent them screen shots from the European Business Register, to show thaat Kotkaklubi is properly registerd. They have not insisted on "signed, dated, stamped document" as last week.

This story is finished now
Maybe that is too many smilies!

[Hellem]

Oh, finally
Jo, thank you very much for your effort, the whole process was very nerve wracking for you

[Jo UK]

Yes, Hellem, it was becoming so. But now, a great weight has been lifted!

[Liz01]

Do you know about restrictions when making a money transfer from America? I have indicated the normal transfer to Kotkalubi account so far.

If that doesn't work, I would have to provide another option.

[Jo UK]

Hi Liz
The most recent contributor from USA used my Paypal account. Then I transferred it to my bank account, then on to Kotkaklubi. It is not an economic way to do it - we lost some of the money with each exchange rate conversion and bank charges ( US dollars to UK currency. Then UK currency to Euro.) But a fair proporton of the donation arrives at Kotkaklubi. IF you can find a better way, please tell me!