I am assistant treasurer of Alaska/Oregon/Washington State Area Conference (AOWSAC) NAACP. I am also in charge of arranging conventions, conferences, and travel for the Conference. I also help some National Officers with travel arrangements. I am also a home-based travel agent, as is my wife. She is also Chair of the Communications/Publicity/Public Relations Committee for the Conference. We are in constant contact with all the local branches in the three states.
Here is what happened. On February 8, 2008 at 9:58AM, the Youth Director of a Branch in Washington ( I live in Oregon ) called me from her home, and asked if I could help her arrange airfare and hotel reservations for her group, 3 to 5 adults and 10 to 12 youth for the National Youth Leadership Conference in April at Minneapolis. I said yes, but I would need actual count on adults and youth, and the departure and return dates. She said she needed to confer with the branch president. She called back at 10:29 and said the numbers were correct and that they needed to be there from April
9th to April 13th, three nights.
I began the searches. At 12:16PM, I called the NAACP office and told them tha I found accomodations a few blocks from the convention center at a fine hotel ( BW/ The Normandie Inn and Suites ). There were others, but this was the best deal. I told them to think about it. I would work on the airfares.
I called them for more information, and to tell them the results at 1:11PM,
2:2PM and 3:11PM. At 4:49PM they called me and asked me to reserve the rooms (4). I did. And in order to be sure about the reservation, I used my debit card.
I made numerous calls to airlines for 3 adults and 11 youth. Then they changed the numbers. I did it all again They were going to submit the airfare costs to a benefactor. On February 25th, I called the NAACP office and asked if they were ready to buy the tickets. They said they didn't have the money yet. I called the Branch president at her home on March 2, 2008. She still hadn't received the money. I told them that it was impossible for me to guarantee any rates in the future, as they keep changing. I told them that they could do it themselves. I emailed them the web page and told them how to use it. This was no secret. Anyone can use it, the airlines don't pay any commissions. Most agencies charge anywhere from $25.00 on up per passenger for the service.
On March 11, 2008 the Branch president called from her home 9:50AM, 9:57AM and 10:02 to tell me to change the number of rooms to just two (2). I called the Youth Counsellor to get the number of adults, etc. at 10:29AM. The Branch president called me at 10:39AM and told me to call the Youth Branch Director, whose daughter was the president and was in charge of the delegation to get the correct number. She said she would call me the next day to confirm
On March 12, 2008, at 12:09PM she called with the number. One adult and five youth. I told her I was guaranteeing the reservations on my debit card and to make sure everyone knew that as soon as they got to the hotel, they change to another card or a check, or I would be charged a no-show fee, one night rent plus taxes for each room. I then called the Youth Counselor and told her the same. The president wasn't home, so I called her the next morning and reminded her about the card. I emailed all of them the changed reservation and reminded them about my card, and to note the cancellation procedure. It was finally done.
March 14, 15, and 16, 2008, was the Sate Conference in Portland. I reminded the ladies about making sure I wasn't charged, etc.
On March 15th, my wife's mother suddenly died. I was called by the hospital. I called my mortician friend and he took care of things until we got home. Mama wanted to be buried in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico with her husband who was buried there. My friend took care of everything. The cost of the funeral, our flying down there, etc., along with everything else left us strapped.
On April 26, 2008, I got an overdraft notice with two charges of $27.00. It was Saturday night, so it took a while to figure it out. It was the Normandie Inn charging for three nights no-show. There was only enough to cover one. I called the Youth Counselor, the adult on the trip whom I had remonstrated five or six times about changing the name or if necessary, cancelling the reservation, and asked her what happened. She said the Conference's people had booked them at the Hilton and they had taken care of the cancellation. I told her I needed the cancellation numbers. She said she would get them for me.
I forgot to add: Later on the Saturday night I got the overdraft charges, my wife figured out that they had stayed at the hotel and stuck us with the bill. My honey lived in Manhattan from the age of 10 months until she was fifty five. She worked days and went to school at night for seven years. She eventually got an Executive Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College, a CUNY school. She became Director of Personnel at CUNY Headquarters. She had much experience with scam artists and other crooks. She retired at age 55. Anyway, she called the Branch President and ripped her a new one. Typical Neuyorican.
I wrote a not nice letter to the Youth Counselor, because she wrote me one implying that I was a scam artist. So far, the only one out any money was me.
Last Monday night, at the Shrine Temple, I am on the Potentate's Divan, I got a call from the Youth Director. She wanted to speak to my wife. I turned the speaker on. She began calling her names, etc. I took over the phone. I asked her why nobody cancelled the reservation, which I had told them over and over to do. She said that because I didn't get the air tickets fro them, that they decided not to do any more business with me. I reminded her of why I had done that. She shouted something. I told her she was a terrible person, and se shouldn't be in the NAACP, especially training the youth. I told her I was hanging up, that I didn't associate with people like her. My wife, and maybe some of the Shriners and/or their ladies heard all this.
I re-sent my last letter to all three of them. I said if I didn't have my money Today, I was starting legal action tomorrow.
Now, I didn't charge them for anything. My phone calls weren't free. My time could have been used at something productive. I might even have made some money, which I really need now. They didn't cancel the reservations to punish me. What should I do now?
ToddA
Here is what happened. On February 8, 2008 at 9:58AM, the Youth Director of a Branch in Washington ( I live in Oregon ) called me from her home, and asked if I could help her arrange airfare and hotel reservations for her group, 3 to 5 adults and 10 to 12 youth for the National Youth Leadership Conference in April at Minneapolis. I said yes, but I would need actual count on adults and youth, and the departure and return dates. She said she needed to confer with the branch president. She called back at 10:29 and said the numbers were correct and that they needed to be there from April
9th to April 13th, three nights.
I began the searches. At 12:16PM, I called the NAACP office and told them tha I found accomodations a few blocks from the convention center at a fine hotel ( BW/ The Normandie Inn and Suites ). There were others, but this was the best deal. I told them to think about it. I would work on the airfares.
I called them for more information, and to tell them the results at 1:11PM,
2:2PM and 3:11PM. At 4:49PM they called me and asked me to reserve the rooms (4). I did. And in order to be sure about the reservation, I used my debit card.
I made numerous calls to airlines for 3 adults and 11 youth. Then they changed the numbers. I did it all again They were going to submit the airfare costs to a benefactor. On February 25th, I called the NAACP office and asked if they were ready to buy the tickets. They said they didn't have the money yet. I called the Branch president at her home on March 2, 2008. She still hadn't received the money. I told them that it was impossible for me to guarantee any rates in the future, as they keep changing. I told them that they could do it themselves. I emailed them the web page and told them how to use it. This was no secret. Anyone can use it, the airlines don't pay any commissions. Most agencies charge anywhere from $25.00 on up per passenger for the service.
On March 11, 2008 the Branch president called from her home 9:50AM, 9:57AM and 10:02 to tell me to change the number of rooms to just two (2). I called the Youth Counsellor to get the number of adults, etc. at 10:29AM. The Branch president called me at 10:39AM and told me to call the Youth Branch Director, whose daughter was the president and was in charge of the delegation to get the correct number. She said she would call me the next day to confirm
On March 12, 2008, at 12:09PM she called with the number. One adult and five youth. I told her I was guaranteeing the reservations on my debit card and to make sure everyone knew that as soon as they got to the hotel, they change to another card or a check, or I would be charged a no-show fee, one night rent plus taxes for each room. I then called the Youth Counselor and told her the same. The president wasn't home, so I called her the next morning and reminded her about the card. I emailed all of them the changed reservation and reminded them about my card, and to note the cancellation procedure. It was finally done.
March 14, 15, and 16, 2008, was the Sate Conference in Portland. I reminded the ladies about making sure I wasn't charged, etc.
On March 15th, my wife's mother suddenly died. I was called by the hospital. I called my mortician friend and he took care of things until we got home. Mama wanted to be buried in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico with her husband who was buried there. My friend took care of everything. The cost of the funeral, our flying down there, etc., along with everything else left us strapped.
On April 26, 2008, I got an overdraft notice with two charges of $27.00. It was Saturday night, so it took a while to figure it out. It was the Normandie Inn charging for three nights no-show. There was only enough to cover one. I called the Youth Counselor, the adult on the trip whom I had remonstrated five or six times about changing the name or if necessary, cancelling the reservation, and asked her what happened. She said the Conference's people had booked them at the Hilton and they had taken care of the cancellation. I told her I needed the cancellation numbers. She said she would get them for me.
I forgot to add: Later on the Saturday night I got the overdraft charges, my wife figured out that they had stayed at the hotel and stuck us with the bill. My honey lived in Manhattan from the age of 10 months until she was fifty five. She worked days and went to school at night for seven years. She eventually got an Executive Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College, a CUNY school. She became Director of Personnel at CUNY Headquarters. She had much experience with scam artists and other crooks. She retired at age 55. Anyway, she called the Branch President and ripped her a new one. Typical Neuyorican.
I wrote a not nice letter to the Youth Counselor, because she wrote me one implying that I was a scam artist. So far, the only one out any money was me.
Last Monday night, at the Shrine Temple, I am on the Potentate's Divan, I got a call from the Youth Director. She wanted to speak to my wife. I turned the speaker on. She began calling her names, etc. I took over the phone. I asked her why nobody cancelled the reservation, which I had told them over and over to do. She said that because I didn't get the air tickets fro them, that they decided not to do any more business with me. I reminded her of why I had done that. She shouted something. I told her she was a terrible person, and se shouldn't be in the NAACP, especially training the youth. I told her I was hanging up, that I didn't associate with people like her. My wife, and maybe some of the Shriners and/or their ladies heard all this.
I re-sent my last letter to all three of them. I said if I didn't have my money Today, I was starting legal action tomorrow.
Now, I didn't charge them for anything. My phone calls weren't free. My time could have been used at something productive. I might even have made some money, which I really need now. They didn't cancel the reservations to punish me. What should I do now?
ToddA
