I'm building a package of "spare" parts, paints and tools to send along and have asked my local modeling friends for their contribution. I also resolved to stop and buy something at the LHS to add to the package.
There has been other threads on this forum about supporting your local LHS, something I believe in. I buy all my paints, glues, thinners, brushes, sanding sticks and FSM magazines from there, and at least half my models. The rest I buy online, but only models that the LHS doesn't normally have in stock. He knows I buy online, I've told him so and why. He also knows that I attempt to buy all I can from him. We're on a first name basis, and I always spend a few moments just chatting with him about non model related things. What I experienced today is exactly the reason why we should do all we can to support the LHS.
I was wandering around the store thinking about how much I should buy and number crunching when Jim (the owner) asked me what I was up to. He knows my pattern by now, and I was decidedly outside of my normal browsing!
I told him how I was going to send a care package to the armed forces hobby clubs in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was going to ask Jim for a discount to max out my buying power, and so launched into an explanation of how Jeff and Dave at FSM are personally helping out with arranging care packages (he carries Fine Scale, Scale Auto and a handful of their modeling books, and so is familiar with the company) when he cut me off with the question of how much was I willing to spend. I told him how much I was willing to plunk down (which is not important to the story).
He did some calculating and then asked if he could put together a package for me. I said sure. He buzzed around the store and came up with a couple of kits, some bottles of paint and a paint brush set. Total value was double my original amount. So in other words he matched me dollar for dollar, and then ate the taxes! I never did get to ask for a discount. Jim and I then spent a few moments discussing how even though we're Canadian and may or may not support the War on Terrorism, that the men and women on the front line deserve our support and thanks. Helping out with the hobby club drive is a small pay back to the troops who are putting their lives on the line for freedom. And who's only reward is a small paycheck, three squares a day, a bunk and hours of boredom in a hostile land, far away from their families.
I know that the rule is no unpaid advertising in the forums, but I'm breaking that rule! I think
Jim Rancier of BC Hobby & Shaver, 104-1835 Dilworth Drive, Kelowna, BC, Canada (250-868-0508) is well worth taking the risk for!
When I finally arrived at home (later than usual due to the stop at the LHS) my kids saw the kits and asked what was up. When I told them what they were for, they immediately went to their cash stash and donated some money for more paints. I will be stopping by the LHS again tomorrow night to purchase those! Ask me if I'm a proud dad!
I hope my story will inspire others to visit their LHSs and see if they can also get some support for this worthwhile endeavour.
I would like to thank the staff at FSM for the inspiration, and their support of this project.