POPPY'S EMAIL MODELS: Well guys, I've gone right over the top!!! And I do mean, "Over the TOP'. I had an idea about giving our hobby a boost a few months ago and decided that like all 'ideas', it was only good if someone did something about it. We've all talked about doing something to encourage our younger kids to get involved in our modeling hobby - well, like I say, I've started the ball rolling on something. I know you Canuks are familiar with the Canadian Armed Forces Cadet Program - for those of you who are not, it's the largest youth organization in Canada, for young people 12 - 18, run by the Canadian Armed Forces, with Air Cadets, Sea Cadets, and Army Cadets. I don't know the exact National Number of Cadets enrolled this year, but in the Central Region alone this year we have 16,000 young adults taking military training during the school year and during the summer months.
Last year there were 21,000 summer training slots filled by cadets in Canada doing everything from pilot training (power and glider) to gunnery, to music schools. If you want to know more about a fantastic program run by a government for young people just take a look at this website: (and this is just the Central Region)
http://www.central.cadets.ca/public/central-e.htm
This is the "Official 'blurb' or intro to the Cadet Program:
"The Canadian Cadet Program is a community-based youth training activity managed by the Canadian Forces (CF) in partnership with the Navy League of Canada; the Army Cadet League of Canada; and the Air Cadet League of Canada. The Canadian Forces provides personnel and equipment to conduct the cadet training program as directed by National Defence Headquarters"
These young people are fitted out with full military uniforms, provided training, and even paid for some of the senior training camps during the summer. It's worth looking at the website.
Anyway, when I was with the Forces I used to help out with the cadets (I was a small arms instructor) and one of the things I did a bit of was help organize some of the cadets who put on some 'model shows'. These occured when I was with 150 Air Cadet Squadron and my son was a Warrant Officer with the Squadron and my daughter a Sergeant and they did most of the organizing. I got to thinking a few months ago that here was the largest gathering of young people in Canada, all with an interest in things military, like airplanes, and ships and tanks and stuff and how could I help get them, about 25,000 of them, involved in modeling? I checked the mark-up on models!!!! Holy Cow! Would you believe the first company I contacted has a suggested manufacturers retail price with a mark-up of 40% and I was told that some retailers add onto that!! When I asked a couple of the big importers if they would offer a bulk discount I got responses from 10% to 20% (rare and smalll). So, I thought, if I owned my own Local Hobby Shop, and got an Ontario Retailers Licence, and applied for a Federal GST (Government Sales Tax) number, I could order all these wonderful plastic kits (and supplies) for, up to, 40% off, and in a few cases, a bit more, I could pass that on to these wonderful, dedicated kids, (and the serving military) for whatever they cost me, plus the cost of shipping. I should be able to offer the cadets an average saving of 25% - 30% and help/encourage the individual squadrons, and units (Regiments) to start up their own modeling clubs. And, being an active Priest, I should be able to get a few churches in the area to donate some storage space and a few old geezers to pack boxes and lick stamps.
Well, over the last few days I've received a pack of mail. First, I opened an official looking government enevelope that lo and behold, contained my Federal GST #, and another envelope had my Registration of my business (my wife is my partner) of "Poppy's Email Models, Inc.", and the last two items really put me in business: my 'Commercial Mastercard' in the name of 'Poppy's Email Models' and my first letter of credit with a supplier -Bob Adia of Hobby Craft, Canada - who has offered me a good starting line up ranging from the $20 'starter kit to the extreme end Trumpeter. I have a lot of work to do to jump through all the hoops with the distributors for the other major mfgs - heck, I still have to find out who a lot of them are, but, theoretically at least, I'm in the 'Model' business.
I've got to brush up on my HTML, (translate= find a volunteer) and get a website going with a catalogue of what I'lll be offering to the kids this year. I'll be starting small with a just a few models and restricting the 'program' to commanding officers of units in the province - then gradually, I hope, branch out. I think I can offer the kids a 'first time' buy this year, and once I get it set up, we can offer a second buy every year. Oh yeah, I have my web site address - it's not active yet but it will be called www.poppys.ca and the full 'legal name' of the business will be 'Poppy's Email Models', but, and this is a big BUT, I will just be selling to Cadets and eventually, serving members of the military. The big issue is trusting the CO's of the various units to collect and pass in the money to me -- that could be a big 'Ouch'.
Oh yeah, and by the way, this is not, repeat, not, an official part of any DND (Department of National Defence) Program, nor is it financially supported by the Canadian Armed Forces. It is being put in place, by me, with the 'knowledge' and 'blessing' of the Air, Army, and Sea Cadet Leagues of Canada. Anyway, I was getting bored.