AGF Outstanding Volunteer Service Award – John Cotten!!

[riorider]

This year on September 15, the AGF will celebrate its 10th anniversary!

In concert with this celebration, it has been proposed to, and approved by J.R. Rogers, AGF Owner & Founder, that the AGF publicly recognize and express their collective appreciation to one of its longest active and outstanding volunteers – Moderator and Charter Member #1 - John Cotten !!

Cotten Service Comments

John has distinguished himself in many ways. He is a selfless volunteer, with thousands of posts. These posts of John’s show the “stuff he is made of.” He is unwaveringly courteous and diplomatic; he is always encouraging and honoring to others; and he demonstrates his own standards of patience, joy, kindness, gentleness, and self-control.

In addition to his posts, John’s role as moderator requires many hours, over many days, over these many years, in helping to maintain the standards of the AGF community.

Please submit your own posts on this thread to express your personal appreciation to John for things he has done for you or that you have noticed him providing to others. Share “Cotten stories” with your AGF friends. Help this community celebrate both our 10th anniversary of this community and our collective “cheers” for one of its most commendable members!

“This is a wonderful idea for a deserving person. John has done more over the years to manage and preserve the “atmosphere’ of the AGF according to my standards than anyone else.” J.R. Rogers, AGF Owner and Founder

The Award – “Tangible Thanks”!

John has mentioned occasionally his hope for commissioning a custom fingerstyle guitar “someday.” Thanks for the idea, John – that day is now! We think it appropriate to accompany this public acknowledgement of John’s service with our collective gift of a custom guitar, to be made by the luthier of his choice, with a value up to $5000. We anticipate that this would be a commissioned build by one of John’s favorite AGF luthiers, but we will allow that choice to be solely John’s!

Fundraising Plan for the Award

J.R. has set up a special AGF PayPal account to collect monies for the “Cotten Award”, and the link is in the symbol below. When it is time, a cashier’s check will be cut from the AGF account to the luthier of John’s choice. We hope to have the funds collected by the 15th of September 2010 – the AGF anniversary day!




All contributions of any amount will be much appreciated, and of course, you can donate more than once. If you do not use PayPal, please contact me for alternative ways to contribute. If you will send me (riorider) a note via PM or email when you do make a donation, I’ll keep track of where we are and post that periodically.

J.R.’s “Living Room”

Although we have J.R.’s specific permission to announce this award and fund raising publicly, we wish to keep the “spirit” of the AGF rules, and therefore ask that comments regarding specific monetary gifts not be posted.

John will be making his own decisions regarding which luthier to work with on this guitar. We would encourage anyone in the luthier community to help him with this decision, but not to comment publicly on any offers they might wish to make for John’s consideration. Please use PMs or email for those discussions.

Questions

Any questions on donations, the award, my role in this project, and anything other than expressing your “thanks!” to John – please PM or email me, and I’ll be glad to provide answers or find them for you!

Thanks to John, to J.R., and to all in this great community.

Regards,
Phil Brodersen
“Riorider”
[email protected]

[JohnM]

You rock Cotten! *Virtual High-Five*

[Raggamuffin]

So well-deserved!!! Congrats John!

[Acousticado]

This is such a great idea to a person so deserving! John certainly exemplifies all the characteristics you mention. Count me in for a donation! Thanks for leading this, riorider!

I hope this becomes a "sticky". I also hope it becomes a "build thread" with lots of pics posted throughout the process by John's chosen luthier!

Phil, I just tried the "Donate" button which opened a screen saying "Fatal Failure". Something's not right.

[riorider]

superceded post

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by riorider

I believe I have it fixed - try again and let me know.
Thanks!
Phil

Nope. Still not working (at least for me).

[slopeshoulder]

Cotten,
Congrats to a great site and great person.

[min7b5]

Here's to Cotten

[darylcrisp]

from the first week i joined in on the AGF, Cottens replies have always brought a sense of calm, information, and maturity.

thanks for the work Cotten

daryl

[garywj]

I'm relatively new to the forum. One of the first persons I noticed was Cotten. If I'm scanning a thread and I see a post by him I read it, knowing there will be something of value there. Thanks Cotten for setting a good example and helping to make this forum a friendly place.

[220volt]

Big congratulation Mr. Cotten. Extremely well deserved.

[Bluewyatt]

So richly deserved! A good man, indeed!
Bat McGrath

[coldshot]

Phil great idea, John Cotton your very deserving you have helped so many others out in the past myself included.

Congratulations mate.

Phil your paypal link works fine.

[mesa]

This is a great idea! I was hoping something like this would take place for John.
John is the genuine article and rock to this community. I always appreciate reading his posts....you always come away smiling!

Your a Gem John, thanks for all your hard work and time keeping the gears turning.....and congrats!

A build thread is a must and an AGF rule in this case : )

[Idaho John]

thank you for your kindness. When I came on to the forum you were one of the first to make me welcome. I have violated the rules a few times - and you have also been unfailing in being direct but remaining kind...I wish we could hire you to work with our clients out west here. Congratulations...for services well rendered and unselfishly given.

john