A bequest to the Australian Skeptics (Victorian Branch) Inc. (Victorian Skeptics) would be a great way to help us be more active. If you are making or revising a will, please consider us.
The Victorian Skeptics Development Fund
Although the Victorian Skeptics is one of the most active Skeptical groups in Australia we work with a fairly small budget. Over the years we have been helped with grants from the Sydney based Australian Skeptics Science and Education Foundation.
Following a profit from a successful convention and some substantial donations we now have a handy surplus. Thinking to the future we have decided to put this into a special fund called the Victorian Skeptics Development Fund (VSDF).
Our plan is to build up the capital of the fund and in the future use the income generated from this capital to expand our activities and to be more self-reliant.
We believe that a sound financial plan makes us suitable for receiving bequests.
Examples of how we use funds for our activities are:
• Purchase of Alternative Medicine products for investigation and demonstration at our events.
• Resources for a Complaints Campaign against dubious Alt Med advertising.
• Purchase of equipment such as Gaussmeters used to investigate alt-med claims.
Achievements of the Victorian Skeptics
We promote the Australian Skeptics and provide information on skeptical issues to Teachers at Science Teachers conferences and to the public at Scienceworks during Science Week
We foster scientific literacy by financially supporting the Science Talent Search and the Science Drama Awards organised by the Science Teachers Association (thanks to grants from Australian Skeptics Science and Education Foundation).
We have supported health campaigner Dr Ken Harvey in exposing the inadequate way the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) “regulates” dodgy health products.
We have exposed the sham of homeopathy, the dangers of chiropractors treating children and the misinformation of the anti-vaccination groups.
We have been active in opposing creationism to keep it out of science education.
We have tested diviners and demonstrated that their ability to divine water is no better than chance. Some farmers waste money employing diviners to find water.
A Respected Organization
The Australian Skeptics have been going over 30 years and are well respected by the science community, medical professionals, the media and the education community. We have a great deal of expertise available to us so we can provide accurate and reliable information on the issues that concern us.
We have attracted many eminent people to speak at our conventions and speaker nights. These include: Peter Doherty (Nobel Prize winner), Paul Davies (Physicist and author), Richard Dawkins (prominent Skeptic and Atheist), James Randi (Skeptical investigator and magician), Robyn Williams (Science broadcaster), Leigh Dayton (Science journalist); Eugenie Scott (prominent opponent of creationism in the US).
Making a Bequest to Victorian Skeptics
We strongly advise getting legal advice when making a will.
A bequest may be in several different forms.
You could donate money, property, shares, securities or insurance policies. A donation may be a fixed amount, the balance (after expenses and other gifts) or a percentage of the balance. Your gift may be used at the discretion of the executive or for a specific purpose.
To make a general unrestricted gift include the following clause in your will:
“I give Australian Skeptics (Victorian Branch) Inc. GPO Box 5166, Melbourne Vic 3001, the amount of . . . . . . . . . . .to be deposited in the Victorian Skeptics Development Fund and used as the Executive of the organisation determines. A receipt from the Treasurer of the organisation shall be sufficient for my Executors to have discharged the bequest.”
To make a gift to be used for a particular activity or issue, replace the words “and used as the Executive of the organisation determines” with “to be used for the purpose of . . . . . . . . . . . . . but if such purpose cannot, in the opinion of the Executive, be achieved, then the gift is to be used for a similar purpose as determined by the Executive.”
We recommend contacting the Victorian Skeptics Executive if your bequest is for a special purpose. We can advise on the feasibility of your request and how it fits with our priorities.
We may also be able to offer a permanent recognition of your gift.
Please also contact us for further information.
Contact details;
Email: vic@skeptics.com.au
Phone: 1800 666 996
Mail: GPO Box 5166, Melbourne, Vic 3001
Victorian Skeptics 