ISRA is and always will be a "buyer's choice" club. This means we will never ask members to pay dues. It is important that everyone understand that in order to do the things it does, ISRA needs money to operate. ISRA gets that money through merchandise sales, advertising, and member donations. So, think of this as PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) pledge week.

ISRA is a not-for-profit organization. The not-for-profit designation is designed to reduce the amount and type of paperwork required by the Federal government. The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) has not yet finalized their determination as to whether donations to the ISRA are tax-deductible for the U.S. members.

So, what can members do to help? Buy patches! We have plenty of the official ISRA logo patches in stock. They are 3.5 inches in diameter, fully embroidered and laser cut. They are even heat-sealed to "iron-on" although the manufacturer recommends sewing as well for an extra margin of safety. For more information about and pictures of these patches, go to www.star-riders.org then click on merchandise.

Donations are always gratefully accepted in any amount. Did you get a really great piece of advice from another member that saved a ton of money on a modification or service? Consider donating some portion of the savings to the ISRA so that we can continue to provide great service for all our members.

U.S. members can send orders for merchandise or donations to ISRA at PO Box 1013, Tehachapi, CA 93581-1013. Non-U.S. members can arrange for payment or donations by wire transfer. Contact the treasurer at motivesel@yahoo.com for more information and wiring instructions.

And, we're not just asking for money. ISRA needs lots of help from members as well. Articles for the StarCruiser are always in hot demand. Even if you don't want to write the article, feel free to suggest the topic, someone else can always write it. Interested in serving on the Council? Email any Council Member and we'll get right back to you.

Lastly, we have our sponsors that are paying for advertising on this site, like the one at the bottom of this page. Please support them by buying your accessories from the companies that support your club.

As always, thanks for listening.