Greetings and Salutations

Antiquity, our home for almost 9 years, is really an amazing place. First founded by the Grand Duke Gregg Barrymore and Her Grace, Grand Duchess Angel Magellen, Antiquity quickly became home to a wide variety of people that longed for a live in the much simpler Victorian times. Tall ships, rum and pirates mixed with the nobles of the lands. We shall forever be grateful for the vision of Their Graces, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess.
Over the years, Antiquity has varied in size, but its heart has always been strong and large. Others came, learned how to sail, made friends and even went on to found successful estates of their own. Through all the years, Antiquity has been here. Ever present, every faithful.
Antiquity has never been a for profit estate. Our goal was to offer land at cost. Over the years, this has proved increasingly more difficult. My original business partner and brother had to stop his financial help. Then, last year the price of oil dropped and it effected my rl work. I was cut to half hours. Recently, we have had to let some sims go to help lower the monthly cost of Antiquity. Together with the Owners and Admins we have been pitching in to cover.
At the start of April, Linden Labs announced a program to "Grandfather" regions. At first glance, it is simply an answer to our prayers. Lower tiers. But, there is a catch. Each homestead would cost $180..00 and each full sim would cost $600.00. To do the whole estate would cost in the neighborhood of $3,3500.00. This is an amount far beyond us in one lump sum. We wrote a letter to Linden Labs pleading with them to allow us to pay in payments some how. We mentioned our past financial commitment to Linden Labs, but were refused and dismissed with a one sentence reply.
The Owners and Admins of Antiquity had been praying for lower tiers to allow us to continue for a long time to come. After meeting, we have come up with the following game plan to try to "Grandfather" what we can before the deadline. What is left not "Grandfathered", will be assessed as the full impact of the changes come to more clarity financially. Some of the Owners of complete sims, have offered to cover the cost of their individual sim to be "Grandfathered". The remaining sims we need the community to pool together and help raise money to see what we can cover.
In order for Antiquity to continue in its current state, offering both great sailing and family atmosphere housing for years to come, we ask to please donate to our funding drive. The more regions we can cover, the longer the benefits for the community will be felt. It is our hope to always be a place our past residents and friends can come back to. An old home that never forgets them.
I would like to close this by thanking each and everyone of you that reads this. We really appreciate you taking the time and hope you will consider donating to help us secure a strong continued future.

Thank you very much

Cathryn Beaumont, SL member since 04/23/2007
Edward Beaumont, SL member since 11/15/2006
Rose Beaumont, SL member since 04/25/2008
Pamus Bing, SL member since 07/19/2007
Jacon Cortes, SL member since 02/24/2007
Tocho Cortes, SL member since 03/03/2007
Gaianed di Cremona, SL member since 03/18/2011
Crotian Egerton, SL member since 03/25/2011
Twelfthnight Egerton, SL member since 01/25/2011
Pz7 Engineer, SL member since 09/17/2009
Drezenda Firebloom, SL member since 03/28/2013
Olavi Hirvi, SL member since 03/04/2007
Bridget Jennings, SL member since 11/02/2007
Beatrix Muircastle, SL member since 06/19/2008
Tiamat Windstorm, SL member since 02/09/2010
Contessa Wizardly, SL member since 09/05/2009
KarenKate Sands, SL member since 07/16/2007
Signa Avril, SL member since 12/27/2008

Antiquity Visitors Center

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Antiquity%20Texas/146/41/22

Extra Information

Note: If you have a favorite sim or location you would like to sponsor, check out the list availible at the Visitors Center Location for landmarks to the Donation Jars. If you just want to help Antiquity in General, any donation, large or small at any Donation Thermometer would be really appreciated.

GoFundMe Page: https://www.gofundme.com/c4yadugg

https://community.secondlife.com/t5/Featured-News/Want-Lower-Tier-Now-You-Can-Get-Grandfathered-Land-Rates/ba-p/3019148

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His Royal Highness Jacon Cortes de Bexar Prince of Antiquity, Duke of Cumberland, Duque de Bexar, Duc de la Valliere, Marchese di MSB
updated by @jacon-cortes-de-bexar: 26 Sep 2016 12:47:12PM

Wishing you all the best in your fund raising efforts, Jacon. I'm a firm believer in people contributing financially towards the activities they enjoy in SL and by the look of your list you've already had a lot of support.

I assume that you are paying off individual regions as you acquire the funds to do so?

I've followed a number of strategies that are being used for the buy-ins, from business loans to short-term use of zero-interest credit cards. The is the first "go fund me" that I've seen

I'm also wondering about your future plans for rental rates especially since you mention "Our goal was to offer land at cost." Perhaps now is the time to add a bit more of a buffer to your rates? I know that I won't be dropping my rental rates even after the six month pay-off period is over. Essentially this allows me to retain the land I currently own and perhaps have more "value added" in terms of events & activities etc. Time will tell!

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Proprietress of Tatiana's Tea Room ~ Owner of the Provence Coeur Estate ~ Webmistress of this site

Good luck Jacon and thank you for your hard efforts trying to keep Antiquity running. I will be sure to make a in-world donation tomorrow!

Thank you so much Tatiana, I appreciate your good wishes. *huggs* Yes, some of the "owners" will be doing their individual sims, then we are going to prioritize what is left and start grandfathering them as we can. And yes, I do want to pass on some of the savings to the residents, but we will have to figure out what will give the residents a break yet still allow us to help build a stable foundation.

I hope when all this settles down...we can work on ways to get some of our g&s food eaten..:))

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His Royal Highness Jacon Cortes de Bexar Prince of Antiquity, Duke of Cumberland, Duque de Bexar, Duc de la Valliere, Marchese di MSB

Thank you so much. *huggs* When I agreed to take responsibility for Antiquity, I took that promise i made to everyone that helped save it....I would do my best to keep it going for as long as I could. I am just trying to live up to my responsibilities.

It also helps, that I love Antiquity and everyone I interact with here in SL....:))

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His Royal Highness Jacon Cortes de Bexar Prince of Antiquity, Duke of Cumberland, Duque de Bexar, Duc de la Valliere, Marchese di MSB

We have received some truly heartwarming pledges from some of our sub-renters already. We still have quite a distance to go, especially in regard to the two full sims that are the heart of the estate and of course in regard to open water, but we're feeling far more optimistic than we were a month ago, when we stared in horror at the lump sum cost of buying down the whole estate.

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Antiquity Hedgewitch