The Outdoor Smoking Lounge Project (Part 1) by 6ixStringJack

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

The Outdoor Smoking Lounge Project (Part 1)

POSTED BY: 6IXSTRINGJACK
UPDATED: Thursday, December 20, 2007 03:36
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Wednesday, December 19, 2007 11:32 PM

I meant to write more about this now, but it turns out It's an extremely busy morning.

Long story short, I put out a companywide bulliten 2 1/2 weeks to 3 weeks ago about creating an outdoor smoking lounge and also offering $300.00 of my own money to get it started. About 20 people replied to it so far (all in support), and the funny thing is that about 90% of them are non-smokers and ex-smokers. They've even offered donations. The most impressive response though, I thought, was from my bosses, bosses, bosses new boss at the company which is buying us out.

I had not taken this to HR yet, because HR people are paid to be "Dead Ends" and are completely useless by trade. I'd just been sitting here wondering what to do next, when today the Facilities Engineer said that if I could raise the money, he would be happy to build it for me. I have an email out to him now thanking him and asking if this is his blessing or corporate blessing before I take this project to phase 2.

That doesn't mean that I'm not planning though. As it turns out, the $300.00 I offered up only pays about 1/4 of the price of the bare-bones, wall-less "bus-stop" type of smoking shelter. If possible, I would like to find a way to provide the smokers at my company with the comfort we used to enjoy in our old indoor smoking lounge. Unfortunately, to put us in a heated, ventalated and well lit shelter, it's going to cost about $5,000.00.

My ideas so far have been a candy fundraiser, an online fundraiser putting this story (the full documentation minus names and the company name) on any message board I where people are just as pissed off about this as I am, and trying to procure some funds from the company itself if I am able to come up with a specific amount and I have a detailed plan and pitch. I even thought that if presented right to the distributor/creator of the shelters and let them know that these are real people and not big corporate that is funding this effort that I may get a decent price break.

I thought the candy idea was particulary good, because I think it's pretty f-ing funny to use what kids usually pimp for sports programs to create a smoking lounge. If I can sell about 10,400 candy bars in the next 3 or so months I got myself a shelter with all the frills... you know.... things like warmth, dryness and not having to stand 50 feet away from the building in 5 inches of snow... Yeah, the things that non-smokers take for granted when they take their break today.

Anybody got any more ideas or comments?

Please leave the negative comments out of this. This is not a debate, and if I wanted to quit smoking I would still be doing this, because this is America Goddammit! And I'm tired of being treated like a second class citizen, and watching others lives being dramatically impacted as well. Smokers are the only minority in America where it's not only legal to discriminate against them, but it's encouraged.

Thanks for reading and I welcome your positive posts and ideas.

"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." http://www.myspace.com/6ixstringjack

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Thursday, December 20, 2007 12:51 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

How large an covered area are you talking about? Are we talking like a gazebo type structure ? Something fairly basic, with possibly room for a gas heater in the middle ?

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Thursday, December 20, 2007 1:19 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK

No open flame. Long story..... I might get into that later when I get the time.

I'm thinking a gazebo wouldn't fly either, but I haven't really gotten to that discussion with anyone yet at this point. I'm just real excited that there is a possibility that I might just be able to get this thing done and I've got somebody who has a little pull saying they're behind it now. I assume they want something that looks as cold and uninviting as the building itself looks, but I could be wrong about that.

It was mentioned that we could get one of the higher end models with infared heaters like this one:

Although I haven't been able to even find a price on a shelter near $1,200 the facilities engineer here said that that's about what they start at. I would imagine that this is about what you'd be getting for that price:

The high end units that I would like to get look pretty much like this:

I still think there's a real possibility that they're making me pay for a high end unit and throwing out large numbers out there like that just to put me and anybody else off of buying one. I'll put up a whole paycheck of my own if I have to though.

"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." http://www.myspace.com/6ixstringjack

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Thursday, December 20, 2007 2:42 AM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Every time I see some person head out from work for the great outdoors all I can think of is - yep, they must be going out to the smoker's Siberia.

Anyway, I have no idea what the shelters go for, at first maybe you could start small - one of those round tables with a nice umbrella for summer ?

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Thursday, December 20, 2007 3:36 AM

FREMDFIRMA

Why not yank the chain of some of the smokers rights groups like FORCES and whatnot ?

You're clever, and from our various convos I do believe you could convince them to "put their money where their mouth is" - some of it, anyhow.

Too bad yer not closer, that looks like just welded tube stock and panes, for the most part, and I am SURE I could get it done for much less with local contacts, but transporting it wouldn't be cost effective.

I'd shop around too, that quote is a bit high, so put that twisted mind of your to good use, I'm sure you can manage something.

Good luck!

-F

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