KEEP the SWAN SWIMMING 

Hello, I’m Michael Nickerson. You might know me from my years at the Rhinecliff Hotel, or from Upstate Films, maybe we were in a Play together. Over the past eight years I’ve been running the Black Swan Pub in Tivoli, NY.  This December our license to serve you was suspended by the State Liquor Authority for a number of reasons - underage drinkers got in (the ID’s we were shown seemed to disappear as soon as the cops showed up), an unlicensed bouncer (Licensed bouncers? In Tivoli? Well it’s the Law for the whole state, not just the big cities), and storing liquor and records “off premises” (on the second floor of the Swan, upstairs in a locked office, but considered “off premise” because there is no indoor staircase). Now we face a large fine: $15,000, and jumping through a bunch of hoops: the purchase of an ID scanner at $2000, moving the liquor to a new location on the first floor, and registering with the State Department as a Security Company. Once that is done we will be allowed to again serve you. That’s where you come in. Hundreds of you have asked what you could do to help and this campaign is it. Every dollar helps to get the Swan swimming again – as might each person you pass this along to, and everyone to whom you spread the word. I can’t do this alone, but if only half of my FaceBook friends pledge $20, this will be a success. If everyone gives $20 we will be able to glide right through those fines and make up for the lost income of being closed over this holiday season. I hope we will even be able to give out some bonuses to our hardworking staff. Please be generous, I know times are tough all over. The staff of the Swan has been out of work for 2 weeks already, and during the Holiday season. The Pub still has bills to pay with no income. We want to re-open and be able to again provide you with diverse and dynamic musical performances, play readings, film, dance parties, trivia, karaoke, homemade food, and most importantly – a warm place for everyone to gather, and a place where everyone feels welcome. These are hallmarks of The Black Swan Pub. Please help us do that again.

$$$ The money you contribute will help us pay the fines from the state, purchase a state of the art ID scanner, and pay our small army of lawyers. We can’t serve you until we raise the funds to pay. Reaching out to our big community may be the only way we will achieve those goals. 

PERKS In exchange for your donation we’ve come up with a few cool perks.

For a minimum donation you will have the opportunity to not only feel great about keeping “Tivoli’s Living room” open, you’ll be invited to

• Get the warm fuzzy feeling of giving to the place that has shown you so many great times.
• For a donation of $20, you're invited to a series of Donor Only parties, with some of the best musicians the Hudson Valley has to offer - reggae, blues, jazz, acoustic rock, and more.
• The Package, You get a limited edition T-shirt, an Invite to the Parties, and your first draft beer, plus the great feeling of keeping a Tivoli Landmark open. All for $50
• Dinner for 2, including your first drink, and any one of the great shows the Swan presents throughout the year. The perfect date night. All for $100
• Are you a REAL music fan? For a minimum donation of $150 you get a pass to see every show, for a year, just flash your pass (and your 21 over ID, we don’t want to go through this again) and you’re in.
• Want to own a piece of the Swan? For a donation of $250 we’ll put your name or the name of someone you’d like to honor, on a Brass Plaque and mount it on the edge of the bar.
• Not enough to be a face in the crowd? Do you want to be THE HOST of the party? For $500 you can be the presenter of the night, your choice of a Band or DJ, you introduce them, you get some drink tickets, after expenses, you might even make some money.
• That sounds good, but you’d rather have a private party for 50 friends, no door charge, a great band or DJ, and a keg of your choice? Donate $1000 and that dream can come true.
• Trying to plan a wedding, fundraiser, or big birthday or anniversary bash? How about the food, beer and wine, venue, MC/officiator, and lots of other details and expenses? For $5000 we will provide those things for 50 people.

We know a lot of you’ want to just give something back to the place that has given you so much, theses perks are just our way of thanking you for loving us. Unlike many crowd source fund raising, even if we don’t reach our full goal your donations will still help us. We have a few other things we can try to again serve you, but they are last resorts.

I have had the Swan for 8 years now, most businesses of this type fail within the first year or two. We have a huge overhead, many bills, but we are in it because we love our community of friends and think we offer a place that is unique and a place that brings people together. We have faced rough patches before, and we’ve weathered them. Please help us keep swimming, and enjoy the clear skies on the Swan’s patio again this spring and summer. If you can’t help us monetarily, please help by spreading the word of this campaign. Tell your friends that you’ve met at the Swan, or partied with at the Swan. I try to stay in contact with as many of the past and present customers as I am able. If I see a name or face I recognize on Face Book, I send a Friend request, because I believe the people I’ve met through the Swan, and through all of my endeavors are more than just customers, We ARE friends and in many ways, an extended family. Indiegogo has numerous share tools, please take advantage of them and let everyone who might make a difference, no matter how small, know about our campaign. I’d love to thank each of you face to face, until then please accept my heartfelt thanks.

Sincerely,

Michael