BUILD ANYWAY April 29, 2007
Posted by kprsjohn in Uncategorized.trackback
John and keepers have spent a over 20 years trying to build what has turned into KEEPERSKORNER CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION. To say that it has been an easy task to accomplish would be a lie of phenomenal proportions. But I will let the details speak for themselves.
1.) In 1999, our friend Andzrej helped us set up the very first KEEPERSKORNER. We were excited to finally be on our way with fulfilling our dream of doing a charitable organization to improve the quality of life for other multiples. One day, John went out to check on the site only to find that it was completely gone. It had crashed without our noticing so we had not one sense of how long our first KEEPERSKORNER had been gone or how to get it back. Both John and keepers were devastated but we decided to continue to build anyway.
2.) We hired a webmaster to help us build our second KEEPERSKORNER. Only after we left this man were we told by other webmasters that he had given us very low end work while charging us high end prices. Again, devastation set in as we beat up on ourselves for having been so stupid as to trust this webmaster overmuch. But, like before, we decided to build again anyway.
3.) At this point, we became the victims of IDENTITY THEFT. Someone had been using our KK credit card without our permission. Someone was trying to change passwords and usernames so that they would have full control of KEEPERSKORNER. Paypal and our credit card people and others worked diligently for months to get it straghtened out. Now, for a multiple, IDENTITY THEFT feels like the worst thing that can happen and that was definetely true of keepers. But our decision was to continue building anyway.
4.)We hired another webmaster who was also an artist. She gave us the beautiful site we have today. We were with this webmaster for a little over a year and left her simply because the work was never getting done. What we did not know is that–though our site was beautiful–it was completely nonfunctional as far as growth or change. This webmaster had allowed no room for new pages to be added. Also, the site had been set up in a language uniquely her own which made it almost impossible for another webmaster to take over. In fact, as our new webmaster would work on it–he discovered that our beautiful site was crumbling at his every attempt to make it grow and change. Again, keepers felt defeated but we chose to continue to build anyway.
5.) In April, 2006 we had our first encounter with a true internet predator. At first she seemed nice but our red flags went up quickly and then others began emailing us to let us know what a predator this person was. Keepers were shocked at our stupidity and at our own willingness to disregard our personal red flags. At that point, we felt totally inept. But we did our best to expose this internet predator and began to build again.
6.) Keepers sent out a cd to a blog friend who was triggered by something on said cd. This blog friend wanted retribution in the form of keeperskorner being shut down. After much thought and soul searching, we decided to apologize for our mistake and continue building.
7.) The past five months, Andzrej (our present webmaster and friend) has been working diligently to get KEEPERSKORNER able to grow and change while maintaining the beauty of our site. This has been so stressful for both Andzrej and us. In fact, there have been times when it has stressed our friendship as well. But our commitment continues to be that we will go on building.
8.) Shortly after we began our weblog, our server crashed and we lost all of our blogs. In fact our entire site had to be reestablished which took 6 weeks. When that was done and we were live again, John and keepers went on building.
9.) Last January, keepers were preparing to testify in court against our former therapist. 5 days before our court date, our son began leaving very angry and irrational comments on our blog. He even challenged us on when we would begin blocking his comments which did not take long for us to do. Keepers did testify in court and we did continue building.
10.) Several weeks ago, we went out to check on KEEPERSKORNER only to find our site had been suspended. It turned out that a hacker had gotten in and was doing funky things. Again, both frightening and devastating for keepers but we decided to continue building anyway.
11.) A couple of weeks ago someone claiming to be our daughter appeared on our blog. We found this interesting since we were only a very short time from our former therapist being disciplined by the courts. We could not get our daughter to call us or send us a hand written letter via snail mail so we had no way to be sure it was our daughter. The final dictum of this person was “I have the power. This will be done my way.” Our joy over hearing from our daughter quickly turned into a real nightmare because we had no way to be sure who was on the other end of the computer. But we took our devastation and learned from it and continued with our building of KEEPERSKORNER.
12.) For the first time since 1999, keepers are getting nasty comments coming in from cyberspace. Things like our blog is better than tv and other even more unpleasant comments. We simply delete them and continue building.
13.) John and keepers continually deal with time issues. Often it seems that KKCO is growing so fast that we do not have the time to keep up with everything. We simply do the best we can and continue building anyway.
14.) KKCO often deals with financial constraints since this is 99% a mom and pop charity. We cut corners here and there in our personal lives and continue building.
15.) There are people that we deal with who do not see KKCO as important. They say that our site is not a professional site so it does not carry the importance of a business or a rock group. This is hurtful and frustrating but we continue to build anyway.
The purpose of this blog is to simply say that every day here at KEEPERSKORNER is about building and improving KKCO to better serve those who visit here. We work hard on it because this has always been our dream. There will always be forces out there to discourage us and to try to destroy what we have spent years building. But for as long as possible, John and keepers will remain committed to building KKCO anyway.
peace and blessings,
keepers
I tend to give up so easily. I’m so glad you didn’t. Thanks for everything you do-
Meadow
We all give up at times, but as long as we keep getting back up and taking more forward steps, we will all make it to our goals. We feel you will also.
Pece and blessings
Keepers
it has been far too long since i was here and commented! but this is an excellent post for me to come back on
truth is, i have been fine, just ‘out of the loop-ish’. april was kinda busy with annual drs appointments, tax prep, and just general stuff.
i have relished the comments you have left me, nevertheless.
i appreciate the insight into all you have faced in building and keeping keeperskorner. i think its a wonderful site, and i know many have been blessed by all you have done here. in spite of the temptation to give up you must have felt at times, my guess is you cant see not having keeperskorner.
im glad keeperskorner is here. its a comforting presence for me, even in my singleness. i still feel i belong. i would feel loss to see it ever gone.
your friend
kïrstin♫
Wow! I had no idea you had been through so much with your website and blog. Your tenacity is amazing! Of course, i’ve known you are a true survivor for a long time. Keep on keepin’ on, keepers! I will keep cheering you on.
Thanks, Marj aka thriver, for your support and encouragement. KKCO is still in it’s infancy and is taking a lot of work to maintain right now. We often feel like we are on a continual roller coaster of huge highs and deep dips downward. Outside encouragement and support means more to us than you could ever know.
Once again, thank you
keepers
Dear Silverylizard,
WELCOME BACK!!!!!! Both John and keepers have missed your comments on our blog.
When we first began KKCO, people warned us that it would be a very long slow process to get where we want to be. In fact, we were told time and time again that we should expect no real progress for at least two years. We were also warned that we would face many set backs and brick walls for us to break through. Each one of these statements was true in a way but it has only taken KKCO 9 months to grow to phenomenal proportions. That is how we know that the Spirit of God is guiding our endeavors.
Keepers do have times (like a couple of weeks ago) when shutting down KKCo seems like our only realistic option. But we have many people around us who have a clearer vision and are always there to tell us we need to get back up and return to doing what keepers are meant to do in this world.
KEEPERSKORNER is always going to be here because we really are in this for the long haul.
Again, welcome back
keepers
It’s good to be back in cyberspace once again. I’m sorry to hear of all you’ve been through. Nothing worth having comes easy, it seems, but I do wish that you could find even a temporary surcease from the constant battle. I’m doing battle myself of a different nature; I know how wearying it is.
I’m proud of you for not giving up when the going got rough, for not quitting your dreams. Your dreams are worthy of you; they are what give meaning and form and hope to your daily life. Thanks for hanging in there even when (especially when!) you thought you couldn’t.
Dear Beautifuldreamer,
Keepers are just as proud of you as you are of us! We know how tough these last weeks have been on you and your entire family. Still, you have hung in there and at a time when it must have been so hard for you. Keepers are honored to call Beautifuldreamer our dear friend and we thank you for all you have taught us over the last nine months.
It feels wonderful to have you back in cyberspace. We really did miss you lots.
keepers
just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, just keep swimming, got to love that line from Nemo. We quote it when we cant do anything anymore, well done on your swimming
Dear Jumpinginpuddles,
Keepers love Nemo so we will always remember to just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. Thanks for the reminder because it is one our little keepers can relate well to.
keepers
Hello My Friends
Thank you for your blog here today and wow what an inspiration you trully are to many of us indeed and thank you kindly for being so
I am so very sorry to hear all of what you have endured but delighted at how you have hung on in there tight and come through each and every difficult time for you and imo you are simply just beautiful wonderful people indeed with such courage determination strength and bravery it is a testament indeed that you have all of these wonderful achievements you have conquered and conquered well imo of that you keep on keeping on thank you for giving us all the hope of hanging on in there and never to quit as I am sure like myself you have felt like doing many times but like you we dust ourselves down and get back up again to fight another day whatever that may hold for us all again thank you very much for being here for us all and hanging on in there I applaud you all so much for being there for us all and I am so very proud of all you have achieved given all the obstacles in your path well done my friends very well done indeed and I sure hope that you are real proud of youselves as I am so proud of you all very much and how far you have come forward on your journey my friends
Lots of Love
Your Friend
~Maria~
xxx
Dearest Maria,
Sometimes, getting back up and going on is the hardest thing we can do. But, for keepers, it is also the only answer we have. Like JIP’s comment so aptly tells us–keep swimming, keep swimming, keep swimming. So, that is exactly what keepers know we have to do.
love,
keepers
Hello My Friends
Good luck and my best wishes to you all sending much love & hugs to help you through my friends 
Yes indeed I totally agree with you as many times myself it has been very very difficult to do for sure from various experiencessetbacks etc etc yes indeed it is the hardest thing for any of us to do I agree but we are survivors we had to be in childhood to survive the abuse that was done to many of us of which we had no control over in any way shape or form and for me personally after various setbacks I learn from them I feel and am even stronger when I come back up again altho it takes time to keep getting back up again and again imo we have to hang on in there real tight until we have the strength to continue once again I feel I liken it to a roller coaster as that is exactly how it does feel to me and how I can only describe it as but for every other survivor out there and myself I know I have to go on and you my friends I know you will and you can go on and on too you are wonderful and please remember how far you have come along that road of healing and recovery my friends
Lots of Love
Your Friend
~Maria~
xxx
It takes alot of courage to keep going when all seems lost.. congradulations on continuing the struggle.