Help Canadays Save Home & Bookstore
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Help the Canaday Family Save Home and Bookstore!
My name is Ted Canaday. After 10 years as a Captain in the Marine Corps I separated to follow my passion to open a bookstore for old and rare books. That was back in 2002. Now 14 years later, I am on the brink of losing everything. I have made every attempt to get out from under the financial burden events have put me in, and I never thought that I would have to swallow my pride, put “hat in hand”, and humbly ask for public support. But I am, and here’s my story.
After leaving the Marine Corps, I pursued my passion and opened my old and rare bookstore – a fascinating business that was tracking at a steady pace until coming up against the new on-line culture of smart phones, tablets, and social media immersion which has resulted in fewer and fewer people picking up actual books to read. Nevertheless, I have always believed that if I acted smartly, worked hard, and “did what was right” (not just easy or convenient), I would succeed. I learned this from my deceased Father, a Navy veteran. This work ethic served me well during my years in the Corps and was the cornerstone upon which I built and expanded my business from scratch. After several years in the city I rented out the original store building and moved my business to an historic house and barn in the country. However, I am on the brink of having my first bookstore foreclosed on. The loan for the building is tied to my business assets, not just the property itself, and any loss of these assets will destroy my ability to continue my business. In a nutshell, the renter fell behind in his rent and just didn’t pay up. This meant I had to come up with the mortgage on the original building out of my already barely break even country location.
Complicating the situation was that fact that when we moved our business to our new location (9 years ago), we found it impossible to sell the old store. Since then we have been doing our best to keep it rented. Unfortunately, the most recent tenant disappeared this past summer owing two months in rent in addition to leaving me stuck with almost $4000 in city water, sewer and trash bills. The tenant even stripped most of the light fixtures out of the building and even vandalized the HVAC system leaving it irreparable and requiring replacement. After legal delays, I finally got a judgment against the tenant and gained legal possession from the magistrate -- But unfortunately, I will never be able to collect a dime of what is owed to me. The mortgage? It kept on adding up, and I was faced with paying four months (and counting) with no rental income to help offset the expense. In the past my bookstore business was successful enough to make up the difference in this kind of situation. Unfortunately, now just paying my home mortgage is all we can manage. Paying another full mortgage is just “a bridge too far.” The unfortunate cruel truth is that without sufficient income from my business, it will be impossible to pay my home mortgage. It is a delicate house of cards. Pull one card out and everything comes crashing down.
To avert this disaster, I need to ”buy” enough time to sell the old bookstore before the bank seizes it from me and exercises its option on my business inventory (my bookstore). My monetary goal of this plea for help is directly tied to accumulating enough resources to “buy enough time” to sell the building (i.e., keep the mortgage paid until the building is sold). Your contributions will allow me to get up to date with the overdue rent (forestalling foreclosure proceedings), allow me to pay the unpaid utility bills and provide enough to cover the mortgage until the building can be sold. If this can be accomplished, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how much help this will be for me and my family. Not only will the immediate disaster be averted, but what has become the proverbial monkey on our back will be cast away forever, allowing me to focus more time and effort on my bookstore.
I had been running a big sale in my bookstore during the summer “before this all broke” and have continued it since then in the hopes it could make a difference. Sadly, it has not even come close to providing a solution to the problem, and lately appears to be having no effect at all. For that reason I am reaching out in this manner. I unquestionably have a Marine “Semper Fi” attitude (Always faithful) and I trust that this last ditch effort is what is needed to protect my family. It is indeed a humbling experience for this former Marine to rely on the generosity of friends, neighbors and fellow patriots. I will not give up and whatever you can provide is sincerely appreciated.
Ted Canaday
The campaign picture includes our children, Alicia (14) and Kevin (12).
Jim-Bob: Our Family's Faithful Companion
Snowball & Pepper: Part of the Canaday Family Menagerie
Tai with 2 of our over 40 Chickens.
Please visit me at my bookstore if you find yourself in Carlisle, Pa.
Part Two:
There must be some truth to the idiom, “when it rains it pours.” Quite a few problems have reared their ugly head in the last couple of months. Like “whack-a-mole” we have dealt with each. The most serious issue however, is one that has proven impossible.
Tai's mother has had a recurrence of uterine cancer. She was initially afflicted in 2003 and went through treatments at that time. The timing of a few of the treatments coincided with one of our visits. At that time we were able to make trips back to Thailand about every two years so that Tai could visit her mother and other relatives. Our last visit was during the winter of 2005/2006. We had intended to visit again following Christmas 2007, but the costs of moving and opening our new store made us push the visit until we could sell enough books for another trip. The 2008 recession came along and nothing has been the same since. Just getting by is the new normal. Tai has not been back to visit her mother for 11 years. She has been a trooper. Never complaining. Understanding our financial situation. I can see the pain, but she tries to hide it knowing it only opens wounds in my pride and highlights where I have not been able to come through for her.
Tai's mother is older now and suffering the combined effects of old age and diabetes in addition to the recurrence. Aggressive treatment would require her to be taken to a facility in Bangkok (about 5 or 6 hours away). She would likely stay there for an extended period surrounded by strangers and possibly might never be released. She has decided that she prefers to stay in her village close to friends and family. She is now staying at a friend's house who is caring for her. We do not know “how long.” Likely at least a couple or several months, but probably not much more than a year. Only God knows.
I have noticed a change in Tai. An anxiousness. More tears and more prayer. I can see she is afraid her mom will pass without seeing her again. Kevin was a baby and Alicia was a toddler during our last visit. Tai desperately wants her mother to see “her” family before the end. It is all about having the family there to honor her mother.
Since leaving the Marine Corps 14 years ago and starting my own business I have not had one paid vacation day, one paid sick day or a paid personal day (whatever that may be). I must also pay both the employee's and employer's portion of the employment tax. Those are the benefits of running your own business. It is also what makes taking vacations so hard. Not only must you save for all the expenses of the actual vacation, but you must have saved all of the wages you will lose by not being able to work during that time, as they will be required to pay your mortgage and bills while you are away. For these reasons, trips to Thailand have been all but impossible since 2008.
I desperately want Tai to be able to visit with her mom. Your help will pay for plane tickets for her and the kids and to cover the expenses of the trip. While, Tai is scared to death to travel on her own with the kids (it took almost 10 years of marriage before I was able to convince her just to learn to drive) she understands the hurdles our present finances. Whoever said money cannot bring happiness is full of it. I know in this case just enough would bring an overwhelming sense of joy and wash away years of patient expectation. I ask for your help in providing for Tai what I have been unable the last 11 years.
Ted Canaday
My name is Ted Canaday. After 10 years as a Captain in the Marine Corps I separated to follow my passion to open a bookstore for old and rare books. That was back in 2002. Now 14 years later, I am on the brink of losing everything. I have made every attempt to get out from under the financial burden events have put me in, and I never thought that I would have to swallow my pride, put “hat in hand”, and humbly ask for public support. But I am, and here’s my story.
After leaving the Marine Corps, I pursued my passion and opened my old and rare bookstore – a fascinating business that was tracking at a steady pace until coming up against the new on-line culture of smart phones, tablets, and social media immersion which has resulted in fewer and fewer people picking up actual books to read. Nevertheless, I have always believed that if I acted smartly, worked hard, and “did what was right” (not just easy or convenient), I would succeed. I learned this from my deceased Father, a Navy veteran. This work ethic served me well during my years in the Corps and was the cornerstone upon which I built and expanded my business from scratch. After several years in the city I rented out the original store building and moved my business to an historic house and barn in the country. However, I am on the brink of having my first bookstore foreclosed on. The loan for the building is tied to my business assets, not just the property itself, and any loss of these assets will destroy my ability to continue my business. In a nutshell, the renter fell behind in his rent and just didn’t pay up. This meant I had to come up with the mortgage on the original building out of my already barely break even country location.
Complicating the situation was that fact that when we moved our business to our new location (9 years ago), we found it impossible to sell the old store. Since then we have been doing our best to keep it rented. Unfortunately, the most recent tenant disappeared this past summer owing two months in rent in addition to leaving me stuck with almost $4000 in city water, sewer and trash bills. The tenant even stripped most of the light fixtures out of the building and even vandalized the HVAC system leaving it irreparable and requiring replacement. After legal delays, I finally got a judgment against the tenant and gained legal possession from the magistrate -- But unfortunately, I will never be able to collect a dime of what is owed to me. The mortgage? It kept on adding up, and I was faced with paying four months (and counting) with no rental income to help offset the expense. In the past my bookstore business was successful enough to make up the difference in this kind of situation. Unfortunately, now just paying my home mortgage is all we can manage. Paying another full mortgage is just “a bridge too far.” The unfortunate cruel truth is that without sufficient income from my business, it will be impossible to pay my home mortgage. It is a delicate house of cards. Pull one card out and everything comes crashing down.
To avert this disaster, I need to ”buy” enough time to sell the old bookstore before the bank seizes it from me and exercises its option on my business inventory (my bookstore). My monetary goal of this plea for help is directly tied to accumulating enough resources to “buy enough time” to sell the building (i.e., keep the mortgage paid until the building is sold). Your contributions will allow me to get up to date with the overdue rent (forestalling foreclosure proceedings), allow me to pay the unpaid utility bills and provide enough to cover the mortgage until the building can be sold. If this can be accomplished, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how much help this will be for me and my family. Not only will the immediate disaster be averted, but what has become the proverbial monkey on our back will be cast away forever, allowing me to focus more time and effort on my bookstore.
I had been running a big sale in my bookstore during the summer “before this all broke” and have continued it since then in the hopes it could make a difference. Sadly, it has not even come close to providing a solution to the problem, and lately appears to be having no effect at all. For that reason I am reaching out in this manner. I unquestionably have a Marine “Semper Fi” attitude (Always faithful) and I trust that this last ditch effort is what is needed to protect my family. It is indeed a humbling experience for this former Marine to rely on the generosity of friends, neighbors and fellow patriots. I will not give up and whatever you can provide is sincerely appreciated.
Ted Canaday
The campaign picture includes our children, Alicia (14) and Kevin (12).
Jim-Bob: Our Family's Faithful CompanionSnowball & Pepper: Part of the Canaday Family MenagerieTai with 2 of our over 40 Chickens.Please visit me at my bookstore if you find yourself in Carlisle, Pa.
Part Two:
There must be some truth to the idiom, “when it rains it pours.” Quite a few problems have reared their ugly head in the last couple of months. Like “whack-a-mole” we have dealt with each. The most serious issue however, is one that has proven impossible.
Tai's mother has had a recurrence of uterine cancer. She was initially afflicted in 2003 and went through treatments at that time. The timing of a few of the treatments coincided with one of our visits. At that time we were able to make trips back to Thailand about every two years so that Tai could visit her mother and other relatives. Our last visit was during the winter of 2005/2006. We had intended to visit again following Christmas 2007, but the costs of moving and opening our new store made us push the visit until we could sell enough books for another trip. The 2008 recession came along and nothing has been the same since. Just getting by is the new normal. Tai has not been back to visit her mother for 11 years. She has been a trooper. Never complaining. Understanding our financial situation. I can see the pain, but she tries to hide it knowing it only opens wounds in my pride and highlights where I have not been able to come through for her.
Tai's mother is older now and suffering the combined effects of old age and diabetes in addition to the recurrence. Aggressive treatment would require her to be taken to a facility in Bangkok (about 5 or 6 hours away). She would likely stay there for an extended period surrounded by strangers and possibly might never be released. She has decided that she prefers to stay in her village close to friends and family. She is now staying at a friend's house who is caring for her. We do not know “how long.” Likely at least a couple or several months, but probably not much more than a year. Only God knows.
I have noticed a change in Tai. An anxiousness. More tears and more prayer. I can see she is afraid her mom will pass without seeing her again. Kevin was a baby and Alicia was a toddler during our last visit. Tai desperately wants her mother to see “her” family before the end. It is all about having the family there to honor her mother.
Since leaving the Marine Corps 14 years ago and starting my own business I have not had one paid vacation day, one paid sick day or a paid personal day (whatever that may be). I must also pay both the employee's and employer's portion of the employment tax. Those are the benefits of running your own business. It is also what makes taking vacations so hard. Not only must you save for all the expenses of the actual vacation, but you must have saved all of the wages you will lose by not being able to work during that time, as they will be required to pay your mortgage and bills while you are away. For these reasons, trips to Thailand have been all but impossible since 2008.
I desperately want Tai to be able to visit with her mom. Your help will pay for plane tickets for her and the kids and to cover the expenses of the trip. While, Tai is scared to death to travel on her own with the kids (it took almost 10 years of marriage before I was able to convince her just to learn to drive) she understands the hurdles our present finances. Whoever said money cannot bring happiness is full of it. I know in this case just enough would bring an overwhelming sense of joy and wash away years of patient expectation. I ask for your help in providing for Tai what I have been unable the last 11 years.
Ted Canaday
Organizer
Ted L. Canaday
Organizer
Carlisle, PA
