DONATION AWARD LEVELS EXPLANATION
After much early discussion when donations started coming in, the OAEA Board of Directors agreed on a series of award levels to recognize contributors based on cumulative donations. A “Little Blue Penguin Club” was created to recognize the first 100 donors to contribute at least $50.00.
After deciding that 5 “Club Levels” would be created to recognize contributors, three colored Adelie Penguin Club Levels were established and designated to match the colors in ascending order based on the Antarctic Service Medal Winter-Over device which is used to depict the number of winter-over periods a member served by the color of the device. The next level in the hierarchy was designated the Emperor Club Level, and then finally the highest tier which initially was unnamed, but set at a $10,000.00 cumulative donation amount. The thought was that this highest level would be named after the first contributor to reach this amount, and that might tend to attract corporate donors.
As it happened though, an internal group of OAEA members associated with communications on the ice during their tenures banded together to raise the money and contribute, hence the name now used for the highest tier: the OAEA Communicators Club Level.
DONATION LEVEL AMOUNTS
Little Blue Penguin Club First 100 Donors $50.00
Bronze Adelie Club Level $100.00
Gold Adelie Club Level $500.00
Silver Adelie Club Level $1,000.00
Emperor Club Level $5,000.00
OAEA Communicators Club Level $10,000.00