

I don’t like posting news like this. I like to think that people are genuinely good and try to trust people on face value. I feel that this is especially important in our community, where everyone knows everyone else. I don’t like calling people out. It isn’t my style but sometimes there are events big enough something must be said. Today an ongoing concern with charitable claims by one of the industries very talented indie manufacturers came to a head. There is a valid reason for reporting on this which is in bold below.

The report, collected by Jrod, Vega, and Louis Alley is quoted and summarized below.

In September of 2010, Heath Vizier launched a campaign called “The Works” in which he rallied yo-yo donations from manufacturers and individuals. The goal was to have the yoyos anodized with a special colorway, sell them on ebay, and donate the proceeds to the a cancer focused charity.

Quoting Heath – 28 September

Every company or community member that sells or donates a yoyo will get full recognition for their generosity on both this forum and on the letter included with the donation check to the NCI. This entire process will be photographed from the first raw yoyo arriving to the check being hand delivered to the NCI. Again, no one is being asked to give me anything.

For more details, you can hit the jump below, but this is what a group of concerned yoyoers allege: (summerized by Jason Rodriguez)

1. 2 years ago Heath organized a charity auction for the American Cancer Society

2. People donated yoyos to be anodized and auctioned for this charity – all the money raised through eBay auctions was to be donated to the ACS

3. Instead of donating the money, Heath stole it and spent it on undisclosed personal things

4. Heath then lied for months and months about it

5. Heath finally admitted guilt (Oct 2 2012), but in a weak and ambiguous way, after donating $1150 out of $4300 raised

6. Heath still owes $3150 to the ACS

If you donated a yo-yo for this project, or purchased one, please click this link and get in contact with Jason Rodriguez who is organizing an official complaint

On a personal note, I find this deplorable, disgusting, without merit, and most of all gravely disappointing.

The gritty details after the jump.

Over the last two years, Heath has sold all the donated yoyos. Research done by Louis Alley has uncovered the following

Timeline:

9/23/2010 Heath creates the Works charity thread

1/31/2011 Heath says yo-yos are sent to the anodizer

1/31/2011 Claims hedgehog had cancer/surgery.

8/2/2011 Heath says the auctions will be delayed until after WYYC 2011

11/9/2011 Heath says he will post the yo-yos on eBay on the 11/10/2012: “The Works “works” yoyos are going on eBay. its really the best way to make sure it gets done at this point. i will start posting them tomorrow night and continue until they are all up”

12/3/2011 Babbylonian says, “So Heath, just wondering, that moonwalker I won several months ago, will I ever be able to purchase it? If not, it’s cool. I’ll just wait until you’re not so busy and you’re making more yoyos.”

12/4/2011 claims $615 raised pre-auctions

1/31/2012 Second Skywalker Release

7/20/2012 Heath ships Mitch Leake’s yo-yos from December 2011 auction. Claims he was waiting 7 months to see if Mitch also wanted to buy a SADR.

8/14/2012 Heath posts additional works colored yo-yos in the name of charity. They eventually sell for $1130

8/16/2012 Heath claims on the phone that ACS will give him one combined receipt for all charitable donations in the past 2 years…

8/27/2012 SkyWalkers and other VsNYYC releases go on sale at YYE.

9/1/2012 claims he needs to relist $311 modded yo-yos, even though $311 is the second highest bid… so at least 2 people bid that high. he never mentions 2nd chancing the items to the second highest bidder.

10/1/2012 Claims hurricane Isaac preventing him from showing receipt Forum Threads (sources):

http://www.yoyonation.com/talk/index.php/topic,85554.300.html

http://yoyoexpert.com/forums/index.php/topic,22737.540.html

http://www.yoyonation.com/talk/index.php/topic,77769.0.html

http://www.yoyonation.com/talk/index.php?topic=77769.4600 Yo-Yo Sales:

VsNYYC Sky Walker Hubstacked by Chris Rice, donated by VsNYYC (250$) 250

FHZ Hubstacked by Chris Rice (pending payment. may be reposted)

Werrd XXXXL donated by Beau (125$) 125

Dert donated by oldyoyoguy (150$) 150

Sakura donated by ILYY (135$) 135

VsNYYC Hubstacked Battosai donated by VsNYYC modded by Chris Rice (140$) 140

VsNYYC Moon Walker donated by VsNYYC (400$) 400

IKYO Agape donated by VsNYYC and IKYO (still going) 56

STYY Bandit donated by STYY (100$) 100

One Drop 54 (still going) 152

anonymous donations by the community: 90$ 90

Essence, 212

Avalanche, 227

50% orcas away Moonwaker, 129

50% magma Rocks 134

bbyy wedgie pair 108.50 108

works Steamroller 86 86

Ministar 188.50 188

Kickside and fhz 311 311

hubstacked y factor 54 54

alph 37 37

cross bones 56 56

tank 56 56

supernova 63 63

superstar 56 56

yuuksta 54 54

monster 61 61

barebones, 58

perfume cloud skywalker 50% 113

cp3 moonwalker 50% 108

phi 67

kannarke kukulcan 63

singularity 56

bandit 64

quark 52

remnant 2 62

$4073 (minus ebay and paypal fees)

As of today, Heath has only provided one receipt for his donation and has admitted to misappropriating the remainder