To our VCAA Families:
We have recently learned that our online registration and third party payment provider, Count Me In, is experiencing financial difficulties. There are two separate sets of instructions listed below. One addresses those of you who have already registered and paid by credit card between the dates of November 1, 2008 through December 12, 2008. (If you have already registered and paid by cash or check - then this does not affect you.) The other addresses those who have not yet registered. Additionally, there is a detailed explanation as to what the current status of the situation is for those who are interested. Thank you for your help, and understanding, in this matter. Please be in prayer that this situation will be resolved as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
VCAA Board of Directors

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ALREADY REGISTERED AND PAID BY DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD (between the dates of November 1, 2008 and December 12, 2008)...PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING: We are asking all families who registered their children via credit card (those who paid via check are not affected) to immediately phone their credit card company and dispute all charges related to your VCAA registration under the premise that your registration "did not go through and is not complete. " The act of disputing a charge will not affect your credit score.
Please state the following when making the dispute:

1. You have a disputed charge with "Count Me In (CMI)-Valley Christian Athletic Association (VCAA)". (We are not sure if it is listed as CMI or VCAA or both.)
2. You are disputing the charge because "you received notice that your payment had not been received by VCAA and that your registration with VCAA is not complete until payment is received by VCAA."

3. That since you have not received the service that you intended to pay for, that you are disputing the charge and would like a full credit. You may be asked to again acknowledge that your registration "is not complete" so you are "not registered."

4. Confirm that you may deduct the charge from your balance due, as a credit, until the dispute is resolved.

5. If the credit card company asks for a VCAA contact provide them with Kaarel Hamersky, Treasurer’s e-mail which is: treasurer@vcaa.org.

6. Once your dispute has been resolved please e-mail Kaarel with your name, your child's name and the outcome of your dispute at the same email address listed above. In the event your dispute is resolved successfully and a permanent credit is issued by the credit card company, we will then ask that you pay the registration fees via check.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED PLEASE GO AHEAD AND REGISTER AS USUAL. HOWEVER, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PAY VIA CREDIT/DEBIT CARD. Please send your check to VCAA, P.O. Box 17413, Encino, CA 91416-7413.

A MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE SITUATION:

There is a question as to CMI’s status which may significantly impact VCAA as well as Encino Little League, Sherman Oaks Little League, and many youth sports organizations across the country that rely on the company to process credit card payments on behalf of these organizations. We are working closely with our neighboring leagues to jointly resolve the issue.
At this point, VCAA has not been paid for your child's registration. CMI is behind remitting spring/fall/and clinic registration credit card payments to VCAA made via our online registration system, and is behind in payments to other youth sports organizations across the country, as well.
We apologize for the inconvenience and remain outraged at the possibility that a company that services organizations dedicated to our youth may have so irresponsibly managed or misappropriated cash resulting in this urgent situation. Any further inquiries may be addressed to our league treasurer, Kaarel Hamersky, at treasurer@vcaa.org.