NO MORE CHICAGO 2016

I never would have guessed that someone could own a city name and date, but apparently the USOC does. They own CHICAGO 2016. Therefore, we can't use it any more. We would like to continue raising money for The Hundred Club of Chicago with Chalkie shirts. We came up with a few ideas. Also, several of you have offered help and made some suggestions. Thank you! The USOC doesn't have a problem with Chalkie, just the words. So that we don't have another problem, we've contacted them again to find out what would be acceptable. As soon as things are worked out, we'll let you know.

No good deed goes unpunished.

OUT OF BUSINESS???

Well, it looks like we are being forced out of business.

This is what we received from the USOC:

To Whom It May Concern:

Please contact me concerning the merchandise you are selling at the above URL that features the Olympic trademark: CHICAGO 2016.

CAROL GROSS
United States Olympic Committee
One Olympic Plaza, Colorado Springs, CO 80909
719.331.8409
carol.gross@usoc.org www.usolympicteam.com

Our response:

Carol

We were careful not to use the word Olympic, the Olympic rings, the colors, the logo or anything resembling it. The entire premise is based on a parody that raises money for a worthy cause, The Hundred Club of Chicago. That fine organization provides assistance for the surviving spouses and dependents of firefighters, police officers and paramedics that are killed in the line of duty. You can read more about them at http://100clubchicago.org/

We are not affiliated with The Hundred Club of Chicago but strongly support their work. We also support the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day so that we can all be safe.

Chalkie



Back to us:

Dear Chalkie,
I appreciate the good work you do and your efforts to honor and support the Hundred Club. Unfortunately, by using the mark CHICAGO 2016, you are creating an unauthorized correlation between your fundraising activities and the Olympic Movement. The USOC has a well established practice of registering trademark sequences that include venue cities and year components. Therefore, the mark CHICAGO 2016 is also covered under our legislation, making your use of that city/year mark unauthorized. The fact that it is being used commercially to raise funds without USOC oversight or permission places your use squarely in violation of our legislation.

I restate my request that you select an alternative mark that does not feature the intellectual property of the USOC.

Respectfully,

DONATIONS

$1,000.00

$1,000.00 has been donated to

The 100 Club of Chicago

Thank You !

Donations

$900.00

So far, $900.00 has been donated to
The Hundred Club of Chicago

Thank You!

$700.00

$700.00

So far, $700.00 has been donated to
The Hundred Club of Cook County.

Thank You!