Short Summary

• About me:

​My name is Gene Hazen. I am free-spirited and enjoy variety, humor, fun, and adventure. Being highly adaptable enables me to thrive when taking on new challenges by using my creative abilities to solve issues and move beyond limitations. Dependable, hardworking, self-starter and driven describes my work ethic. Inspired to share joy with everyone I meet, my inner drive focuses on creating meaningful existence for everyone in a peaceful, non-violent, and enjoyable way. I am very easygoing and far more concerned with the quality of what I produce than the praise. I do not like to be constrained and tend to do things on a large scale. A quote that describes me best is “Go big or go home.” I enjoy creating positive environments that entertain and uplift people. My imagination and ability to get along with many different types of people has been an asset throughout my life.

                I have been blessed with many adventures in my life to include farming, ranching, construction, educational, electrical, gas, maintenance, grounds, alternative healing, clerical, legal, investigative, and several other modalities in life. Each had a purpose and a life span that no longer serves anything more than knowledge. My life’s path is evolving to a new chapter that I feel will be beneficial on a much larger scale than ever before.

                My challenges include trusting too much, working too hard, and giving excessively. I have a big heart that wishes to help others succeed, and I am currently working on improving myself everyday. I have been told that I am too nice, too caring, too happy, and I work too much. I suppose these are lessons that I have to learn, or I am here to teach that these traits are not always meant to be measured in this manner. If being nice is bad, if caring is unacceptable, if trusting is unwise, and hard work is a waste of time, I am guilty. I believe that being the best me I can be is more valuable and needed in this world.

                Qualifications for the project that I am currently working on will include but are not limited to hands on experience. I have held management and labor positions in the past, each had its individual challenges and rewards. Having a “can do” mindset has been one of many gifts I currently have. My passion to observe, learn, and apply information and skills has served me well. The closest position to this project was managing the original Relay Station back in the 90’s and into early 2000’s. All of the positions I have held will play a part with the knowledge and skills obtained to be completely successful with this company.

• Campaign

This campaign is about raising funds to create a business for the people, a place that brings folks together, a place where everyone is welcomed, a place where every person is valued and a place where everyone belongs. The funds raised will be utilized in stages due to the scale of this project. Each phase of this project will require a specialized campaign. This phase would be considered the “seed” money phase, or better term would be “start-up costs”.

• Importance:

We have all witnessed the world change in a way that is not beneficial nor sustainable for everyone. Greed, ego, hate, jealousy, etc. have been pushed to the forefront of the world leaving compassion, empathy, honesty, integrity, justice and morality behind. Fakeness runs rampant while joy and kindness, seems to have been stamped out. Helping neighbors, friends, and families have become more like some traumatic chore. Judgements and criticisms of everyone and everything have become the new “norm”. People have forgotten the value of life and tossed away faith like an old pair of shoes. The inability to discern between propaganda and facts has clouded the minds of the many. Trust has been exploited to the point that most people cannot understand the difference between an agenda and the truth.

This company is being formed to restructure the system that has used and abused the people, taking life and limb, while creating modern day servants. One of our goals is to re-unite and re-empower the people by encouraging them to be their very best.  Next, to re-establish a strong sense of worth, value, and creativity by giving people the resources to succeed. I feel it’s necessary to bring people together in a way that each individual is valued for their gifts and talents, for their uniqueness, and for their existence. Creating adventure, fun, and a sense of community is a key ingredient. Honoring the people, the world, the plants and animals, seem essential to uniting the world. Everyone has a gift, and this company is here to promote, support, and value them.

• Magnitude:

What will your contribution do? Every contribution, no matter the size or value, has a profound statement attached. 1^st, on a deep level, you make a statement that we can do so much more. It is a way of speaking in a universal language stating that “I believe in humanity”. Your support is indicative that you believe in a better world, not just for yourself, but for everyone. 2^nd, you can see that there are ways to improve the current way of doing business by adjusting from a solely monetary driven system to a system that values people first, then profits. 3^rd, contributions by you signify your support for a higher quality of life, quality of existence, appreciating the qualities of people, and the quality of communities. 4^th, your contribution suggests that you can imagine unity and create an amazing experience for everyone who participates. 5th, your contribution will be used to secure a stronger and brighter future that cannot be controlled by greed, ego, hate, jealousy, etc. 6th, your contribution will be helping to creating hundreds of thousands of a “once in a life-time experience”.  7th, When you contribute, you are selflessly encouraging and promoting the economy, ecosystem, and the wellbeing of humanity. Finally, knowing you have an important role to play in the production of a community dedicated to friendliness, kindness, and unity.

What We Need

• Several items are needed for this project to bloom and grow. For starters we need to find the land. Not just any plot of land, but more specifically, land that is easily accessible for everyone.  An area where the community wants and needs positivity, prosperity, and growth.  Being for the people is necessary to allow this company to succeed while providing the best possible products and services.
• Next, we will need funds. If I can raise enough funds to make down payments and pay for professional fees, that is an excellent start.  If I can raise $250,000.00 to get started, then through investors and other crowdfunding campaigns, the overall project will be underway.

The financial breakdown with the information is as follows:

• The cost to complete all aspects of this project is roughly $80,000,000.  The expenses are land, estimating the costs to be approximately $1.5M to $17M, building 1, concert hall $3.5M, buildings 2, Equestrian Center buildings plus equipment, tack, supplies and feed, furniture $450,000, fixtures $500,000 and equipment $400,000, cabins and RV/tent sites $576,000, Stagecoach and horses $129,000, horses for the Equestrian Center $100,000, infrastructure (utilities: water, sewer, and electric) $1m, phones, computers, electronic service devices $175,000, building 3, the hotel will cost approximately $32,000,000 on a national average, Buildings 4, Hockey rink will cost around $7,000,000., Buildings 5 and 6 Skating rink and activity center will average around $7M as well. Restaurant and dancehall will cost around $5M, the wellness center will be approximately $3M, and the greenhouses and sustainable agricultural piece will cost 1.5M.  Landscaping, and roadways, and trails will cost approximate 20M. This total doesn’t include all the experts needed for designs, permitting, legal, and marketing equals $73,400,000 dollars.
• And finally, we need a team. We need passionate people who want to be a part of creating an awesome new reality. Those with skill sets that are capable of thinking outside the proverbial box plus being problem solvers. Individuals or groups that have a passion to make a difference in this world. Folks that want to create a bright future while having fun doing it.

Goal not reached

• What happens if we don’t reach our goal? This project is expected to grow, and in my experience, if goals are not reached via one approach, take a step back, breath, look at what I missed and try, try, try again. All funds raised will continue to be utilized to build this project.

The Impact

• This company is founded on the premise that every individual counts and is valued. The overall goal is to create a fun environment that encourages people from all walks of life to participate and unite. We are all connected in the grand scheme, now is the time we need to come together and unite. Creating employment opportunities that encourages growth while respecting the individuals, honoring the planet, supporting nature, and encouraging future growth. Creating an atmosphere that supports the youth, encourages healing of traumas, offers adventures plus honoring individuality. Unity and collaboration are encouraged though out the overall project. Health, wellness, and success of every single individual takes priority over profits.

Importance to the contributor and the world:

• In my opinion, the world needs this company, if only to offer the hope of a better and brighter future. Too many times in our history, we, as the people, have been divided and pitted against one another to benefit a few. This must change! We must take charge of our own future. We must come together and unite and work together. Our future depends on it. Our children’s future depends on it.

Success track record:

• Even if all odds are stacked against me on this project, I have faith. The one thing that has been with me in this lifetime has been faith, not only in that which my senses can touch, taste, see, or hear, but something far greater.
• A couple of projects that, even though they cannot compare in size, have been from previous employment pieces. One project came about while I was working for a school. It was brought to my attention that the costs to install a playground and lawn for the kids wouldn’t be able to be done due to the costs.  The director had spent an enormous amount of time and energy to find a way to afford what the kids needed. We put our heads together to find a solution. My wife, the librarian, the director and I were able to design and create a functioning 35,000 square foot playground with very little funding. Against all odds and with a shoestring budget, we managed to get this done with great success and appreciation. Then a few years later, knowing that the first playground would be destroyed to build a larger facility, my wife and I designed and built a soccer field and track that was around 50,000 square feet for 1/4^th the costs. Our handicaps were our physical sizes, lack of funding and adequate labor. However, we were still able to create a fantastic area for the kids and adults who utilized it for events.
• Prior experiences include operating and managing a restaurant and dancehall for 10 years. From cooking to landscape design and installations and hosting successful entertainment events that brought in people from all over, I found it exciting and invigorating. 

I’m not about keeping score, so I spent my life doing as much as humanly possible for everyone I met on my life path. This project is not about the ego; I am about making a difference. It makes me happy when everyone succeeds. Creating a company that understands that the success of its staff and the customer makes the company successful.

My experiences, as vast as they are, will still be tested with this project, however, I look forward to the experiences. I have had a great number of challenges throughout my life, learned through personal experiences how to not treat people. The saying “treat others how you want to be treated” is powerful. My goal is to create that space where everyone enjoys their experience and I am passionate about building people up!

Risks & Challenges

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• Challenges that I currently have are locating the perfect property, finding caring individuals with a desire to improve upon what is currently in place, and finally, funding. 
• Future challenges may include cost controls, employee retention, laws and mandates that have  not been written or implemented yet. 
• The biggest risk factor right now is uncertainty of the times. I can state that my goal to create this project that revolves around the people, for the people, and by the people. I can clearly say that my intentions of creating an avenue that helps lift people up, improves the quality of lives, and holds a powerful message about sustainability is far greater than the fears being promoted.

Now, how I handle the challenges. I would like to state that this company is meant to unite people. There will be a large portion of marketing involved to keep this company continuously busy and there will be very little down time for this business. I will be encouraging this destination place throughout the nation via radio, magazines, television, and social media. The marketing strategy must be created to encourage customers from all over to make it the place to go. This is not designed to be a small, locals only company that caters to the few while relying on only the community for support, this is about encouraging people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world to participate and engage. While experiencing different cultures and backgrounds, we are here to encourage acceptance, understanding, and respect, with a huge hope of lifelong friendships created along the way. Bridging the gap between division and unity by loving, accepting, and creating is the overall goal of the Relay Station, Too. Diversity is not impossible. 

Other Ways You Can Help

Some people can’t contribute monetarily, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help:

• You can get the word out and make some noise about my campaign.
• Just use the Indiegogo share tools!