by George Vreeland Hill .
Member since:
March 15, 2007

My Thoughts About Boomertowne.

September 24, 2008 01:57 AM EDT
views: 312 | comments: 41
First, I have to say that I was never a member of Boomertowne.
I never even visited the site.
To this day, I do not even know what it looked like.
All I know about Boomertowne was that it was a site where members could make money and/or receive gift cars for points earned through participation on the site.
It sounds a bit like Gather.
However, I love Gather, and it is my favorite place to be online.
Maybe my favorite place to be, period.
I can't think of spending this much time anywhere else.
Gather to me, is that good.
So why go to Boomertowne or anywhere else?
Anyway, Boomertowne is down, and it looks like for good.
They went down just like that, and left a lot of good members in the dark.
Many of those members earned a lot of points as a result of spending a great deal of time there.
Now those points are gone, as are their earned gift cards and/or money.
I have read that some people even earned $450.00 or more.
All that money is gone with no warning.
One person connected with Boomertowne said that cheaters on the site and hard times were the result of Boomertowne's collapse.
This person said they lost millions.
I feel that such situations if true, take time.
That means that in some point in time, they must have seen the end coming, and yet they let people build their point total knowing that they could or would not pay.
That to me, is the real shame of it all.
Boomertowne let its members down.
Some people think that fraud may be involved.
I will not touch that one.
After all, as I said, I had nothing to do with the site.
I believe that the Internet has a lot to offer.
It is a great place to get answers to life's millions of questions.
We make friends, and sometimes, even money.
There is so much to be a part of.
It is too bad that Boomertowne did what it did.
They had a chance to step up by either paying up or being honest.
They did neither.
Our (U.S.) economy is in a mess because of greed.
That same greed lowered the "Boom" on people again.
It seems to me that we all need to "Gather" at the right place.
I did.
But I still feel bad for all the good members of Boomertowne who deserved better.
There is a better town.
And you are there right now!

George Vreeland Hill
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Comments: 41

Teresa W. Sep 24, 2008, 2:04am EDT
Amen, I think you covered it all! Thank you.
Donna T. Sep 24, 2008, 2:11am EDT
One good thing came out of my BT membership, and that was finding gather. If not for talking to people in BT chat about gather, I don't know if I would have found this site. For that, I'll always be greatfull to BT.
Pamela C. Sep 24, 2008, 2:23am EDT
I have been on gather for a couple months the only reason I stayed with BT was because of the people I had made friends with. I knew the rewards would not come as soon as they changed the point system. I was surprised it lasted as long as it did. Anytime you make it to easy to earn rewards you are asking to be taken advantage of by dishonest people. I like to get rewards just like anyone else but I also know the chance of getting a reward is 50/50. It is sad that BT did not step up to the plate and admit they were on the brink of financial ruin ,the owner reminds me of a person who is being hounded by creditors hiding in their home not answering the phone or opening up the mail. The problem will not go away if it is ignored his answer was to just close up shop with not a word of thanks to the members who supported his site or an apology for not being able to send rewards to all the honest people who put so much time into his site. All I can say is I hope he does not try to make anymore web sites apparently he does not have a clue on how to make a web site suscessful.
Nurse Nancy S. Sep 24, 2008, 2:41am EDT
Very well spoken. My sentiments exactly. They did lower the BOOM on many!
Linda T. Sep 24, 2008, 3:40am EDT
I had never visited this site either but feel for those who were let down.
Ashley B. Sep 24, 2008, 4:11am EDT
I believe you covered it well....the only thing that worries me is if Boomertowne is indeed bankrupt, what will he do with our account information to make an extra buck.
Shaunee C. Sep 24, 2008, 4:22am EDT
I only lost one $25.00 card but that isn't near as bad as what others lost
Timothy Folger Sep 24, 2008, 4:23am EDT
Hey George great article. I am, or at least was a member of BT. I joined a few months back. I was never in it for points though, just as I am not here on gather for points.
BT did have some great articles on Health & Finances. They also had some fun games like the one where they give you a few song lyrics, and you would guess the title.
I did get board with the site after about a month, and have not been there in a while, so it is no big lose to me. I do feel sorry for the members who built up, and lost all their points. It must be really frustrating to them.

But at least we still have Gather, which I have been a member of for two years now.
Karen F. Sep 24, 2008, 5:38am EDT
Enjoyed the article George...thank you.
Dawn Clevenger Sep 24, 2008, 6:15am EDT
A friend on Gather told me about BoomerTowne and suggested that I joined. To make them happy I did, but I didn't trust the site from the very begining. I was a member for three days and managed to rake in over 10,000 points. That was far too many points for a little amount of time, and I did hardly anything at all. As soon as I saw that, I simply quit going back, because I had a feeling that something was terribly wrong with the place. My Momma always said if it looks too good to be true, it probally is. And I'm very glad that I left when I did, and that I didn't invest anything over there. But like you and many other people, I feel horrible for those who did invest time and effort into that site, and were left standing outside in the rain.
I will say that I did get to tell a lot of people about gather & many of them have probably come over to take & look & maybe become members here. I just hope they are none of the cheaters!
J W. Sep 24, 2008, 8:06am EDT
what goes around comes around, they will get what's coming to them in the end
Kate M. Sep 24, 2008, 8:18am EDT
I loved going to boomertowne and still would be going there even without the point system. They should have given that a try.
Dusty Hubbard Sep 24, 2008, 8:31am EDT
Amen Brother!!
Janet "Jax" B. Sep 24, 2008, 8:43am EDT
I learned about BT here on Gather...I finally joined at the recommedation of a friend... I do feel cheated. I feel BT should have been honest with us...and how could they lose millions if they didn't pay out????
Heidianna "Coriander" T. Sep 24, 2008, 8:46am EDT
You said it!
Dawn S. Sep 24, 2008, 8:49am EDT
Well written, George. Thanks. I guess it's true what they say: Theres no such thing as a free lunch.
mary bryant Sep 24, 2008, 9:12am EDT
Well said! I also was a member of Boomertowne and was sorry to see it go. I feared losing a lot of friends that I had made there. Then I found Gather. I am slowly building up an old friends list and hope to find many new ones too.
Brittney R. Sep 24, 2008, 9:55am EDT
Well said...I agree.

I feel bad for the honest people who lost out on their time and effort--but I joinet BT and Gather about the same time, and I enjoy Gather so much more!
Richard Frisbie Sep 24, 2008, 10:24am EDT
Yup - Gather Rocks!
Col. George W. Sep 24, 2008, 10:34am EDT
B Towne tried to do too much with too litttle in the beginning. Gather points were useless to me for a long time because they didn't offer anything I could use. The only gift card was Home Depot and that is a hundred miles from here. I stuck with Gather and they now have built up to where they can offer more for the points. Points are slow in coming but they are worth the effort.

B Towne went the opposite direction and went broke. It was like tring to build a house from the top down.
Kerrell g. Sep 24, 2008, 11:40am EDT
I think what George is saying (and you did a great job!) is that BT went belly up, like a dead goldfish in the bowl.
Chelle M. Sep 24, 2008, 12:14pm EDT
Very good way of saying all that! I was a member there for only a short while, but I couldn't find anything on there to really interest me. So I rarely checked in.
Nancy S. Sep 24, 2008, 1:06pm EDT
You are right George. I did get one gift card from them but they owed me a lot more.
juley g. Sep 24, 2008, 1:07pm EDT
Well said!
Elmo A. Sep 24, 2008, 1:29pm EDT
I am sorry if failed
vincent adobato Sep 24, 2008, 1:42pm EDT
I agree 100%
Abd'allah Al Salaam Sep 24, 2008, 3:17pm EDT
I have never been to Boomertowne. All the same, I feel bad for the Boomertowne folk that the entire towne could collapse and be gone one fine morning.
kelldogg ! Sep 24, 2008, 3:54pm EDT
Very eloquently put, George! I agree with pretty much everyone else in saying that BT tried making a mountain out of a mole hill without a good foundation . . . and they sank. I would think that most people would have had the notion of fraud not being involved had BT even attempted to communicate to its patrons what was going on. I think those that genuinely enjoyed the content BT provided (I am included in that category) would have stuck around sans the promise of gift cards. I, for one, am particularly disappointed in the unprofessional attitude BT exhibited by just packing up and running away with their tails caught between their legs. I think that had they said something from the get-go that they were experiencing some difficulties and could not provide the gift cards at this point in time due to financial restraints, the faithful would have understood and carried on. I just think the whole this smells a bit rotten as this point in the game.
donna h. Sep 24, 2008, 7:22pm EDT
I agree with Kelldogg...people would have stayed
Angie D. Sep 24, 2008, 8:47pm EDT
I just liked the friends and would have stayed for the chats (and no more GCs).
Heather ~of the Whippets~ M. Sep 24, 2008, 9:00pm EDT
Good article, George. Yes, I agree there are parallels between our economy and the two sites.
Kimmie X. Sep 24, 2008, 10:41pm EDT
Good post George, I like Col. George's thoughts on this!
Alan West Sep 24, 2008, 11:40pm EDT
I was a member at Boomertowne for about a year and a half. I met some good people there, played some fun games, cashed in some points for merchandise and gift cards, won a bunch of money on scavenger hunt and basically had a good time. They did end up owing me $175 in gift cards, but since it was mismanaged it went out of business with very little warning. I don't have any bad feelings towards the man in charge of Boomertowne. I hope he makes millions more on another business venture.
Mary Standard Sep 25, 2008, 12:08am EDT
Good comments George. I never belonged to BT but I feel sorry for the people who did.
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♥ Di ☮ ~ extreme spitfire! Sep 25, 2008, 9:02pm EDT
Thank you for posting to boomertownexodus!

I hope you are enjoying all your new friends! :-)
Carol Lloyd Sep 25, 2008, 11:50pm EDT
I think you covered it all!
edna r. Sep 26, 2008, 10:21am EDT
I was a member of Boomertowne for a few months. It was to easy to earn points and earn giftcards. It was to good to be true and now we know it wasn't! I did not receive any giftcards from them. I don't really feel cheated, it wasn't like it was a job.
Jamie B. Sep 29, 2008, 12:50am EDT
our household lost $600 worth of points. great.
denise e Oct 9, 2008, 5:54pm EDT
Thank you for posting to
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