The Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation (the "Organization") and its directors, representatives, employees, agents and affiliates recognize that privacy is important. The Organization provides this Privacy Statement to inform you of our privacy procedures and practices as well as the choices you can make about the way your information is collected online and how that information is used.
1. Site covered by this Privacy Statement
This Privacy Statement applies to the site with its home page in the domain www.ShangriLaGardens.org (the “Web site”). We have structured the Web site so that, in general, you can visit the Web site without identifying yourself or revealing any personal information, as you may elect. The Web site may provide links to Non-Organization Websites (“Third-Party Sites”) for your convenience and information. If you access those links, you will leave the Web site. The Organization does not control those sites or their privacy practices, which may differ from ours. We do not endorse or make any representations about Third-Party Sites. Although we try to link only to sites that share our respect for visitor privacy, the Organization is not responsible for the content or the privacy policies of any sites to which it may provide links. Personal data you may choose to give to unrelated Third Parties is not covered by the Organization’s Privacy Statement. We encourage you to review the privacy statement of any other company or entity before submitting your personal information. Some third-party companies may choose to share their personal data with the Organization, which would be governed by the other company's privacy statement.
2. Types of Information Collected
The Web site offers much content and information that does not require you to register for an account or provide any personal information to us. In order to provide the Web site’s full range of services, including advising users of new on-line material and providing periodic updates, the user may register to receive services, at which point we may collect certain types of information from you, including personal information and non-personal data collection with aggregate reporting.
- Personal information is information that is associated with your name or personal identity. The Organization uses personal information provided on the Web site to better understand your needs and interests. Once you choose to provide us with personal information, it will be used only to identify the connection you have established with the Web site and will not be sold or otherwise assigned to others. To personalize the Web site and your experience with the Web site, we may also ask you to provide us with information regarding your personal or professional interests, demographics, and experiences relating to the Organization’s programs and facilities in the City of Orange, Texas. Providing this additional information is optional.
- Non-personal information is anonymous data about usage that is not associated with a specific personal identity. The Organization collects and analyzes non-personal information to evaluate how visitors use the Web site in order to improve the services it offers: Non-personal data we collect may include the pages visited on the Web site, unique URLs1 visited within http://www.ShangriLaGardens.org browser type and the user’s IP2 address. Most non-personal data is collected via cookies or other analyses technologies. The Web site’s Web pages use cookies (a small file containing a string of characters), Web beacons and other technologies for data analysis and personalization services. This allows us to store user preferences, track site usage, customize content, and improve Web site structure, flow and content, among other purposes. The Organization may provide links to Third-Party Sites that may use cookies.
3. How We Use Information
The Organization uses your personal information to help us better understand your needs and interests. Specifically, we use your personal information to communicate with you, to update you on events and activities relevant to the Web site, and to personalize certain aspects of the Web site. Using the email address provided upon any registration, the Organization may choose to periodically send emails to its Web site users and may contact you regarding account status and to confirm registration.
As the Organization may offer content relevant to this Web site in connection with other web sites operated by it, personal information that you provide to those sites may be sent to the Web site in order to enhance the service. We process such information in accordance with this Statement. As any affiliated sites may have different privacy practices, you are directed to read such separate privacy policies. Links to Third-Party Sites may be presented in a format that enables us to keep track of whether those links have been followed. The Organization, however, does not exercise control over any Third-Party Sites displayed as links or search results, and such other sites may place their own cookies or other files on your computer, collect data or solicit personal information from you. This Privacy Statement applies to the Web site defined above.
Personal data collected online may also be combined with information you provide the Organization through other sources. Personal data given to the Organization may be transferred across state and country borders for the purposes of data consolidation, storage and simplified customer information management as determined in the discretion of the Organization. Non-personal data is aggregated for reporting about the usability, performance and effectiveness of the Web site. It is used to improve the user experience, usability and content of the Web site. If you send email or other communication to the Organization, we may retain those communications in order to process your inquiries or respond to your requests.
4. Who We Share Information With
The Organization only shares personal information with other individuals and entities outside of the Organization in the following limited circumstances:
- We have your consent. We require opt-in consent for the sharing of any sensitive personal information.
- We provide such information to our affiliates, related programs or other trusted entities, organizations or persons for the purpose of processing personal information in connection with the Web site’s objective. We require that these parties agree to process such information based on our instructions and in compliance with this Statement and any other appropriate confidentiality and security measures.
- We have a good faith belief that access, use, preservation or disclosure of such information is reasonably necessary to (a) satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable governmental request, (b) enforce applicable Terms and Conditions for the use of the Web site, including investigation of potential violations thereof, (c) detect, prevent or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues, or (d) protect against imminent harm to the rights, property or safety of the Organization, its users or the public as required or permitted by law.
We may share with third parties certain pieces of aggregated, non-personal information, such as the number of users who reviewed or searched for a particular item or listing, for example, or how many users clicked on a particular option. Such information does not identify you individually or particularly. Please contact us at the address below for any additional questions about the management or use of personal data.
If the Organization is involved in any type of corporate succession or dissolution, we will provide notice before personal information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy statement.
5. Choices for Personal Information
The Organization gives you the choice of receiving a variety of information that complements and facilitates the purpose served by the Web site. You can elect to subscribe to receive certain information and marketing communications. Communications may include (a) updated community information concerning activities and events at Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center or another program operated by the Organization, (b) information concerning the City of Orange, Texas, (c) an invitation to participate in research, or (d) related information and communications. We give you a choice regarding delivery of communications by postal mail, e-mail and telephone, and we will make every effort to honor your preferences.
6. Privacy Preferences and Opting out
The Organization will not use your personal information for a different purpose than the one stated when you provided your data. To opt-out of receiving communications you have expressly requested (such as e-mail newsletters, messages, etc.), use any of the following methods:
- Select the e-mail "unsubscribe" link, or follow the opt-out instructions included in each subscription communication; or
- Write to the Organization’s Office at the postal address listed below and be sure to provide your name, e-mail and postal address, and relevant information about your Web site subscriptions and registrations
7. Access to and Accuracy of Information
When you utilize the Web site, the Organization will make good faith efforts to provide you with access to your personal information and either to correct this data if it is inaccurate or to delete such data at your request if it is not otherwise required to be retained by law or for legitimate business purposes. We ask individual users to identify themselves and the information requested to be accessed, corrected or removed before processing such requests, and we may decline to process requests that are unreasonably repetitive or systematic, require disproportionate technical effort, jeopardize the privacy of others, or would be extremely impractical (for example, requests concerning information residing on backup tapes), or for which access is not otherwise required. In any case where we provide information access and correction, we perform this service free of charge, except if doing so would require a disproportionate effort.
8. Information Security
The Organization takes appropriate security measures to safeguard the information we collect online and to protect against unauthorized access to or unauthorized alteration, disclosure or destruction of data, to maintain data accuracy, and to ensure the appropriate use of the information. We restrict access to personal information to Organization employees, contractors, representatives and agents who need to know that information in order to operate, develop or improve our services. You should know, however, that no security system is foolproof and, therefore, you should exercise due care and good judgment when transmitting data over the Internet or filling out forms for the Web site.
9. Privacy for Children
We encourage everyone to visit the Web site and learn about its content and purpose. However, children under 13 years of age are not eligible to register to use the Web site’s services, and we ask that children under 13 years of age not submit any personal information to us. The Organization does not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13 years nor does the Organization target the Web site to children under the age of 13 years. If you are a minor under 13 years of age, you may use the Web site only in conjunction with a parent or guardian. We encourage parents and guardians to take an active role in their children's online activities and interests. Parents or guardians should become knowledgeable about software and other tools so they can assure that their children’s use of the Internet reflects parental preferences and requirements.
10. Changes to this Statement
Due to rapidly evolving technologies on the Internet, this Statement is subject to change from time to time without notice. If there are updates to the terms of this Statement, we will post those changes to the Web site and update the revision date in this document, so you will always know what information we collect online, how we use it, and what choices you have.
11. Contacting us
If you have comments or questions about this Statement, please send them to the Organization us at the following address: STARK FOUNDATION, P.O. Drawer 909, Orange, Texas 77631, Attention: Corporate Communications.
By using this Web site, you signify your agreement to the terms of this Privacy Statement. If you do not agree to these terms, please cease use of and exit the Web site.
Rev. January 3, 2008
1 A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web. For example, http://www.shangrilagardens.org.
2 An IP address is an identifier for a computer or device on a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) network, such as the World Wide Web. Networks use the TCP/IP protocol to route information based on the IP address of the destination. In other words, an IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the Web, allowing Web servers to locate and identify your computer, browser and related actions. Computers require IP addresses in order for users to communicate and browse on the Internet.
Copyright © 2008 by the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation. All rights reserved.