function contactForm() {
	//reset error variable
	var error = "";
	
	//reset all the labels to no error
	$("#contactform label").removeClass('error_label');
	$("#contactform input").removeClass('error_label');
	$("#contactform textarea").removeClass('error_label');
	
	//check to see if any of the fields are empty
	if($("#con_name").val()=="") {
		$("#con_name_lbl").addClass('error_label');
		$("#con_name").addClass('error_label');
		error = 'req';}

		
	if($("#con_email").val()=="") {
		$("#con_email_lbl").addClass('error_label');
		$("#con_email").addClass('error_label');
		error = 'req';}
		
	if($("#con_message").val()=="") {
		$("#con_message_lbl").addClass('error_label');
		$("#con_message").addClass('error_label');
		error = 'req';}		
		
		
	
	//if all the fields are filled, validate email address
	if(error=="") {
		var mess = validemail($("#con_email").val());
	
	if(mess==false) {	
		error='valid';
		$("#con_email_lbl").addClass('error_label');
		$("#con_email").addClass('error_label');
		}
	}
		
	
	if(error=='req') {	
		$("#contactformalert").addClass('form_error_alert');
		$("#contactformalert").text('Please fill out all the required fields.');
		return false;
	
	} else if(error=='valid') {
		$("#contactformalert").addClass('form_error_alert');
		$("#contactformalert").text('Please enter a valid email address.');
		return false;
	} else {
	
	var form_values = $("#contactform").serialize();
	//ajax email function
	$.ajax({ 
   		type: "POST", 
   		url: "contact_send.php", 
   		data: form_values, 
   		success: function(msg){ 
   		if(msg==""){
			 $("#contactformalert").addClass('form_success_alert');
			 $("#contactformalert").text('Thank you, we have received your information and will be contacting you shortly.');
			 $("#contactformElements").fadeOut(500);
		}else{
			 $("#contactformalert").addClass('form_error_alert');
			 $("#contactformalert").text(msg);		
		}	 
   		} 
 		});

	
	return false;
	
	}
}



function joinMailer() {
	//reset error variable
	var error = "";
	
	//reset all the labels to no error
	$("#joinform label").removeClass('error_label');
	$("#joinform input").removeClass('error_label');
	
		
		
	if($("#join_name").val()=="") {
		$("#join_name_lbl").addClass('error_label');
		$("#join_name").addClass('error_label');
		error = 'req';}
			
		
	if($("#join_email").val()=="") {
		$("#join_email_lbl").addClass('error_label');
		$("#join_email").addClass('error_label');
		error = 'req';}
				
		
	
	//if all the fields are filled, validate email address
	if(error=="") {
		var mess = validemail($("#join_email").val());
	
	if(mess==false) {	
		error='valid';
		$("#join_email_lbl").addClass('error_label');
		$("#join_email").addClass('error_label');
		}
	}
		
	
	if(error=='req') {	
		$("#contactformalert").addClass('form_error_alert');
		$("#contactformalert").text('Please fill out all the required fields.');
		return false;
	
	} else if(error=='valid') {
		$("#contactformalert").addClass('form_error_alert');
		$("#contactformalert").text('Please enter a valid email address.');
		return false;
	} else {
	
	var form_values = $("#joinform").serialize();
	//ajax email function
	$.ajax({ 
   		type: "POST", 
   		url: "mailer_send.php", 
   		data: form_values, 
   		success: function(msg){ 
   		if(msg==""){
			 $("#contactformalert").addClass('form_success_alert');
			 $("#contactformalert").text('Thank you, we have successfully added you to our mailing list.');
			 $("#contactformElements").fadeOut(500);
		}else{
			 $("#contactformalert").addClass('form_error_alert');
			 $("#contactformalert").text(msg);		
		}	 
   		} 
 		});

	
	return false;
	
	}
}





function validemail(email) {
	var AtPos = email.indexOf("@");
	var StopPos = email.lastIndexOf(".");
	var error = "";

	if (AtPos == -1 || StopPos == -1) {
		error = 1;
	}
	
	if (StopPos < AtPos) {
		error = 1;
	}
	
	if (StopPos - AtPos == 1) {
		error = 1;
	}
	
	if(error==1) {
	return false;	
	} else {
	return true;	
	}
}