A better investment than that grande triple shot skinny vanilla latte no foam...

A few years ago, I volunteered on an organizing committee for a fundraising dinner. I remember when I was told we were expected to pay for our tickets, just like the attendees – I was miffed. “Are you kidding?” I asked, “I gave up hours of my time and I don’t even get a free dinner?”

I couldn’t believe it. Surely my time counted for something, right? But I paid my dues and went to the dinner. Once the people were seated, the presentations started and the wine was flowing. I looked around at this beautiful dinner with the amazing auction items we had gathered and I felt so proud. We had done this – and I had helped. While I watched people listen intently to the speaker, explaining the importance of why they were there and where the money was going to, I got it. My time did not equal money: rather, my time and money were an investment that brought 150 people to a dinner to raise even more money and awareness for this cause I so passionately believed in.

Thus my love for non-profits was born. 

Flash forward a few years and here I sit, nearly entering my fifth year working for the GCC, and I am proud to tell you that I am a member. Every month, like clockwork, $5 comes out of my bank account to support the organization that paid me the five bucks in the first place. I wish I could to tell you that I’ve been a member since the beginning of my employment here, but that would be untrue. I always thought of excuses, something I could use the $30 per year for instead of my membership. I broke my sunglasses! Well, there goes my $30 membership to new ones. (Yes. I wear cheap sunglasses.) I went out for dinner 2 nights in a row! Well, there goes my $30 membership dues. Whoops.

But then we started talking about monthly giving at a staff meeting. Really, what was $5 a month? A fancy coffee at Starbucks? A small bag of popcorn at the movies? We started talking about what a great thing this would be for our organization. An automatic withdrawal from your bank account every month, and a tax receipt at the end of the year? No renewals? No lump sum? Sign me up!

The thing is, it COSTS money to set up a system like this.

I know I prefer monthly giving. Something automatic, something I don’t have to think about. And with a small amount, I never miss it! I do this for other charities I donate to, and would like to do it for mine. So, we decided that we would invest in our own organization, and we would, between staff, give enough in monthly donations to pay for the automatic system so that our members could also have this handy option. 

Why?

Because we believe in the organization, we believe in ourselves, and we believe in our membership.

If you want to become a monthly donor (for as little as $5 a month, but by all means, give more if you want to!), please go to http://www.bcgrasslands.org/fundraising.htm. Download our membership form, fill it out and fax, email or snail mail it back to us.

The grasslands will thank you (and so will I.)

Tasha.