Greetings,

Generally speaking, I would imagine all of our organizations have been impacted in some fashion as a result of the recent attacks. I have heard from several organizations the negative impact this has had upon their fundraising campaigns. I would like to know what is the outlook for fundraising for our cause? Assuming a sustained war and rocky economy, are there ways that we can create good results out of a horrible situation?

God Bless,
Gerald Kopiasz, President
Heartland Railroad Historical Society

hrrhs@aol.com

I don't see how there can be anything but a grim outlook. Billions and billions for fighting terrorism and improving security, rebuilding Manhattan, plus more tax cuts for millionaires -- the money has to come from somewhere and esoteric pursuits like railway preservation won't appear high on the needy list when it finally dawns on our leaders how much it all will cost.

> Greetings,

> Generally speaking, I would imagine all of
> our organizations have been impacted in some
> fashion as a result of the recent attacks. I
> have heard from several organizations the
> negative impact this has had upon their
> fundraising campaigns. I would like to know
> what is the outlook for fundraising for our
> cause? Assuming a sustained war and rocky
> economy, are there ways that we can create
> good results out of a horrible situation?

> God Bless,
> Gerald Kopiasz, President
> Heartland Railroad Historical Society


http://www.trainweb.org/rshs/GRS%20-%20Cannan.htm
bobyar2001@yahoo.com

I posted this on another board in response to need for money by the Fort Wayne Group. While I can't support every group(except through wholesale sales to gift shops), this is one method or something similar folks might try. Have to be creative folks!

Here is the deal I am offering:

I have had many enjoyable moments thanks to 765 and the Ft. Wayne Historical Society. If I didn't have to pay for daily expenses I would be glad to make a donation, but I will offer to donate a portion of sales from tapes sold through this offer.

Buy any video on our web site that has 765(or 2765) in it and I will donate $7.65 to the Ft. Wayne Group for each tape sold.

To make the deal even better, I will also donate $5.00 from ANY item other than 765 related that is purchased from our web site.

This offer is valid until Thanksgiving day 2001.
You must mention the 765 fund raiser on the Web site when Ordering.

For those that haven't seen the engine you will enjoy the tape, and help to see it run again.

Hope this helps a tiny bit anyway, and sorry we can't do more.

Web site is http://www.gregschollvideo.com

Steamingly,
Greg Scholl



Videos and such
sales@gregschollvideo.com

> Generally speaking, I would imagine all of
> our organizations have been impacted in some
> fashion as a result of the recent attacks

Gerald -

my wife works with non-profit foundations giving away money. Most have expressed some desire to redirect their donations to disaster relief or other causes in the wake of last month's attacks.

But many simply cannot - foundations are usually created with a set of guidelines for what their donations may benefit. Those guidelines cannot usually be changed without court approval.

More likely the effect is due to the sagging stockmarket. Most foundations limit their donations to the 5% payout required by the IRS, which will be a bit smaller this year than last due to stock market values on 12/31/2000 vs. 12/31/99.

Those groups that do indeed have discretionary funds - individuals, etc. - probably are giving to more immediate needs. But long term, as the shock abates the bounty being reaped by disaster relief groups will begin to flow back to more normal channels.

JAC

Gentle People,
John's assessment is right on the money from my perspective. I do pro bono management consulting for several cultural nonprofits, rail and non-rail. For the long run, hang in there and things will get back to normal (at least in our small part of a deeply traumatized world).

In the short run, we ourselves are the bridge to the future. Acting together within the rail preservation community to save the endangered historical sites and artifacts most in need of urgent help has become all the more important. Personally, I have in mind the East Broad Top's desperately fragile Saltillo Station. Surely you have an urgent case of your own.
Granted, we cannot do everything, even limiting ourselves to the most urgent needs. However, those bits of heritage that we fail to sustain now for a better day will become collateral victims of the violence. Where we can, not allowing that to happen is a way to fight back also. Not unlike the man who went everyday to play his cello outside in the square in Sarajevo.

Phil Padgett
>
Gerald -

> my wife works with non-profit foundations
> giving away money. Most have expressed some
> desire to redirect their donations to
> disaster relief or other causes in the wake
> of last month's attacks.

> But many simply cannot - foundations are
> usually created with a set of guidelines for
> what their donations may benefit. Those
> guidelines cannot usually be changed without
> court approval.

> More likely the effect is due to the sagging
> stockmarket. Most foundations limit their
> donations to the 5% payout required by the
> IRS, which will be a bit smaller this year
> than last due to stock market values on
> 12/31/2000 vs. 12/31/99.

> Those groups that do indeed have
> discretionary funds - individuals, etc. -
> probably are giving to more immediate needs.
> But long term, as the shock abates the
> bounty being reaped by disaster relief
> groups will begin to flow back to more
> normal channels.

> JAC


ebt4evr@aol.com

At the Michigan Transit Museum our overall operations have been drastically altered because of the events of Sept 11. Our train operations bring our patrons onto Selfridge Air National Guard Base and to the Selfridge Military Air Museum. When Selfridge went on an elevated alert status we were not allowed to bring passengers onto the base for obvious reasons. We offered substantially reduced fares for shortened rides till the end of September.

Our fall color trips were scheduled with special permission to enter the base and a major article of our operations appeared in local papers. The first weekend of fall color trips occured was the first weekend in October. We carried record crowds on saturday and sunday. HOWEVER on Sunday Oct. 7 as the air strikes in Afghanistan began Selfridge went into high alert closing the Selfridge Military Air Museum and forcing our operation on Selfridge to end. At the time we were carrying 100 people to the Selfridge museum and were picking up about 100 from the museum. For the rest of the month we are operating shortened rides at about 60% of the normal fares. We are thankful we are able to offer a ride experience for our patrons since the Selfridge Military Air Museum has been altogether shut down since the attacks.

Michigan Transit Museum
sutterd@hotmail.com

Folks,
the Western Railway Museum has just completed a funding call for something as mundane as paving the parking lot for out new Visitor Center. I stated before the Sept 11th events and ran past them.

We secured a matching grant of $20k which I am sure helped raise the $66k that was raised. People
really like to give where the dollars are matched by someone else. Something to remember!!

Ted Miles

ted_miles@NPS.gov

> Folks,
> the Western Railway Museum has just
> completed a funding call for something as
> mundane as paving the parking lot for out
> new Visitor Center. I stated before the Sept
> 11th events and ran past them.

> We secured a matching grant of $20k which I
> am sure helped raise the $66k that was
> raised. People
> really like to give where the dollars are
> matched by someone else. Something to
> remember!!

> Ted Miles

In the case of the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum and its efforts to raise funds to move steam powered 150-ton derrick BRC #190 to the museum (see BRIEFS of 10/12), a notification went out in the HVRM newsletter asking members for donations. To date, we have received donations slightly in excess of $5,000. This is from a modest amount of members (259) the majority of who are NOT railfans, and from members efforts. Although the fund was started prior to the horrific events of September 11th, donations have continued to come in after that date. It is our belief that people WILL donate to a good cause (in this case the preservation of an historic piece of railroad equipment) in addition to making humanitarian donations. HVRM would like to make a formal request for funds but feel it is still too soon to do so.

Les Beckman (HVRM)

midlandblb@cs.com

> Folks,
> the Western Railway Museum has just
> completed a funding call for something as
> mundane as paving the parking lot for out
> new Visitor Center. I stated before the Sept
> 11th events and ran past them.

> We secured a matching grant of $20k which I
> am sure helped raise the $66k that was
> raised. People
> really like to give where the dollars are
> matched by someone else. Something to
> remember!!

> Ted Miles

Good point about matching funds. I know the Cumbres and Toltec has some funding this way, as do others. The problem with all this is that it takes sooooo many dollars today to get something done, which is really scary. $100,000 seems to go nowhere!
Greg Scholl

Videos and such
sales@gregschollvideo.com

We appreciate the financial support that this offer will give the Society. This is an excellent example of how you can support railroad preservation in this country. Greg is to be comended for his efforts.
Tom Nitza
President
Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society

> I posted this on another board in response
> to need for money by the Fort Wayne Group.
> While I can't support every group(except
> through wholesale sales to gift shops), this
> is one method or something similar folks
> might try. Have to be creative folks!

> Here is the deal I am offering:

> I have had many enjoyable moments thanks to
> 765 and the Ft. Wayne Historical Society. If
> I didn't have to pay for daily expenses I
> would be glad to make a donation, but I will
> offer to donate a portion of sales from
> tapes sold through this offer.

> Buy any video on our web site that has
> 765(or 2765) in it and I will donate $7.65
> to the Ft. Wayne Group for each tape sold.

> To make the deal even better, I will also
> donate $5.00 from ANY item other than 765
> related that is purchased from our web site.

> This offer is valid until Thanksgiving day
> 2001.
> You must mention the 765 fund raiser on the
> Web site when Ordering.

> For those that haven't seen the engine you
> will enjoy the tape, and help to see it run
> again.

> Hope this helps a tiny bit anyway, and sorry
> we can't do more.

> Web site is http://www.gregschollvideo.com

> Steamingly,
> Greg Scholl


nitza@peoplepc.com