Annual Direct Mail Campaign a Whopping Success
A glimpse into a “mailing party” at Wintergreen
Fire Department
Nellysford, Virginia (pop. 4,500) -- Wintergreen Fire Department and Wintergreen Rescue Squad in Nellysford, Virginia, collectively raise about $250,000 per year through a bi-annual direct mailing to residents of this golf course/ski resort community of 4,500 residents. In 2003 and 2004, the fire department has purchased two Bullard T3MAX thermal imagers with money from the direct mail campaign.
Chief Curtis Sheets: “We’ve been doing this for several years now. We do a series of mailers, keeping track of donation cards by color so we know which appeal brought in money from each donor. The first fund drive letter goes out to all 4,500 residents. The second mailer goes to people who didn't give the first time, and the third mailer goes out to people who didn't give the first or second time. We get around 1,200 responses, and the average donation is $105 per resident. It’s a generous community.”
Funding Tip:
If your department doesn’t already conduct an annual fundraising drive to support the purchase of extra tools and equipment, consider starting one. The leaders of Wintergreen Fire Department are highly disciplined about fundraising, and their efforts pay off, year after year.