Montana’s Volunteer Newsletter

CAN 100% BE REACHED IN MONTANA?-Linda Schott

Over ten years ago Ronald and I attended our first Elk Camp in Reno. As new committee members we were interested in everything at Elk Camp and signed up for all the workshops we could fit in, which included one on increasing chapter income. I remember Don Hanna, the representative for the Canadian Chapters, presented the workshop. He talked about how three of his chapters had achieved a net-to-gross efficiency rate of over 100 percent. As I listened, I kept thinking how great that would be, but figured it must have had something to do the record keeping and the Canadian currency exchange rate! Pretty naive huh? But could the rest of us really accomplish it? YOU BET! But it takes time, planning, and dedication.

As chapter Co-chair for the Vigilante Chapter (Ennis and Sheridan) last year we finished at a record breaking 96%. At Volunteer Fun Night when the awards were presented in Albuquerque I overheard someone saying that was only because of the habitat dollars that were included in our total income. Well, I guess I took that as a personal challenge, so I set out to prove that 100% net-to-gross without habitat partners could be accomplished. This year, I am very proud to say that the Vigilante Chapter did just that! How did it happen? Some people believe it’s because of rich out-of-stators – I want you to believe that it’s due to the hard work, dedication and partnerships formed with the local ranchers and landowners, merchants, sportsmen and women, and hard working folks who live here, love elk country, and want to do what they can to protect our very precious habitat. It was with the help and contributions of each of the above that enabled us to reach this level of efficiency. It’s the result of a passion that runs year long – not just during banquet season – that allows the fostering of partnerships, the continual nurturing of relationships, and projects completed on–the-ground that offer up the community support. Yes, it can be done and we owe it to ourselves and the RMEF to be as efficient as possible, to get the most out of all dollars contributed and earned at our Big Game Banquets.

Welcome to our newest District Chairs

Terry and Dana Held of Silver Star, Montana off the Vigilante Chapter have stepped up and become District Chairs in Montana. The Montana Volunteer Advisory Committee is made up of 13 current District Chairs, the two State Chairs, 1 Regional Chair, both Montana Field Directors and other staff members. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a District Chair, please contact Ron Schott or Al Christophersen.

CURRENT RMEF MEMBERSHIPS THRU JUNE 2001

GRAND TOTAL
	LIFE	SPNSR	OUTF	SUPPORT	TOTAL	REVENUE	ELK POP
USA	9,310	8,151	303	108,352	126,116	$14,666,485	879,928
CANADA	265	4	38	4,608	4,915	$436,780	90,227
FOREIGN	24	1	16	89	130	$31,375	0
MILITARY	9	0	0	81	90	$11,430	0
TOTAL	9,608	8,156	357	113,130	131,251	$15,146,070	970,155

MONTANA BULL SHEET Page 2 Page 2

At what cost?

The American Institute of Philanthropy suggests fund-raising expenses should not exceed 35 percent of funds raised. Below, fund-raising effectiveness measured as a percentage of actual funds raised.

Example: The Trust for Public Land spends $2 to raise $100. The National Parks Conservation Association, on the other hand, spends $33 to $41 to raise $100.

The best The worst

1. The Conservation Fund 1% 1. Sierra Club 42%

2. Trust for Public Land 2% 2. National Parks

3. Save the Conservation

Redwoods League 4% Association 33-41%

4. Conservation 3. Defenders of

International 5% of Wildlife 20-50%

5. Rocky Mountain 4. Greenpeace 26-56%

Elk Foundation 6% 5. National Park

Trust 23-74%

Note: Range indicates differences between charities' own estimates of fund raising and the highest possible estimates of the philanthropy watchdog.

Sources: IRS form 990s; American Institute of Philanthropy

Sacramento Bee / Scott Flodin

SUMMER PAC MEETING - Kirk Murphy

It's that time of year to allocate hard earned banquet dollars on the best projects in the state. The next meeting of the Montana Project Advisory Committee (PAC) is Wednesday July 18th at Fish, Wildlife & Parks office on Spurgin Road in Missoula at 9:00 a.m. and will run until done sometime in the early afternoon.

That meeting will be followed by tours of some of the previously funded PAC projects in the Philipsburg area as well as a tour of the Watershed Project near Anaconda on Thursday the 19th. Everyone is invited to come see how the PAC meeting works and the dollars are spent, just RSVP to Kirk Murphy at 406-883-1147 or Steve Decker at 406-388-4877 by July 14th so we can plan accordingly. Project tours will take place Wednesday afternoon and into the evening with an overnight camp out and tours continuing on Thursday. Please join us for a fun and informative look at some great projects you, the volunteers make happen!

				Net to		SP	Life
Chapter	Atten	Gross	Net	Gross	HP	Mbr	Mbr
Polson	297	50,883	32,286	64	0	25	0
Kalispell	453	157,466	131,180	86	28,720	40	4
Billings	431	82,203	50,850	60	12,500	13	2
Hamilton	259	86,255	63,539	69	20,463	51	4
Cut Bank	248	129,007	108,933	68	73,161	29	1
Butte	418	71,962	40,722	60	0	31	2
Plains	225	40,708	24,401	60	0	10	2
Gallatin	403	73,217	44,712	63	272	29	5
Havre	164	30,895	17,170	60	2,500	10	0
Ennis	233	88,639	74,247	100	0	15	5
Missoula	413	135,189	92,731	66	25,000	90	8
West Yellstn	128	31,416	15,166	48	0	17	0
Seeley Lake	195	72,112	40,821	64	0	40	0
Upper Yellstn	158	35,820	21,458	64	0	11	0
Totals to date	4025	1,085,772	758,216	66.5	162,616	411	33

HACKIN' FOR HABITAT HELENA - Connie Mills

RMEF Helena Chapter’s first annual Hackin’ for Habitat golf tournament was a swinging success. The starting gun was fired at 8 AM on Saturday, June 23rd at Fox Ridge Golf Course in Helena and golf balls started flying. Eleven four-person teams competed for fabulous contest prizes at each of the 18 holes. Engraved plaques and RMEF wind-shirts were given to the members of the first place team. For those whose golf swing wasn’t good enough to claim a hole prize, $5 raffle tickets were available to give duffers a chance to win a 10/22 rifle.

Once 18-holes of swinging, duffin’ and putting came to an end, the players dined on barbecue baby-back ribs with all the trimmings. The food was finger licking good! In addition, there was plenty of cold Budweiser and other beverages of choice available to quench everyone’s thirst. After the luncheon, the winners of the contests at the individual holes were recognized, prizes awarded, and the rifle was raffled off to one lucky ticket holder. The conversation on the patio was filled with laughter and great stories of the shot that almost was! Because of the fun they had, a number of the teams assured us (or maybe it was a warning) they would be back next year.

The day would not have been possible without the generous support of the many sponsors. Intermountain Lumber, Inc. sponsored the “big daddy” hole of them all - the $10,000 Hole-in-One. Sandy Mac’s (Budweiser) of Helena sponsored the $7,000 Hole-in-One. Individual tee box sponsors were Los Casadores, The Mini Basket, Canyon Ferry Auto Polish, Dean & Betty Cunningham of Moore, Oklahoma, RC Communications, Devron Technology, O’Mally’s, and the Glass Slipper. Many thanks to all of these wonderful sponsors – they deserve your support.

The Fox Ridge Golf Course staff and Red Fox Supper Club staff was fantastic to work with. They not only gave our RMEF Chapter a discount on green fees and meal tickets; they went above and beyond the call of customer service to ensure our first tournament was a fun-filled fund-raiser!

The final tally isn’t in yet, but it looks like the day actually made some money for RMEF! For a first-year attempt, Helena’s chapter was quite pleased with the day’s results. In fact, we’ve already begun planning for next year’s bigger and better Hackin’ for Habitat tournament. Plan on joining the fun next year!

Our sincere thanks to the many players, sponsors, facility crew and Helena Chapter members. You did a heck of a job for a heck of an organization – RMEF!

STATE CHAIR CORNER - Al Christophersen

    What’s better than a Hawaiian Luau with roast pig and 158 happy volunteers? Not much. However, when you put all the Summer Rendezvous of 2001 into one package it was just the best ever! The campfire Chapter Recognition on Saturday evening was super. Watching every committee Chapter across this great state, representing over 400 very dedicated volunteers (all of you), be recognized for your individual parts in making the Montana Million Dollar Dream Team. Each Chapter received their Montana Dream Team Banner and bottle of Champagne during the campfire recognition Saturday evening. Why the recognition? What did each Chapter do?

    Well, what you did collectively during the 2000 banquet season was to increase the Montana State net banquet proceeds by about 30% and, for the first time, exceed the one million dollar goal we set for Montana ($900,000 in 1999 to $1,200,000 in 2000). Each and every one of you, striving to be more efficient, gather one more donation, sign up one more member, get another sponsor or Habitat Partner, get the bid up one more time and donating one more hour as a volunteer, helped to be part of this accomplishment.

    Your personal commitment to RMEF and its Mission is an inspiring example of how volunteers consistently get the job done…and have FUN doing it! Your efforts continue to be outstanding in the 2001 banquet season. We are well on track to reaching a million-dollar season again, memberships are increasing and our habitat sponsor proceeds are increasing. Committees across the State are also adding second events to their schedules such as sponsor nights, golf tournaments and work projects. You all just seem never to slow down. My hat is off to all of you for the hard, dedicated work you do in the name of RMEF.

    As I’ve worked with and watched volunteers across the State one thing has become very clear to me. It’s your PASSION for the mission of RMEF that makes all of this happen. I see your personal desire to do more and do it better. I see and hear why you will spend days in the rain and snow pulling fences from Wildlife Refuges, winter game ranges and private ranches. Always lending your unselfish hands to help the elk. That’s PASSION. And best of all, I see volunteers doing all these things with their children, their grandchildren and their friends and neighbor’s children, teaching and showing them the PASSION. That’s “Pass It On!” Have a Great Summer.