June 2002 Issue

One Year Remains for Foundation
to Meet Fundraising Goal

BY DENNIS BROOKS, P.ENG., P.GEOPH.
Past-President
The APEGGA Education Foundation

Members of the new board of The APEGGA Education Foundation are now installed, so I have joined the ranks of the past presidents as I write this. However, the Board doesn't have an official position of past president, so I'm in fact writing this as a "guest columnist."

In previous PEGG articles, and the last president's annual report, I told you about the new goal set for the Foundation: to double the amount paid out in scholarships by the close of applications in May of the year 2003. That is now only a year away! Further, the monies would be paid only from voluntary donations by members after campaign expenses are covered.

The stipulation "voluntary donations" simply means donations other than from APEGGA and revenues from the annual Summit AwardsÒ. (Those other monies are needed to cover the base amounts of a scholarship). This goal recognizes the very large increase in costs beyond simple inflation to students. Our scholarships have not kept pace with the increase.

The Goal
We currently offer 36 scholarships for one year at $2,000, plus six in second year for students in certain education programs. (This doesn't include the Millenium Scholarship of $1,500 endowed by APEGGA, but which also needs to be increased). Our goal translates to $84,000 after expenses, assuming all scholarships are applied for and awarded. For purposes of measuring our progress, I've assumed campaign expenses of $5,000.

The Progress
Voluntary donations (unaudited) to the end of April 2002 total $11,300. So we have achieved what works out to a 7.5 per cent increase! I know we will do much better over the year, but we will need a lot of support to make it 100 per cent.

The Campaign
The campaign is still being formulated but is expected to consist of creating an increased presence at member events together with selected mail-outs. We have already had a presence at the Summit AwardsÒ and the Annual General Meeting. Now the board is looking at a mail-out to members who graduated in 1967, on their 35th anniversary, and to those life members who are grandfathered and do not receive an invoice from APEGGA with the voluntary donation check-off.

Our campaign expense must necessarily be small because it is the board's wish to maximize the amounts going towards the scholarships. As well, the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency has very strict guidelines on how funds raised can be used. This is to protect the interests of donors and the legitimacy of the tax deductions.

In future articles, we will be keeping you posted on our continuing progress.