As most of you know, the past year has presented the Soaring Society of America with tremendous financial challenges. SSA’s Treasurer, Phil Umphres, has written an article, appearing in the November issue of SOARING magazine, describing how SSA has responded to those challenges and describing our exciting plans for helping SSA return its focus to the mission of promoting and supporting the sport of soaring in the United States.
I write now to ask that you help support our organization by contributing to SSA’s 2007 Eagle Fund Campaign. Our theme for this year is “Help us retire the debt.” Specifically, we would like to make a significant early payment of principal this year on the loan we were forced to borrow from the SSA Foundation in 2006 in order to pay the IRS over $260,000 payroll taxes that were owed and unpaid from the preceding years. Until that debt is retired, the annual payments of principal and interest on the loan will drain $85,000 a year from our financial resources, money that we badly need for many other things such as hiring additional staff, upgrading computer equipment, improving our website and SOARING magazine and continuing a high level of membership support. Early retirement of that debt will be possible only with the financial support of SSA members through the Eagle Fund Campaign.
Last year – in the middle of the most serious financial crisis the SSA has ever experienced – our members provided record donations in response to our Eagle Fund appeal. I am convinced that part of the reason for that success was our ability to tell the membership that each and every member of the SSA Board of Directors had stepped forward and made an unrestricted cash donation to SSA in support of the 2006 campaign, with the majority being at least $100 and many being $500 or more. I am pleased to report that the Directors have once again stepped forward to demonstrate their support of our organization. As I write this, every one of the SSA Directors has either already sent in a cash donation or pledged to do so.
I am convinced that SSA has turned the corner and that our financial crisis is behind us, although some of the financial burden lingers. We are poised to move forward, but can do so only if we can Retire the Debt as soon as possible. Help SSA protect and promote the sport of soaring that we all love. Please consider making an investment in the future of your Society and Soaring by making a generous tax deductible donation today. You may choose to donate by calling the office, by mail or online.
C. Dianne Black-Nixon,
Chairman of the Board & SSA Life Member Since 1976