The Save-A-Warden Fund
Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:45 am
A couple of posters in the IFPAG thread brought up the topic of donations to WDFW, possibly through a check-off system similar to the presidential campaign fund boxes on your IRS form. This might work.
It's hard to get people to donate to vague and unspecific causes. Here's my brainstorm. WDFW's Deputy Director Joe Storer told last Saturday's IFPAG meeting that the state budget crisis is forcing WDFW to eliminate 156 staff positions, including 10 or 11 enforcement officers. So, why not focus a donation campaign on saving a game warden's job? These people protect the resource, and we want as many of them in the field as possible.
You need a catchy slogan to grab an audience's attention. So let's call the donation drive "The Save-A-Warden Fund." The plan is for WDFW to ask license buyers at the point-of-sale to kick in a few extra bucks TO KEEP A GAME WARDEN ON THE JOB who otherwise will be riffed. That's a simple, clear, and concrete objective that will motivate people to open their wallets who otherwise wouldn't.
Fishing clubs can get involved by printing and distributing promotional flyers and buying ads in outdoor publications. Outdoor writers can get involved by writing stories about the project for their publications. Everyone who participates will feel like they had a hand in keeping these game wardens on the job. And think of the morale boost it'll give the enforcement officers to know the public is trying to save their jobs! This is "SUPPORT THE TROOPS" in capital letters!
So, what do all of you think of this idea? Should I write a letter to the director about it? Wait, I have a better idea -- how about if a whole bunch of us write letters to the director supporting this idea? Who knows, if he gets enough letters, that might get his attention!
Special thanks to kevinb and ski for providing inspiration for this idea.
It's hard to get people to donate to vague and unspecific causes. Here's my brainstorm. WDFW's Deputy Director Joe Storer told last Saturday's IFPAG meeting that the state budget crisis is forcing WDFW to eliminate 156 staff positions, including 10 or 11 enforcement officers. So, why not focus a donation campaign on saving a game warden's job? These people protect the resource, and we want as many of them in the field as possible.
You need a catchy slogan to grab an audience's attention. So let's call the donation drive "The Save-A-Warden Fund." The plan is for WDFW to ask license buyers at the point-of-sale to kick in a few extra bucks TO KEEP A GAME WARDEN ON THE JOB who otherwise will be riffed. That's a simple, clear, and concrete objective that will motivate people to open their wallets who otherwise wouldn't.
Fishing clubs can get involved by printing and distributing promotional flyers and buying ads in outdoor publications. Outdoor writers can get involved by writing stories about the project for their publications. Everyone who participates will feel like they had a hand in keeping these game wardens on the job. And think of the morale boost it'll give the enforcement officers to know the public is trying to save their jobs! This is "SUPPORT THE TROOPS" in capital letters!
So, what do all of you think of this idea? Should I write a letter to the director about it? Wait, I have a better idea -- how about if a whole bunch of us write letters to the director supporting this idea? Who knows, if he gets enough letters, that might get his attention!
Special thanks to kevinb and ski for providing inspiration for this idea.
=d> :thumleft: 
