One Friendship Trays donor sounds off

Dec. 28, 2011

Friendship Trays mails donor solicitations throughout the year. The task is both vexing and vitally important: About a third of this meals-on-wheels organization's annual budget comes from the individuals we ask to support this mission.

But everybody at Friendship Trays knows just how justified donor Sherry Williams is when she gripes a bit about the piles of mail she receives from causes she really does consider worthy.

Williams sent us a form lettter that so graciously embodies this side of the holiday giving season that we offer it to all of you to say, yes, we know.

Reprinted here with permission of the author:

 

Seasons Greetings

It is with pleasure that we send this donation in honor of the effort you expend to make lives better, bearable, to entertain, to educate and for the good of the World.

We ask that you continue your work, and just one further thing. Please search your address list(s), and purge it of all mailings requesting us to Pledge, send money, to care, etc.

Send your request once (1 time) a year. We will respond.

During 2011, we received some requests three and four times – lots of trees lost, lots of envelopes to open and toss.

So, do carry on, saving the earth and its creatures – what would the creatures be without the Earth; what would the Earth be without the Creatures –

Educate the World,

Save the Spirit Bears, the Tigers, the Oceans, the Primates,

Save the children;

Feed the hungry; warm those who seek warmth;

Thank you for all that you do.

 

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Thank you, Ms. Williams.

And when she learned that our antiquated software made it maddeningly difficult to comply with her request for no more than annual mailings, she said she'd send our way a programmer friend to see if he could do a little programming to cater to our once-a-year-only supporters.

Williams ended her missive with "Save the Trees." If saving trees appeals to you but you still want to support this mission, donate now online here.

We are Friendship Trays, a meals-on-wheels program that since 1976 has delivered meals and a greeting to our Charlotte-Mecklenburg neighbors of any age who are no longer able to prepare their own meals. More information is available throughout this website.