Submitted by Alan F. Rhody, Alabama CMMRF Chairman

CMMRF Logo

We can all agree as to the value of the research that is being conducted by the Indiana University School of Medicine, as sponsored by the CMMRF program. Whether it is research into Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), or any of the other six areas of research, it needs appropriate consideration. But how do we go about maximizing our fund raising efforts to continue this life saving and critical medical research, especially in an environment of constrained financial resource availability?

This article will focus around one such prospect. Not to the exclusion of all others (as there are many) but to focus on just one means of fundraising that can easily and quickly be implemented At our core, we are all Masons and belong to a Blue Lodge. From the Blue Lodge we find other Masonic directions to travel, however we are all tied to a Blue Lodge which acts as our anchor. Why not pursue this specific avenue as a part of your overall efforts to fundraise for the CMMRF program?

The first step in this process is to elicit the aid and support of the Grand Master of the state that you are in. The Grand Master has the ability to grant dispensation to allow you to directly contact the Blue Lodges in your state to not only request donations, but to educate your Blue Lodge brethren on what the CMMRF program is and what research projects they are working on. You see, the key to gaining financial support from anyone, is to inform them on what exactly they will be supporting and how their donation will make a difference in the lives of their families and friends who suffer from these melodies. The next step is to send a letter to every lodge in the state that both informs and requests financial support. (Letters are available upon request.) Include your York Rite Companions in this process so they can get their Blue Lodges to support this quest. Inform them prior to the letters release and have them ready to answer questions in their Blue Lodge discussion on what the CMMRF program is and how their support will make a difference. Next, offer an incentive. If you state in the letter, that they will receive a certificate for their lodge for any donations of $ 100.00 or more, they will attempt to achieve this goal. (Certificate templates are also available.) A good goal for the first year is 10% lodge participation. In future years, it will increase as lodges become aware of the program and interest increases. If you consider how many lodges are in your state, you are generally looking at an additional revenue stream of between $2,000.00 and $6,000.00 per state. Nationwide implementation of this program could bring an additional revenue stream of about $200,000.00 plus annually.

This program has been tested in the state of Alabama and has been proven successful. Implementation in other states will also prove itself if given a chance. We are all united in the quest to improve revenue streams for the CMMRF program. Through employing the resources at hand and providing the information to those that we seek support from, we will be able to meet and exceed our national goals.