Remembering Nader
De... B
c/o Development Department
Guide Dogs for the Blind
PO BOX 151200
San Rafael, CA 94915

Dear Mrs. B...:

I am writing pursuant to our conversation of Tuesday February 24, 1998. You mentioned that there were several funds I might choose to donate to, or I could decide on how I'd like the money I plan to give used.

Well, I have decided.

I am sending $800 and would like it spent this way.

Puppy Raiser Fund: $44.48

Gidget Fund: $44.48

I would like the remaining $711.04 to be used as we had discussed. It represents $88.88 dollars for each year I had Nader, 8 years in all. I want it used by Sue Solivan for students who might have unexpected expenses while at Guide Dogs, Inc. Perhaps, a piece of luggage got lost or delayed by the airlines and clothes or personal or toilet articles are needed. I have discussed with Mary D... the idea of having this fund named The Nader Fund. I have friends who want to contribute to it. People may already have sent money to Guide Dogs as I got several address requests. I was hesitant to ask them to donate to the fund but hope if money comes in on behalf of Nader, you will consider using it in this manner. I further added to Ms. D... that the Graduate Advisory Board possibly consider recommending that the fund be kept in place as long as donations are forthcoming. I do not want students who use it to feel constrained to repay the money. but if they can at some point and wish to repay any or all of the money used, they should feel free to do so. I also expressed the hope that other guide dog users who have lost or retired a dog might be allowed to make a contribution to The Nader Fund should they wish to honor a dog in this way. An announcement could be placed in Guide Dog News as follows:

In Memorium

Mr./Mrs. Blank wishes to make a contribution to The Nader Fund in memory of his/her dog, Blank--xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx.

Thank you for your attention and consideration. Do keep me informed as to whether this idea will work.

Sincerely,


David Faucheux




Date: 07 Aug 01 20:23 CDT
From: De... B... > INTERNET:DBxxxx@guidedogs.com
Subj: RE: Information needed
To: "'David F'" <104356.2172@compuserve.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2001 18:21:41 0700
MIME Version: 1.0
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Hello David.

Of course I remember you and your donation memorializing Nader in 1998. You will be pleased to know that we did indeed expend all the funds for the purposes intended. It did not last too long as you might imagine with 350 students a year; only 18 months. Actually there was mention of it made in an Alumni Newsletter. We did not get many more donations and we left it open for a while to see.

But hopefully you will find great satisfaction in knowing that with the donations we did receive, many students were made comfortable during their training. This ranged from folks who forgot small things like toothpaste, a sweater for cold training nights, or bedclothes as well as to folks whose lost luggage never turned up and they needed the basics to continue training. A couple of t shirts, pants and tennis shoes. Thank you for making sure others were able to continue their training without interruption. As you know, timing is everything here in class.

As we approach our 60th anniversary we are thinking about how we can create named endowment funds that will be ear marked toward certain programs. So your idea was a good one we want to expand upon. However, our Accounting Department tells us that it is a major administrative and accounting undertaking to set these funds up and manage them, to the satisfaction of the auditors, IRS etc. So we are not going to do it unless we have a significant major gift in hand. We are trying to figure out what "significant" means in terms of dollars and how quickly a fund would get expended. We are working on it.

Stay tuned for more info in 2002.

Hope all is well with you!

Original Message
From: David F [mailto:104356.2172@compuserve.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2001 4:06 PM

Dear Mrs. B...:

Perhaps, you will remember my letter of March 1998. I was the guy who had Nader. Nader died due to cancer while I was obtaining an MLIS degree. It was horrible. I donated approx. $800 to a fund to be used for small purchases if a student forgot something at home. I think several friends may have donated too. Just wondered how that went.

With my luck, it might have fizzled. I tried. I even sent a bit to the Chicken Soup for the ... Soul people--hoping for a page in one of the many books they produce. No go.

Anyway, do please let me know how long it lasted. Maybe if I ever hit it big I can donate and do it right and the fund wil last.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

I remain

Yours,
David ...

- posted by triviaguy @ 12:56 AM