Page 16 - Newsletter Spring 2021

Despite Covid, HHSAA’s 17th Annual Campaign

Appears to Be Headed Towards Success

By Jon A. McLaughlin ’73, Fundraising Co-Chair

In the Fall/Winter ’20 issue, it was noted that the 17th
Annual Campaign kicked off with a direct mail Annual
Giving piece being sent out. Response was wonderful and at
that time we were already on the way to reaching almost 50%
of our goal for the 2020-2021 campaign.

Shortly after the article came out in the newsletter, the
Association entered the second distinct phase of the
fundraising campaign - the personal cold calling campaign
designed to reach those that had not taken part in the direct
mail phase of the campaign.

Our Superwoman caller worked occasional evenings from her
home from February to April 29, 2021. In that period, she
raised over $14,000! This translated into an all-time high of
each call made raising an astonishing $68 in funds. During
past phonathons, most callers averaged low $30 per call. As I
mentioned in a past newsletter this calling program was a bit
unique in that the lady calling was paid a commission for her
work. In past phonathons using calling teams, the labor was free.

This use of calling teams was successful for many years until
the callers got burned out and it became hard to find folks
willing to cold call folks and ask for money. It takes a certain
person that is comfortable with calling in this manner.
Since this process was a huge component of the Annual
Campaign fundraising program, we strategically planned on
how we could make up this shortfall. The answer was the
commissioned caller that loves to call folks and strike up
conversations and memories with alums about their times at
the high school.

The caller brought in a lot of money this year, but there were of $25,430 at the same point in time. So, as you can see, we
costs associated with the program that we had not had in are on track to surpass last year’s event and meet and exceed
the past. We reviewed the program to see if the ROI made our goal.
sense or should we make some changes in the program. The
findings were quite supportive of continuing the program. In addition to our normal uses of the funds raised such as
For every dollar spent on the caller’s costs, the Association was covering operational costs, partnering with our Endowment
rewarded with over $16 of income – a great return on our Funds to create impressive scholarships and meet other
investment. project needs, funds from this year’s Annual Campaign are
being partnered in the match with the Putnam Trust to be
We also undertook another written direct mail piece this used in the newly created Skills and Tools Program. See
spring and are coupling this with a series of emails to alums. President Ketch’s article on this program elsewhere in this
newsletter.
At the time of drafting this newsletter article, the 20-21
campaign runs to June 30th, and we currently stand at a So, as you can see, we are once again SUCCESSFUL
fundraising total of $40,554 to date compared to a 2020 total BECAUSE OF YOU!

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