S IERRA C LUB S AN D IEGO C HAPTER ,

SERVING

I MPERIAL

AND

S AN D IEGO

COUNTIES

HI

WORKING TO PRESERVE THE SPECIAL NATURE OF SAN DIEGO FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY www.sandiego.sierraclub.org July/August 2002 Vol. 62, No. 4

SIERRAN
OUR INCOME SOURCES:
NEWSLETTER 14% FUND APPEAL 27% GROUPS 4% BEQUEST POOL 4% EVENTS 14% CONSERVATION 1%

HELP!! YOUR GIFT NOW WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!

DEAR SAN DIEGO CHAPTER MEMBERS, We hope this issue of the Hi Sierran finds you well, and enjoying your summer in San Diego! Please take a few minutes to read this article, and others contained here-in and on the back cover. They tell a story about your chapter, how it is financed, and how it is currently struggling to make ends meet. Your chapter presently faces a budgetary crisis but a crisis that is surmountable with your IMMEDIATE response NOW! Here's the background. Over 25 years ago, the National Sierra Club established a chapter funding system called the dues subvention. Under this system, a very small, set amount of every membership fee about $4.00 is allocated to each chapter for the purpose of publishing a quarterly newsletter, and covering assorted costs (including rising personnel and insurance) associated with managing their membership. Today, this amount of DUES SUBVENTION money doesn't start to 47% cover the costs! We have over 18,000 chapter members, each of whom costs the chapter over $8 to "service.

WE'RE GOING UNDER!

Over the last 25 years, rents have increased, publishing costs have gone up, and administrative expenses such as insurance, utilities and salaries, though still very low, have risen. During this time, the annual dues subvention from National Sierra Club has remained the same. Yes, the situation is unfair. Yes, this needs to change, and efforts at the national level are underway to do that. They could take a year. Or two. No, this won't help our chapter now! We need your help. Today! Our current operating budget is $25,000 in the red. This short-fall is due to the reasons described above as well as the challenging fundraising climate for environmental non-profits today. The really good news is that our current Executive Committee has taken steps to establish better management practices, and staff time has been re-allocated to better address our current fund raising needs.

Our systems are in good order, but we have a $25,000 shortfall. If we don't raise this amount in 30 days, the Executive Committee will have to cut the staff positions of Chapter Coordinator and Conservation Coordinator to half-time!

THE COLLECTIVE GIVING

POTENTIAL OF OVER

18,000

TURN THIS ISSUE OF THE HI SIERRAN

OVER TO FIND A MAIL-IN COUPON TO INCLUDE WITH YOUR CHECK.
Inside this issue: Activities, Meetings Backpack Bus Trips Classified Ads Chapter Notes Letters to the Editor Programs for July & August Good News! North County Group Outings Listings Outing Leader Training View from the Chair One Club Foster Lodge Photo Workshop Canyons Campaign Border Fence Information 9 25 31 4 3 7 16 14 19 26 2 8 11 18 13

SAN DIEGO CHAPTER

MEMBERS CAN TURN THIS SHIP AROUND!

EVENING WITH THE MAYOR!

SUPPORT THE SIERRA CLUB AND GET TO KNOW YOUR SAN DIEGO
MAYOR

DETAILS ON P. 4

We are writing you NOW with this urgent appeal: Please send the chapter a check today for $5, $50, or $5,000 whatever you can afford. The collective giving potential of over 18,000 San Diego Chapter members can turn this ship around! Refer to the back cover of this issue for details about our successful campaigns, and a fund appeal response form. We need every member's help NOW, to ensure a healthy San Diego Chapter. When making your gift, consider the exciting options on page 3:
(cont. page 3)

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.

page 1 San Diego Chapter July/August 2002 Hi Sierran