Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Yellowstone Fundraising To Be Gentle

NO DIRECT BEGGING ALLOWED
Rewards To Be Curtailed
pat on the back is ok




-- The National Park Service has issued new guidelines for fundraising in & by our parks. The directions are first directed toward Yosemite & it's enormous donor population. It is anticipated that the guidelines will also apply to Yellowstone National Park.
-- The original guidelines were objected to by too many sources. In an article released by the Merced Sun-Star the details of the new guidelines are spelled out.
-- There shall be no taking money from liquor or tobacco companies. There shall be no large billboards. There shall be no direct solicitation of funds. The National Park Service has modified some of it's original ideas about fund raising.
-- A number of the more controversial proposals have been dropped or modified after more than 1,000 public comments were reviewed. "The time was not right for a number of those provisions." John Piltzecker, director of the National Park Service's Partnership Program, said Tuesday.
-- Withdrawn were provisions for display plaques, and the naming of park features for donors. We don't anticipate seeing "Old Faithful - Brought to you by Connoco" signs any time soon. Nor will "The Grand Canyon - sponsored by Wal-Mart" be seen.
-- Based on Piltzecker's comments, however, the time may be right in the future. With the continuing drop in park budgets there is going to be a renewed effort to seek alternative sources of funding. The Yellowstone Association has given money for projects, and other funding sources will have to be developed.
-- Money laundering and funds hedging for tax purposes is a major concern of the public trust. Interestingly, private donors are worried that there may be background checks prior to acceptance of funds - why should this worry them?

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