Mounted search and rescue

[Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>]

I have done a lot of research on fund raising by and for sheriff's
posse groups.  I can tell you that for the most part the "pro"
fundraising firms that offer to raise funds on your group's behalf
are pure poison.  They use your name, generate a lot of donations,
and keep the vast majority of it for themselves.  This tends to
alienate your local community, to the point that you can no longer
obtain donations of any value for your group for years to come.

Donors generally don't understand that your group is happy to get
just 10% of the fundraising' firm's take.

These firms rely on your group being very naive.  I have heard
members of a sheriff's posse praise a fundraising firm that gave
the group $15,000.  And others curse a fundraising firm for the
same yield.  In both cases, the firm probably received $90,000.

        Una Smith
        New Mexico