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YOU DID IT! Your gifts plus Tim's challenge helped SEJ raise over $10,000 in February.
SEJ's members, board and staff hope your generosity will spark others to give now, while SEJ is in the final months of an endowment fund-raising drive to take advantage of another, much larger challenge grant, the Challenge Fund for Journalism.
For the Challenge, SEJ must raise $103,000 by May 31, 2007. Through the generosity of people like you, SEJ will be able to earn another $51,500 towards our 21st Century endowment fund. That's one dollar for every two donated.
"SEJ was there for me when I was new to the beat," said Wheeler, who began covering the environment in the late 1980s for the now-defunct Baltimore Evening Sun. "From SEJ's very first conference in Colorado, I've been inspired and energized by this group of smart, dedicated, sharing people. The conferences, SEJournal, the TipSheet and e-mail listservs all have fed me valuable background and story tips. Colleagues, now friends — and even some competitors — have generously helped me with contacts, ideas and encouragement.
Wheeler now covers growth and development for The (Baltimore) Sun, after a decade as environmental beat reporter and 2 1/2 years editing environmental coverage there.
TO DONATE:Download a pledge card or donate online via this secure site (click on "SEJ Dues & Donations"). If you have ever paid dues or registered for an annual conference online, you already have a log-in for this site. It's not the same as your SEJ member site log-in. If you forget your password, click the reminder link. If you've never been to this site before, it's easy to create an account. Just follow the links.
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"The news business is changing radically now," he noted. "I want to be sure SEJ is around to nurture and show the way for a new generation of journalists, whatever medium they use to get their stories out."
SEJ's 21st Century endowment fund was established several years ago, with the goal of investing donations and generating enough interest income to cover the society's core operating costs. SEJ has raised about $130,000 so far, toward a goal of $5 million. (More on SEJ's funding sources.)
In February, Wheeler had pledged to match all gifts, dollar for dollar, until gifts totalled $5,000.
"Journalists respond to deadlines," Wheeler had said. "If they're too far out, no one pays them any mind. I'm hoping folks will take advantage of this opportunity to really leverage their own generosity, and give back something to a group that has given so much to so many.
"If they don't meet the deadline," he'd added, "well, there's a plasma TV I've got my eye on — and I still get credit for being a big-shot philanthropist without having to actually give all that money away."
Thanks to you, Wheeler didn't get his TV — or even an iPod — so we are that much closer to our challenge grant goal.
So what are you waiting for? Where else can you double your money in such a short time? Give now, and look like a big spender, at others' expense! And feel good about investing in the future of environmental journalism.
You'll find a pledge card here, or you can donate online via this secure site (click on "SEJ Dues & Donations"). If you have ever paid dues or registered for an annual conference online, you already have a log-in for this site. It's not the same as your SEJ member site log-in. If you forget your password, click the reminder link. If you've never been to this site before, it's easy to create an account. Just follow the links.
Thank you!
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