Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 14:39:11 -0800 (PST)
From: American Anti-Prohibition League <[aal 01] at [teleport.com]>
Subject: MOMENTUM!
[MSG0296]_02/13/96_14:00
ACTIVISM = ACTION
Hello all you wonderful anti-prohibitionists:
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Remember what I wrote last Friday (2/9):
> For the last 3 weeks response to cable access in the tri-county
>area produced about 100 requests for petitions. Massive
>repeating of the OCTA phone number, combined with calls and
>petitioning hints seemed to get people motivated. Each requester
>has received a petition, instructions, pledge/return envelope,
>Pdx-NORML newsletter, and "Jury Action" pamphlet. I think this
>proves how effective live, in the raw, cable can be for the
>petition drive. WE HAVE THE NUMBERS!
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Now add about another 100 requests to that, my count was low due
to a bug in my dbase program which I fixed over the weekend. Now
let me share some more data from the league's database with you.
(Comments are enclosed in square brackets, [].):
American Anti-Prohibition League, Database ACTIVITY REPORT
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Generated at : 10:42:30 on 02/13/96 ->AALYTD 100
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For the period from: 01/22/96 , to 02/13/96
[1/22 was the first cable show.]
797 Records update/added. Hold = 3
[FYI: 454 were adds(new), and 343 were updates (some contact)]
[BTW: "Hold" usually means a person under 18. I tract DOB and
send a voter registration card in from the hold file at the first
of each month. There are about 150 people in the hold file at
this point. We get people into this file by what we call "Pre-
Registering to Vote." Those who will be voting age by the year
2000 and express an enlightened interests in their future fill out
a voter registration card, except for the date. The card is filed
and then pulled on the first of the month of that person's 18th
birthday. The correct date is put on the card and it is then
submitted to the Oregon Elections Office. When possible I send
the person a birthday greeting, petition, and Pdx-NORML newsletter
with the intention of enlisting their active support.]
New voters = 61 Est. OCTA signatures = 598
["New voters" are people we registered to vote in Oregon.
Signatures are a sum of counts and multiplying new voters times
five. This is only representational, not specific.]
New volunteer petitioners = 145
[Of all the data for this period this really is significant. In a
word: MOMENTUM! Unfortunately, as I write this we have run out of
money for postage and I have over 100 envelopes with petitions
ready to mail. Feels like we've hit a wall, ouch.]
New phone tree volunteers = 25
New jury action volunteers = 16
New transport volunteers = 11
[Considering our Dec/Jan lull, these much improved numbers lend
further credence to the MOMENTUM noted above.]
New PDX-NORML = 1 Renew= 2 Exp= 6
[Please note this is the first time in several months that the
local NORML chapter's expirations (# of lapsed dues) has exceeded
new and renewed memberships. I hope these numbers will improve by
the end of February and that the 20 odd renewal notices for
Jan/Feb will be returned with new dues. Because of the NW floods
(due in some part to clear-cutting the watershed) the mailing
address for the chapter is under three-feet of water. Naturally
mail deliver may be delayed for a while longer. That mail will
probably impact these numbers.]
Mail out = 238 Phone Tag = 6
[238 pieces of mail equals about 400 petitions (6,000 potential
signatures) sent out during this period. MAIL = MOMENTUM! Phone
Tag" is a switch used to create call lists.
Volunteer hours = 402
["Volunteer hours" is more representational than actual. But I do
my best to give credit where credit is due. These hours are
spread across the league, OCTA, and Pdx-NORML. This total also
reflects my 40 (non-payed) hours per week in the office and 3
hours, 5 days a week, at the Harm Reduction Zone.]
Total # pledges = 20 totaling $ 135.00
Total Contributions = $ 170.00
[Here's the down-side. Obviously not much can be done with this
kind of anemic cash flow. We have MOMENTUM but it is fragile.
People loose interest if they request a petition and don't get
anything back within a week. Our supporters are there, WE HAVE
THE NUMBERS, they want to help. I consider it my responsibility
to provide them a clear opportunity to do so. Alas at this
point, WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY to do the outreach and follow-up
that's crucial to the OCTA petition drive specifically, and the
anti-prohibition movement in general.]
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING CASH FLOW
1) Phone pledges: while we still have it, the phone is our most
important tool for outreach. I have lists of 100s of Oregon phone
numbers to be called, each is a supporter and many will help when
given the opportunity and knowledge of how effective we are being
with OCTA. Please if you're a Portland area anti-prohibitionists
sign-up to make calls from the league's office some evening in the
near future. As an added incentive remember, it's often very
encouraging to the caller to talk with supporters who are eager to
help. You get the sense of how much people want change, but just
aren't sure how to effect it. Then YOU call and tell them about
OCTA and Pdx-NORML. Wow!
2) Mailings: in comparison with most "commercial" lists we have a
great return rate, sometimes as high as 4 percent. Most lists are
considered a good return at .5 percent. With the resources, the
league could generate an OCTA/Pdx-NORML 3,500 piece mailing and
expect about $1,000 in return along with 25 to 50 new Pdx-NORML
memberships. (This is based on a conservative return rate of 2
percent.)
3) Fund Raisers: Takes a lot of time, effort and often up-front
money which we do not have. That said, these can still be a good
source of revenue if bands and clubs help with front-end costs and
publicity. Requires more attention by designated individuals.
4) Rallies, and perhaps it's time to bring back the old "Smoke-
Ins!" of yesteryear. While usually not revenue generating in
themselves, these events give us publicity and hence increased
awareness of our work. This in turn attracts those ready to get
off their duffs and DO something, like gather OCTA signatures and
register voters.
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Due to the weather (again) the Thursday, 2/8 organizing meeting
has been rescheduled for Thursday, 2/15, 7:30pm @ 3125 SE Belmont
in Portland.
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I [still] need the following things in the office as soon as
possible:
1) Blank petition sets (1000).
2) OCTA pledge sheets (500).
3) OCTA pamphlet and/or cover letter (500).
4) OCTA "Right to Petition" letter (500).
5) OCTA instruction sheet (/w OCTA ph#/address?) (500).
6) "Jury Action" pamphlets - (500).
7) League "Mailing List & Survey" form (100).
8) 9"x12" envelopes (100).
9) Diablo "Hy-Type II" printer ribbons (3)
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Meanwhile let's keep those phones ringing, and mail flowing.
Remember we ONLY have 4 and 1/2 months left! July will be here
before you know it.
Thanks.
Floyd.
***
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