Show Chamber Manager Manag r Warns Against Phony Solicitors F. F F.- F. M M. manager of the Moab Chamber of Commerce warned all local community organizations organizations organizations or or- to be beon on guard against unethical fund raisers Although there are many honest fund raisers rais rals- raisers ers ers Mr cautioned there also are some con men in this business who use reputable repute able community organizations as fronts for high pressure fundraising fund undo raising schemes in which almost all the money goes to the promoter promoter pro pro- pro I moter and his gang of solicitors The chambers chamber's warning was I prompted by an article in the January issue of the American I Legion magazine entitled You YouCan YouCan I Can Beat Phoney by Ralph Lee Smith Although of special interest to Mr Smiths Smith's expos use of the methods used by unscrupulous fund raising fund raising promoters concerns business patriotic fraternal civic elvIc elv- elv ic le church and all other communIty community community ity groups which have occasion to raise funds for worthy pur pure poses The local chamber manager warned especially against the boiler room telephone solicItation solicitation tation which which is used by shady promoters to pressure high-pressure local residents into contributing A high percentage of the money collected Mr stated goes right from the donors donor's checkbook into the promoters promoter's and pockets Some of these promoters who operate their out its its' p pay y their phone- phone man as high as 35 percent commission commission com com- mission on funds collected and add on at least an additional l 15 percent for lor themselves Since the unscrupulous promoters promoter's primary interest is his own golden har hard harvest harvest vest his vehicle for fund raising whether it be a 11 show a cookbook cookbook cook cook- book a 11 year book or what not is frequently of very Inferior quality and the resultant debacle and its attendant unpleasantness can be remembered for years Unfortunate experiences with run hit fund raisers can easily ease fly ily be avoided he added by following a few rules Prospective donors can protect themselves by following the general policy of not giving t to unknown solicitors in response to a telephone appeal Printed or written details should be sought before any commitment is made Community groups can avoid I the qu questionable raising fund-raising pro pro- moter Mr continued by making inquiry of the Chamber Chamber Chamber Cham Cham- ber o of Commerce before any contract is signed The chamber chamberis is pledged to help protect the community against unscrupulous operators and will gladly assist local groups In securing information information information tion on raising fund-raising organizations organizations I and In reviewing their proposed proposed pro pro- posed appeals Though its membership membership mem memo affiliation with the National National Na Na- Better Business Bureau the chamber is in a position on to secure secure secure se se- se- se cure factual reports on fundraising fund rais ing solicitations By checking with the chamber chamber cham ber in advance he concluded local groups can avoid InflictIng inflicting inflict Inflict- ing an unethical solicitation on on this this community |