During the Director's Meeting of the First Marine Division Association (FMDA) on Sunday, April 13, 2008, in Nashville, the Association's leadership informed the Directors and Chapter Representatives that the FMDA's financial situation is precarious, to say the least. One of the items on the Agenda was a Dissolution Plan, which was discussed in some detail. Founded in 1947, the FMDA has succeeded in its mission, and continues to succeed. Over 700 young Americans, all children of 100% disabled or deceased veterans of the famed Blue Diamond Division, have achieved their goals of earning a college degree thanks in large part to the FMDA. In its early years, the FMDA grew dramatically and was financially successful mainly due to income from annual and life member dues and individual donations. In recent years, the Association's revenues from annual dues and donations have steadily declined, and no steps were taken to get into the fund raising “business” to offset the loss in revenues.
Although many positive steps have been taken over the past several years to “right size” the Association's staff and facilities, and costs were reduced and are now under tight control, these cost-saving measures are not enough to ensure the long-term viability of the Association. It is clear that urgent steps must be taken immediately to ramp up fund raising efforts that will directly benefit the FMDA's Operating Fund.
The FMDA Scholarship Fund is still in good shape. With assets of over a half million dollars, payments to our student's schools will continue uninterrupted, even if the FMDA, the group that administers those scholarships, dissolves. Incoming donations continue, and several fund-raising programs are underway that are generating significant and positive results for the Scholarship Fund. However, if dissolution does occur, the management of those scholarships will be severely impacted, and , almost as importantly, the annual First Marine Division Reunions and the annual First Marine Division Anniversary events will cease to exist. We cannot allow that to happen.
During the April Director's Meeting, the FMDA leadership sent out an appeal, through the Directors and Chapter Representatives, asking each chapter as well as all individual members to think “Fund Raising.” If each Chapter would create just one fund-raising event each year (yard sale, bake sale, golf tournament, etc.), and dedicate at least half of the proceeds of those events to the FMDA Operating Fund, we would be well on our way to recovery.
In addition to Chapter fund-raising efforts, the FMDA leadership has unanimously agreed that a major, annual fund-raising event needs to be planned and conducted. During our Fund-Raising Committee Meeting, ideas for new, nationally-supported fund raising campaigns were discussed, and that discussion led to Operation GREEN DRAGON.
In a nutshell, Operation GREEN DRAGON is an effort to plan, establish and successfully conduct a fund-raising event, to be conducted during next year's FMDA Director's Meeting (specifically, on Saturday, April 11, 2009 - that's the Saturday night of the Director's Meeting in Anaheim ) in the Southern California area.
The major components of Operation GREEN DRAGON include:
• Honor the “heroes” of the Vietnam War from the United States and South Vietnam ,
• Highlight the combat art of Col. Charles Waterhouse, USMC, and/or other USMC artists,
• Conducted aboard Camp Pendleton , California , at the “Ranch House,”
• 100% of net proceeds to benefit the FMDA Operating Fund.
Our expectation (and this project's goal), after careful review of the challenges and the opportunities presented by a program of this type, is that we raise at least $80,000.00 (net proceeds) as a result of this one event, and that we make this an annual event that will continue to raise the needed funds to establish a solid financial footing for the FMDA for years to come.
There are several challenges, serious obstacles that must be overcome to ensure that this program is a success. The first is professional event planning and support. After much discussion and review by the Fund Raising Committee, we unanimously agree and recommend that we engage Southern California-based ICAP Specialty Events, led by Iris Caplan, to act as our event planner and coordinator. Iris has submitted a very detailed preliminary proposal, and we have looked over it very carefully. The proposed cost of her team's services over the next year as we plan and then conduct this event is $21,000.00, to be paid in three (3) milestone payments of $7,000.00 each over the next year, with the final payment made when the event is completed.
The second challenge is money. Clearly, the FMDA Operating Fund will NOT be able to contribute any money to this project. At the same time, we must raise the necessary “seed money” to pay ICAP Specialty Events. That challenge appears to be overcome. During the course of our committee meeting and the Director's Meeting itself and over the ensuing weeks, various groups have pledged significant contributions to the “Operation GREEN DRAGON Fund.” The Bodfish Chapter has pledged $5,000.00; the Los Angeles Chapter has pledged $8,000.00; and the 1/5 Vietnam Veterans Unit Chapter have pledged 100% of the net proceeds of two fund-raising events they are conducting during the Nashville Reunion in August (a golf tournament on Wednesday afternoon, and a dinner dance on Thursday evening - estimate $8,000.00 from these combined events) to this cause. Total pledges amount to $21,000.00.
The third challenge that we must overcome is that we need a team of FMDA members, preferably living in the Southern California area, who will commit significant time and effort over the next year, to accept the responsibilities involved with the project, and to work closely on a regular basis with Iris and her team over the next year. Initially, this involvement will mean attendance at monthly planning meetings (perhaps conference calls), but as the event nears additional time will be needed by this team. Every member of the FMDA Leadership Team, including Officers, Directors and Chapter Representatives, has agreed to volunteer to help out during the event itself next year.
Specifically, Operation GREEN DRAGON is looking for “a few good men” (it is highly desirable you live in the Southern California area) to act as project leaders, as follows:
• Overall Project Leader and Event Coordinator – main liaison with ICAP – Dale Turner;
• Sponsor Solicitations Leader - Open;
• Gala Tribute Book Leader - Open;
• Support Staff & Mailings Leader – Open;
• Silent Auctions Leader - Open;
• Col. Charles Waterhouse Art Reception Leader - Open.
The Fund Raising Committee has developed and documented a “Project Plan” which details the Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Work Tasks required to successfully accomplish this mission, and Nick Warr will act as the overall project planner. The Fund-Raising Committee of the FMDA is committed to the success of this project, and we are hoping that the Association's Chapters and Membership will join us in this critically important endeavor.
Nicholas Warr, Co-Chair
Jerry Johs, Co-Chair
Dale Turner, Co-Chair