Here is a sample appeal letter for a humane society seeking sponsors for a fundraising walk. The key to getting donations is to personalize the tone of the letter to match your personality and to properly promote your cause.
Be sure to read the other fundraising letter tips for advice on how to make your message heartfelt and motivating!
Date
Name
Company
Address
City, State Zip
Dear (Name):
On Saturday, September 30, I will be walking together with 1,500 other animal lovers in the 29th Annual LindyScholar Walk for the Animals & Walktoberfest benefiting the Humane Society of Berks County.
My personal fundraising goal is $__________ (the average goal is for each walker to raise a minimum of $100). I would appreciate any support that you could give me for this very worthwhile cause.
In 2006, nearly 7,000 homeless, lost, and abused animals will be housed by the Humane Society of Berks County. With your support, the Humane Society of Berks County will be able to continue its mission: To provide education and outreach in the community, medical services for needy animals, humane investigation, safe shelter for homeless animals, and strong adoption programs to ensure that every companion animal lives in a safe, loving and secure home.
Enclosed you will find a copy of my Walk for the Animals sponsor sheet. If you would like to join us in supporting this outstanding event, please add your name to this sponsor sheet and return it to me by (deadline date) (or visit my personal sponsorship website at http://www.firstgiving.com/YOURNAME to make a secure donation online).
Checks should be made payable to HSBC or the Humane Society of Berks County, which is a private, non-profit organization. Also, your donation is tax deductible.
The HSBC’s Walk for the Animal’s goal this year is to raise over $75,000 which will help them provide shelter, medical care, and adoptions for the animals entrusted in their care. HSBC also educates the community about respect and kindness to all animals. Based on Walk’s amazing growth of recent years I am sure that they will reach, if not exceed, this impressive goal!
Thank you for considering this request for your support. If you have any questions about the Walk for the Animals, or the work of the Humane Society of Berks County, please do not hesitate to call me or the shelter at 610-921-2348 or visit their website at http://www.berkshumane.org.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
Enclosure: Sponsor Sheet
By: Kimberly Reynolds
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Filed under Business by on Aug 26th, 2010. 
How did he affect modern society? I know the answer must be somewhere, and I just can’t see it clearly enough.
By: These Are Words
About the Author:
Filed under Other - Society & Culture by on Aug 26th, 2010.
By: Rasputen
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Filed under Other - Beauty & Style by on Aug 12th, 2010.
By: Claybold
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Filed under Religion & Spirituality by on Aug 12th, 2010.
The three articles I have chosen are all related to adolescents and steroids. The first article is entitled, “The Effect of High School Sports Participation on the Use of Performance Enhancing Substances in Young Adulthood”. One of the issues this article focuses on is the possible correlation between high school athletes and steroid use. The second article is entitled, “Effects of Mass Communication on Attitudes toward Anabolic Steroids: An Analysis of High School Seniors”. This article primarily looks at the role of the media on adolescents’ views towards steroids. Finally, the third article is entitled, “Sociocultural Influences and Muscle Building in Adolescent Boys”. This article tests the influence of three sociocultural factors on certain muscle building techniques, including steroid use, of middle-school boys.
In order to fully understand each article’s research on some aspect involving steroids, one must also be familiar with steroids themselves and society’s current position on the use of steroids in sports. The type of steroid use the research studies looked into was specifically the use of anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are a class of steroids hormones that specifically increase the production of testosterone.
As a result of the increased testosterone levels, protein synthesis within the cells also increases, allowing one to build bigger, stronger muscles in a shorter period of time. Anabolic steroids were first discovered in the 1930’s and many studies were done over the next fifty years exploring the effects of the new drug. Years later, Ben Johnson’s victory in the 1988 Summer Olympics gave rise to the controversial issue of steroid use in the world of sports that is still discussed today. In the U.S., anabolic steroids are currently a Schedule III controlled substance maintained under the Controlled Substances Act. It was amended in 1990 “to provide criminal penalties for illicit use of anabolic steroids and for coaches and others who endeavor to persuade or induce athletes to take anabolic steroids, and for other purposes”. In professional sports, anabolic steroids have been banned by all major sports bodies, including Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Therefore, it is very evident that those who have relative power in the sports world do not view anabolic steroids kindly. However, the articles I will be discussing will examine the views of adolescents towards steroids, including the future use of them, the role of the media, and sociocultural factors, in relation to sports and in relation to themselves.
The first article, “The Effect of High School Sports Participation on the Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances in Young Adulthood”, examines the relationship between participation in high school sports and the use of anabolic steroids or legal performance enhancing substances as young adults. The study analyzed data from approximately 15,000 adolescents, ranging in grade from 7-12, were administered a questionnaire measuring steroid use, supplement use, sport participation, demographic information, physical activity, and substance use. Follow-up questionnaires were handed out one year and six years later testing the same measures as the original questionnaire. The three main goals of the study were to look at the prevalence of legal performance enhancing substance use, the impact of sports participation on performance-enhancing substance use, and the relationship between steroids and legal performance enhancing substances.
Recently, the number of performance enhancing substance one can obtain has increased dramatically. Past research measuring the prevalence of performance enhancing substances has revealed two trends: (1) males are more likely to take performance enhancing substances than females (gender difference), and (2) legal performance enhancing substances are more commonly used than anabolic steroids, which are illegal. Analysis of the collected data for the study supported these two trends. Males were almost seven and a half times more likely than females to report having used anabolic steroids within the past year, and males were almost sixteen times more likely to report having used legal performance enhancing substance within the past year. The main reason for this gender difference is the higher demand for muscles in male-dominated sports versus female-dominated sports. For example, there is a much greater need for muscles in a sport played primarily by males i.e. football than in a sport played primarily by females i.e. field hockey.
The second goal of the study was to look at sports participation’s impact on the use of performance enhancing substances in a way never done before. The study specifically examined high school sports participation as a predictor for future performance enhancing substance use as a young adult. The data analysis revealed that males are four times as likely as females to use anabolic steroids if they do not participate in high school sports during adolescence. While if they did participate in high school sports during adolescence, males were sixteen times more likely to use anabolic steroids. In terms of legal performance enhancing substances, adolescents who participated in high school sports were reported at one and half times more likely to take some form of supplements as a young adult than those who did not participate in sports. Through these trends, the sporting environment clearly has an effect on one’s decision to take performance enhancing substances. “Sports participation during adolescence may increase the value a person places on physical fitness and, in so doing, causes individuals to seek out fitness-related environments as young adults” where performance enhancing substances may be more easily attainable.
The third goal of the study explored the relationship between anabolic steroids and legal performance enhancing substances. Dodge and Jaccard predict that there will be a positive correlation between anabolic steroid use and legal performance enhancing substance use. The results indicated that those who reporting using a legal performance enhancing substance were twenty-six times more likely report using anabolic steroids than those who did not use a legal performance enhancing substance (cite). The article cites Gateway Theory as a possible explanation for this positive relationship. Gateway Theory predicts a positive relationship between the use of legal substances (legal dietary supplements) and illegal substances (anabolic steroids). “According to Gateway Theory, there is developmental trajectory or sequence of substance use, where the use of illicit substances is preceded by the use of licit substances”. Therefore, in accordance with the theory, it is suggested that the use of legal performance enhancing substances leads to a higher chance of anabolic steroid use.
The second article is entitled, “Effects of Mass Communication on Attitudes Toward Anabolic Steroids: An Analysis of High School Seniors” was published in the Journal of Drug Issues in 2006. It intends to expose a relationship between forms of mass communication and attitudes towards anabolic steroids. The four types of mass communication the study looks at are magazines, movies, newspapers, and television. The article draws its data from a study, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and conducted by the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), which tested a sample of 2,560 high school seniors. The questions the adolescents were asked pertained to estimating the prevalence of drug use in professional sports, expressing their own attitudes towards steroid use, and estimating the amount of self-inflicted harm resulting from steroid use.
In order to clearly analyze the data collected by ICPSR, Denham develops three hypotheses in order to uncover “how the perception of adolescents may be shaped by mediated sources of information”. His first hypothesis predicts a relationship between the person’s amount of exposure to mass communication and their estimate of illicit drug use by professional athletes. The data revealed a higher estimated use of illicit drugs in professional sports from those with higher exposure to magazines. This illustrates the influence that magazines, such as Sports Illustrated, have on adolescents who regularly read them. Exposure to the other three forms of mass communication (newspapers, television, and movies) did not prove to be predictors of higher estimated drug use. “Additionally, males and members of minorities also estimated higher percentages of illicit drug use”. This may be due to the fact that males and minorities “are socialized to view professional sports as a viable career option”. Therefore, they are more likely to be more knowledgeable with the realities of drug use in the world of sports.
The second hypothesis looks at the possibility of a relationship between exposure to the forms of mass communication and one’s attitude towards the use of anabolic steroids. After data analysis, greater exposure to newspapers and television proved to be significant predictors, while movies and magazines did not prove to be significant. Other significant predictors of greater disapproval of steroid use included the importance of religion, *** of respondents, and environment where they grew up (urban or rural). Those who viewed religion as very important had a higher level of disapproval towards steroid use compared to those who did not view religion as important. Less than one in 10 females did not disapprove of steroid use, while one in five males did not disapprove. Finally, people who grew up in rural areas were less likely to disapprove of steroids than those from urban areas.
The third and final hypothesis expected a relationship between exposure to the forms of mass communication and the predicted amount of self-inflicted harm caused by using steroids. The responses indicated that greater exposure to newspapers lead to higher estimated levels of risk from steroid use, while magazines, movies, and television proved to have little or no significance. Other factors that played an important role in greater risk estimates from taking steroids were *** of the respondents and the importance of religion. In general, females estimated greater risk of harm from taking steroids than did males, and those who said religion was very important estimated higher risk from steroid use than those who did not view religion as important.
The main purpose of this study was to show the impact of mass communication on adolescent’s views towards steroids. Through analyzing the data, Denham formulates a main conclusion that supports the media playing a huge role in the issue of steroid use in sports. As a significant predictor of higher levels of estimated drug use in professional sports, magazines can be suggested to have an influence on the way people views steroid use in sports. Denham believes that some magazines now “serve an agenda-setting function in the sports world…telling people not only what to think about…but also how to think about them”. Through the results and findings from data analysis, it is evident that mass communication exposure has lead to a greater likelihood of the disapproval of steroid use in sports.
By: Gillian Smyth
About the Author:
Filed under Society by on Aug 12th, 2010.
Discipline is one of the most relevant urgent challenges facing leadership at every level and for a variety of reasons.
School discipline, as well as discipline in other areas of society, has become a controversial topic.
Discipline is almost a dirty word. It is not, but the consequences of indiscipline are more serious than many recognise.
Almighty God has established an amazing principle with regard to discipline. The man whom Almighty God disciplines is blessed.
There is a difference between being disciplined and being punished, but the individual who refuses discipline will end up being punished in some form.
There is another person whom Almighty God blesses. He happens to be the man who is taught from God’s law.
Notice how discipline comes before teaching. That requires to be taught in every teacher’s training college. This is one reason why discipline is so vital and essential. This principle has almost been reversed over these past years.
Without discipline there can be no real teaching. When discipline is abandoned, teaching ceases. If a teacher cannot exercise discipline, he cannot really teach.
God goes even further. He will not attempt to teach those who refuse discipline. That depicts and indicates just how serious a matter this has become.
When Jesus Christ was teaching, the crowds gathered to hear Him. He had no problem with discipline.
When Jesus was about to feed the hungry, He had them sit down in an orderly manner. Jesus Christ had no time for chaos, and when he called men he called them to discipleship which is exactly the same word and comes from the Greek for mathematics. That is how exact and precise discipline has to be at times.
Imagine an indisciplined army going off to war. Soon there would be many casualties. That is what we are tragically witnessing in our society in these present days in so many different fields, as man tried to go it alone without God.
Submitting Himself to the authority of His Father resulted in Jesus’ authoritative teaching and orderly activity. Discipline does not limit nor restrict. It frees releases and liberates. The football match is best played when the lines are visible and specific, and when the ball goes out of play the game has to stop.
When Paul spoke to those who realised how needy they were, he had no trouble. It was when he was confronted with the philosophers and rebels who thought they could get on without God that problems exploded.
God sees when man tries to go his own way and struggle on without His direction and guidance.
He knows the thoughts of man and He knows that they are futile. The Psalmist explains that in clear distinct terms.
God knows what He is talking about.
Sandy Shaw
By: Sandy Shaw
About the Author:
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com
Filed under Self Improvement by on Aug 12th, 2010.
For centuries, women have moaned and often rightfully struggled for rights. But what exactly do we mean by rights? What is equality? I am a woman and I don’t believe women have rights regardless of many claiming them to be making their own choices in education, work and relationships.
Nevertheless, I believe rights have been given but they have also been taken away. Let’s start with the constant media exploitation of women today. Women think they are doing certain things such as modelling, getting cosmetic surgery, the latest fashion, the career etc etc and making the decisions themselves. However, little do we know that these are not our choices but are the choices made by money and power hungry men who are behind all this subliminal messages sent out to us all, dressed up as something it most certainly is not. ‘Choice for women’? Yeah right! Exploitation of women has moved from direct and obvious stereotyping and labelling to the more damaging yet subtle exploitation through the clever use of newspapers, magazines television and radio.
So why do so many women think they are doing what they want? Are they? Really? Take a look at your life now, what is it that is making you happy and what isn’t? You will find that following the constant whispers of society’s norm is dictating your life without you even realising it. Women are the prime targets for exploitation due to their fragile nature and their never-ending quest to conform to the ever-changing demands of society losing sight of reality and what is really important to them. Women are going from caring individuals to superficial beings, from humans to robots, from women to puppets controlled by the individuals we are so desperate to get respect from…MEN. However, this respect will never be gained if we as women do not empower ourselves and respect ourselves.
By: Mehnaz Sultana
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Filed under Womens Interests by on Aug 12th, 2010.
Also, do you believe America, as it is right now, a free market society?
Please no partisan answers.
By: hi0 hates reality TV.
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Filed under Politics by on Aug 12th, 2010.
Origin of the Society Finch
Asia Japan Europe ChinaSociety finches started out in Asia, most notably, Japan. Society finches began as cross breed of some type of wild finch and were raised as pets from the very beginning. Europe has developed a slightly different breed of society finches that differ in plumage. They are also one of the eldest breeds of finch.
Society Finch Behavior
Males Sing, Females Chirp Playful FriendlyThese finches are one of the friendliest types of birds around and they will rarely have have a problem of injuring each other, even with a dozen in one large cage. The males do all the singing while the females are stuck with chirping (I like to call it shrieking sometimes). They have a very large variety of rhythms and apparently inherit some of these rhythms and tones from their ancestors or in socializing.
Society Finch Compared to Other Finches
Can Live Together Must Be Paired Different Song Styles Zebras Have Orange BeaksSome of the main differences between zebra finches and society finches include the style of their song and color of their beaks. Zebra finches can be all white with orange beaks, while most society finches are brown-ish with less colorful beaks. Both finch species have very unique songs. They can also get along in the same cage as long as it is one zebra finch and one society finch, or a pair of each.
By: Jordan Geer
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Filed under 4688 by on Aug 12th, 2010.