FUNDRAISING

To our potential supporters:

A fundraising drive is currently being conducted to help support the programs and services we provide our trooper members of the American Association of State Troopers (AAST). You may be visiting this page of our website because you recently received a telephone call from our professional fundraiser, or you may have already made a pledge of support and you received your pledge packet in the mail.

All telephone calling scripts used by our paid fundraisers as well as written materials mailed to our supporters have been personally reviewed and approved by me. We are in the process of posting all approved calling scripts and written materials, by state, on our website. You can review these materials for your state here. We constantly strive to provide as much information to the public as possible regarding our fundraising activities.

We hope the following information will be helpful as you decide whether or not to financially support the American Association of State Troopers.

AAST is a national, non-profit organization composed of active and retired state troopers, highway patrol officers, and state police officers. The Association is fraternal in nature and is NOT a labor union or collective bargaining unit. Membership in AAST is voluntary; the choice to participate is made on an individual basis. Also, AAST is the only national association organized exclusively for individual troopers. Currently, there are approximately 5,550 AAST members in 49 states.

The mission of AAST is to enhance the personal and professional lives of state troopers across the country by providing important benefits and services, facilitating the exchange of professional and technical information, and expanding opportunities for camaraderie for troopers beyond their own state lines. Member benefits include the following:

* $7500 term life insurance policy
* Accidental death and dismemberment insurance
* "In line of duty" death benefit
* Educational scholarships for members' qualified dependents
* Brotherhood financial assistance
* Receipt of the national newsletter - Trooper Connection
* Special optional vision insurance benefit for retired members
* Interactive website (www.statetroopers.org) for news, merchandise, membership updates, and other

Since 1990, over $1.9 million in academic scholarships have been awarded to dependents of AAST members through the AAST Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Providing educational scholarships for our members' dependents is one of the most important purposes of AAST.

Our fundraiser for the AAST Scholarship Foundation utilizes a sweepstakes promotional device by which cash prizes are awarded to participating consumers on the basis of chance, with no purchase, contribution, or entry fee required to win. This sweepstakes program is used to raise funds as well as to raise awareness of the valuable work being done by our Scholarship Foundation. Frequently asked questions and answers regarding sweepstakes programs in general can be found at http://www.sweepstakesconsumerguide.com/.

Unfortunately, the actual cost of providing the benefits package made available to trooper members of the American Association of State Troopers greatly exceeds the nominal annual membership dues that are paid. Therefore, we rely on the generous contributions made by the public, through various fundraising organizations contracted by AAST, to provide the necessary funds to support our trooper members' benefits.

By supporting the American Association of State Troopers, you are demonstrating your commitment to support trooper members in your own state and across the country. A portion of your contribution will stay in your community to fund programs and services for troopers in your own state. The remaining funds are used to support trooper members in other states and to defray the costs of our fundraising campaign.

National Do Not Call Registry

Placing your number on the National Do Not Call Registry will stop most telemarketing calls, but not all. Because of limitations in the jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), calls from or on behalf of political organizations, charities, and telephone surveyors would still be permitted, as would calls from companies with which you have an existing business relationship, or those to whom you've provided express agreement in writing to receive their calls.

In addition, non-profit organizations like the American Association of State Troopers and charities are not covered by the requirements of the national registry. However, please rest assured that if you are called by our fundraiser, you may ask not to receive any more calls from, or on behalf of, the AAST. We will be glad to place your phone number(s) on our internal "do-not-call" list. We certainly do not want to contact anyone who chooses not to be called.

Additional questions and answers concerning the National Do Not Call Registry can be found at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt107.shtm.

Certainly, if you had a problem with a call you received from our fundraiser, please feel free to call me at 800-765-5456, extension 202, or via email at ken@statetroopers.org. Please be sure to provide the following information if contacting me via email:
1) Your name, address, and telephone number where you were called.
2) The date and approximate time of the call.

Thank you in advance for your support of the American Association of State Troopers!

Sincerely,

Ken Howes
Executive Director

1949 Raymond Diehl Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308 800.765.5456
Copyright © 2010, AAST, Inc. All Rights Reserved