Post by admin on Oct 22, 2009 5:33:55 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2009/1021/front_page/017.html
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — A representative from the Freehold First Aid and Emergency Squad, which serves Freehold Borough and Freehold Township, said that while the number of calls for assistance is rising, donations from the community are not.
Bill Madden, a veteran member and trustee of the squad, said the past five years have shown a continuing decline in donations from the public.
Madden said while the squad will be able to continue as is for now — with volunteer service 24 hours a day — that may not be the case in the future.
He said if the situation does not change and donations do not go up, some changes will have to be made. He did not say what those changes might be.
"The donations have declined, but our calls haven't," Madden said during a recent appearance before the Borough Council in Freehold Borough. "We should once again reach at least 4,000 calls this year."
And those calls for assistance take a toll on the equipment used daily that must eventually be replaced from so much use.
According to Madden, the first aid squad's operating budget for 2009 totals $260,000. As of this date the fundraising drive has produced $100,000 of the total operating budget, he said.
The first aid squad's other revenue sources include money from Freehold Borough ($14,000, plus free gasoline, free water service, a tax-exempt building to house the first aid squad and workman's compensation); Freehold Township ($35,000); and support from Monmouth County.
Madden gave a breakdown of the first aid squad's fundraising efforts in 2009:
• In Freehold Borough, 3,463 mailers were sent to residential units and 535 donations were returned (approximately 15.5 percent return rate). Freehold Borough businesses received 327 mailers and 43 were returned with donations (approximately 13 percent return rate).
• In Freehold Township, 11,088 mailers were sent out to residential units and 1,485 donations were returned (approximately 13.5 percent return rate). Freehold Township businesses received 383 mailers and 29 were returned with donations (approximately 8 percent return rate).
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — A representative from the Freehold First Aid and Emergency Squad, which serves Freehold Borough and Freehold Township, said that while the number of calls for assistance is rising, donations from the community are not.
Bill Madden, a veteran member and trustee of the squad, said the past five years have shown a continuing decline in donations from the public.
Madden said while the squad will be able to continue as is for now — with volunteer service 24 hours a day — that may not be the case in the future.
He said if the situation does not change and donations do not go up, some changes will have to be made. He did not say what those changes might be.
"The donations have declined, but our calls haven't," Madden said during a recent appearance before the Borough Council in Freehold Borough. "We should once again reach at least 4,000 calls this year."
And those calls for assistance take a toll on the equipment used daily that must eventually be replaced from so much use.
According to Madden, the first aid squad's operating budget for 2009 totals $260,000. As of this date the fundraising drive has produced $100,000 of the total operating budget, he said.
The first aid squad's other revenue sources include money from Freehold Borough ($14,000, plus free gasoline, free water service, a tax-exempt building to house the first aid squad and workman's compensation); Freehold Township ($35,000); and support from Monmouth County.
Madden gave a breakdown of the first aid squad's fundraising efforts in 2009:
• In Freehold Borough, 3,463 mailers were sent to residential units and 535 donations were returned (approximately 15.5 percent return rate). Freehold Borough businesses received 327 mailers and 43 were returned with donations (approximately 13 percent return rate).
• In Freehold Township, 11,088 mailers were sent out to residential units and 1,485 donations were returned (approximately 13.5 percent return rate). Freehold Township businesses received 383 mailers and 29 were returned with donations (approximately 8 percent return rate).