> I was responding to the query for the folks who are attempting to get funding
> from Ford for their club. I understood that they were re-enactors, and so
> assumed (a mistake on my part) that they were re-enacting German World War
> Two Soldiers.
>
> I was simply passing along a bit of info that your Guard unit might sponsor
> the re-enactors, if that is what they truly are.
Rob,
It turns out that your assumption was correct. I met with the group over
the weekend and had to repeatedly ask for the name and type of unit they
were re-enacting. This group had contacted me out of the blue because I
am a professional fundraiser and drive a Jeep. I also assumed that they
were going to portray an American unit.
The president of the group finally broke down and told me that they were
re-enacting a German unit. As I told them, this makes the sale for
corporate or individual support all the more difficult. While I
personally would never join a German re-enactment unit, I guess it is
pretty difficult to have a re-enactment battle without an enemy. They were
pretty skiddish to tell me their unit. They must either receive a
lot of criticism for it or they are may not "truly" have re-enactment as
their primary goal. I informed them that I was not able to fundraise for
them and passed on the suggestion I received from the list.
I think the likelihood of any company being willing to associate itself
with a German re-enactment unit is pretty unlikely, even if it was a
German company. Fundraising is about honesty and integrity. People don't
invest in non-profit organizations that don't disclose their true
intentions, let alone their name! It really left me feeling that this was
either a group of sophisticated "skin-heads" who have a new approach
toward communicating their message, something I could not stomach, or a
group who's mission is poorly defined. I hope the are a legitimate
re-enactment group, because the alternative could truly bring a bad name
to the hobby.
Jason
97 TJ Sport