TS We Need Your Support

[The Touchstone]

Dimitrije Kostic, who handles the books and keeps track of the finances for 
The Touchstone, recently emailed me:

>From: dkostic at math.tamu.edu
>To: Danny Yeager <touchst at cy-net.net>
>Cc: Rich Woodward <r-woodward at tamu.edu>
>
>So far donations to the fund drive are thin.  We're at $870 right now;
>last year we wound up making almost $1000 more than that.  Perhaps you
>ought to send out another email reminder.
>
>D.

We know that there are a lot of requests for money from many worthwhile 
organizations, but The Touchstone can't survive without getting at least 
$2000-$3000 in our current fund drive.  Please help us out if you at all 
can.  I've placed below a copy of our recent solicitation letter and 
donation form.  Don't forget that it's now even easier to donate since in 
addition to cash or checks made out to The Touchstone you can donate to us 
using your credit or debit cards at the Brazos progressives web site 
(http://brazosprogressives.org/).  Thanks -- and thanks again for all your 
generous support in the past.

                 Danny Yeager, Editor

April 14, 2005

Dear Touchstone Readers and Supporters,

We're currently having our annual fund drive.  This is one of our major 
fundraisers -- in the past it has given us enough money (combined with 
money from the garage sale (-- approximately $1000), a small amount of 
advertising and our staff's own pockets) to keep going for a year.
             For each of the past few years we've had good fund drives.  We 
sincerely appreciate these contributions and support.  Now we're in need of 
money for the upcoming year (Summer 2005 issue through Spring 2006 issues) 
-- or we won't be able to continue.  Won't you help us out with a check if 
you at all can?
             Each issue of The Touchstone costs around $1100 to print the 
3000 free copies we distribute.  We also have a few other expenses as well 
-- postage, Tom Tomorrow and Gary Oliver cartoons, office and computer 
supplies, email, the post office box, etc.  We estimate that it takes 
around $5500 per year to produce 4 issues of The Touchstone.  No one who 
works on The Touchstone makes any money from The Touchstone.  Everyone who 
works on The Touchstone is a volunteer.  We usually don't even pay writers 
for their work -- we can't afford it -- so instead we typically rely on 
their generosity and commitment to a left/progressive/liberal publication 
and ideals.
             Nearly every issue of The Touchstone includes some writing by 
Blinn and Texas A&M students as well as some by Blinn and A&M faculty and 
staff and Bryan/College Station community members not associated directly 
with Blinn and A&M. A&M and Blinn students, faculty, and staff and other 
Bryan/College Station community members also are involved with production 
and distribution.  A large part of our distribution is on the Texas A&M and 
Blinn campuses, giving students an opportunity to be exposed to views that 
many there normally don't see in this very conservative community.
             Won't you help us out if you at all can?  We've been around 
for nearly fifteen years now and we'd like to continue.  Without sufficient 
funds we can't go on.  Even a contribution of a few dollars helps out.
             Thanks.


                                                                         Danny 
Yeager, Editor
                                                                         696-8695, 
touchst at cy-net.net

The Touchstone's Annual (Year 2005) Fund Drive

Name ___________________________________________________________________

Address _________________________________________________________________

City _____________________________________ State ___________ Zip _________

Phone Number __________________ Email ____________________________________

___ Check here if you would like to NOT be included on our email list.  (We 
try to send out few emails.  We recognize that people generally do not like 
to receive a large number of emails.  Those emails that we send out 
generally fall in three categories -- announcements having to do with 
Touchstone due dates, distribution, fund-raising, and production; 
announcements concerning local left/liberal/progressive events and 
activities; and other press releases and announcements that we feel may be 
of significant interest to Touchstone readers.  We do not release our email 
list to other groups, businesses or organizations.)

I enclose a check for: ____ $5, ____ $10, ____ $25, ____ $35, ____ $50, 
____ $75, ____ $100, ____ other (specify amount $_________).

____ Check here if you would like us to send you a copy of each Touchstone 
by U.S. mail.

Comments:






Send this form and a check (made out to The Touchstone) to:
The Touchstone
P.O. Box 2711
College Station, TX 77841-2711.

Alternatively, you can now give by credit card on-line at the Brazos 
Progressives web site: http://brazosprogressives.org/donate.php

(Note that we do not give out our mailing list.)
Thanks!



Danny Yeager
The Touchstone
P.O. Box 2711
College Station, TX 77841-2711

www.rtis.com/touchstone/

When a nation's young men are conservative its funeral bell is already rung.
             -- H. W. Beecher