HANOVER TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Area fire chiefs are expressing concerns about a fundraising letter that is showing up in Northeastern Pennsylvania seeking financial donations to support volunteer firefighters.
The letter is being sent by a nonprofit organization based out of state.
Local fire chiefs say the letter may cause confusion when it comes to local fundraising efforts and reduce financial donations to local fire departments.
Show me the money! That's what several local fire chiefs are saying in response to a fundraising letter being sent to area residents by an out-of-state nonprofit organization.
The chiefs are concerned that letter may confuse area residents and have a negative impact on their local fire department's fundraising efforts.
This is the letter in question. It details the many services the non-profit provides to volunteer fire departments across the nation.
The I-team checked out that nonprofit and it is a legitimate group, but some fire chiefs are concerned that money will be sent to the nonprofit when it should be coming directly to their fire departments.
This is the fundraising letter in question. It was sent out by the not-for-profit volunteer firefighter alliance.
With a Houston, Texas mailing address, it asks the residents to make a financial donation to help support volunteer firefighters and their fire departments.
But Hanover Township Fire Chief Joe Temerantz says while the organization's intentions may be well intended, he fears it could hurt local fire departments.
"So someone gives 20, 25, 40, 200 dollars, whatever they want to give at that point. Then a month later from now, our fundraising letter comes out with our paperwork and everything attached to it and they'll say hey I just gave money to this organization. On the short end of the stick, we get zero to help us maintain services during the year and somebody else is getting the money," voiced Chief Temarantz.
Nanticoke Fire Chief Mark Boncal has the same concerns.
"When they receive this mail, they're going to think its going to the local area, and it's going to the national organization and that money may never comeback to this area," added Chief Boncal.
"Our biggest program service is our fire prevention materials. I mean we ship out to fire departments, schools, boys and girls clubs all across the country," stated Alan Bohms, Executive Director, Volunteer Firefighter Alliance.
28/22 news spoke with alan bohms, the executive director of the volunteer firefighter alliance. He says only a handful of fundraising letters were sent to the hanover township area and says he understands the concerns of the local fire chiefs.
"So we're a national nonprofit, does the money go out of the area?. Yes. That's why we're asking them to send it to our organization for program services we do. The letter should be fairly clear.," explained bohms.
"If the chief is saying don't give to this group from out of the area, give it to us directly? What's your reaction to that," asked Mehalschick.
"Oh I completely understand that, definitely. I think that's better to give to your local department that's fantastic," stated Bohms.
Bohms told 28/22 News that over the last several years his organization supplied some 400 pennsylvania fire departments with 110,000 educational booklets, but he did not have a breakdown of the names of those fire departments.
