MOOSE CHARITIES
Making a Difference in the Lives of Children and Seniors

The
Program

> Over the last four pages you have read, in the cover story of this issue of Moose Magazine, about the so-called “ABCD” per-capita assessment on every Moose member--its history of not having kept pace with inflation since its beginning at $4 a year in 1929, and the Supreme Council’s decision to increase it from $16 to $28 as of Sept. 30--as well as the Grand Council’s decision to increase Women of the Moose per-capita assessment from $12 to $20.

In the weeks since the Councils’ decision was announced, we’ve heard the question voiced from among Lodge and Chapter officers, and rank-and-file Moose members: “With that much of an increase in ABCD, is there still a need for the ‘Gimme Five’ program?”

In a word: YES!

The ABCD and per-capita assessment are intended--and always have been intended--to cover today’s needs; current operating needs at Moose International headquarters and Mooseheart Child City & School.

The “Gimme Five” program, in contrast, is intended to rebuild and fortify the Mooseheart-Moosehaven Endowment Fund for the 21st century; to cover any future financial emergency. The goal is for at least 1 million of our members to contribute five cents in the morning, another five cents in the evening, every day for the next five years--creating an infusion of an untouchable $182.5 million to the Endowment Fund.

You see, as Past Director General Donald Ross clearly indicated in his 2003 address to the International Convention, the Mooseheart-Moosehaven Endowment Fund has been split since that year, such that one-third of all contributions go directly to the Child City’s operating costs, another third to operating costs at the Moosehaven retirement community, and the remaining third to the restricted-investment portfolio that we knew prior to ’03 as the traditional Endowment Fund--where the principal can’t be spent; only the earnings.

Since ’03, while Endowment Fund contributors could stipulate that all of a contributed amount must go into the restricted-investment portfolio--if they did not, a $300 contribution would mean $100 to Mooseheart operating funds, $100 to Moosehaven operating funds, and $100 to the restricted-investment portfolio.

That’s the important difference with “Gimme Five”: Every nickel of “Gimme Five” contributions are invested; none of the contributions, nor the interest, can be spent, until we amass the full amount of the $182.5 million “Gimme Five” fund!

Please understand the situation at our Child City of Mooseheart, and our City of Contentment at Moosehaven: Each has basically the same operating expenses as any small community--but with no tax revenue to support them. With the per-capita assessments falling far short of inflation for decades, with Moose membership numbers down from their peak of 17 years ago, and with investment markets languishing, it becomes a tremendous challenge to meet the $32 million annual goal that recently has been the annual combined operating budgets of Mooseheart Child City & School and the Moosehaven retirement community.

While we are cautiously but steadily re-developing the Moosehaven community into operating on a break-even basis (as you’ll hear explained at the International Convention in late June), doing the same with Mooseheart simply is not possible. What “Gimme Five” will do is to build a “nest egg” of wealth that will remain--and grow--for generations to come, to ward off any financial emergency.

“Gimme Five” is intended to be, in effect, the Moose fraternity’s replenished Endowment Fund or “Megafoundation” for the 21st century--but it can be that only if all members contribute just five cents in the morning, five cents in the evening for a full five years; $182.50 per member.

How is it best to contribute? Any way that is convenient to you, but consider: If you make the full $182.50 “Gimme Five” donation now, at the end of five years it will be worth $232.90--at 5% annual return, compounded for five years. So your donation grows by $56.27!

The role of “Gimme Five” in building this “Moose Megafoundation” for the 21st century is very different from the absolute necessity of increasing the “ABCD” per-capita assessment to cover today’s needs. As you understand from reading the previous four pages, it was not only necessary, but appropriate. For even at $28, the Loyal Order of Moose per-capita will still be worth only a bit more than half of what the original $4 ABCD was at its inception in 1929!

We hope you’ll agree that Gimme Five is likewise not only necessary for the Moose, it is essential if our work at Mooseheart Child City & School is to continue. You can make it happen--call us at 630-966-2200 or visit www.mooseintl.org and let us explain how!