Gimme 5 for COLCPE contest

Updated February 1, 2010



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Mid-Michigan snares final COLCPE prize

A down-to-the-wire surge of sign-ups helped Mid-Michigan Branch 256 capture the prize for the highest percentage of "Gimme 5 for COLCPE" contributors in 2009 among branches with 500 to 999 members, guaranteeing that one lucky branch member will collect a $1,000 gift card.

Initially, plans called for all the contest winners to be announced in the February Postal Record, the annual thank-you issue honoring members who contribute to the Committee on Letter Carrier Political Education, the union's political action fund.

By the magazine's late-January printing deadline, however, the 500-999 member category was too close to call, NALC President Fred Rolando said.

"Last-minute enrollments in the three top branches kept the race tight to the end," he said. Birmingham, Alabama Branch 530 and Honolulu Branch 860 were the other two contenders in the category. "I wanted to make sure we counted everyone who signed up."

"I was really impressed by all three branches," Rolando added, noting that a large number of active and retired Mid-Michigan carriers boosted their branch's numbers by signing up on New Year's Eve. As Gimme 5 donors, they automatically donate at least $5 per paycheck or annuity payment, or have that amount withdrawn from a checking account via electronic fund transfer.

"In the end, the Flint (Michigan) branch squeaked out ahead percentage-wise," he said.

The final count showed Mid-Michigan with 25.24 percent of members as Gimme 5 automatic contributors, Birmingham with 23.95 percent, and Honolulu with 22.32.

The competition's goal was to increase automatic donations to the political fund that both gives letter carriers a voice on Capitol Hill and helps finance a variety of get-out-the-vote activities.

For the contest, the union's locals were separated into five sets according to membership size. The branches with the highest percentage of contributors picked up prizes including a laptop for branch use and $1,000 American Express gift card to be raffled off among branch Gimme 5 givers. The COLCPE coordinator who orchestrated the winning branch's effort also got a prize.

Other winners were San Diego, California Branch 70 (2,000 members or more); Austin, Texas Branch 181 (1,000-1,999); Newport, Rhode Island Branch 57 (100-499 members); and Hattiesburg, Mississippi Branch 938 (50-99).

Donald Dillon of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania Branch 2771 won in a separate raffle conducted among all Gimme 5 donors in branches of 49 or fewer members. In a category recognizing the branch that registered the greatest overall growth in percentage of Gimme 5 members, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Branch 491 captured top honors.

See full Postal Record story here. See complete contest details below.

2009 Gimme 5 for COLCPE contest:
Lucky COLCPE donors set to collect $1,000 prizes

Five lucky donors to COLCPE were eligible to win $1,000 each in the 2009 “Gimme 5” competition. The twist to this contest—the race to qualify was among NALC branches, grouped by size, with members of five winning locals automatically entered in the contest drawing.

The contest put the focus on growing automatic Gimme 5 donations of $5 or more per pay period at the branch level, the source of the union’s organizational strength. And it built on the NALC's successes over the last few years, both in the way members increased COLCPE contributions and the fact that the NALC helped elect a president who cares about working families and more pro-labor members of Congress, in both the House and Senate.

The Committee on Letter Carrier Political Education, or COLCPE, is NALC’s political action committee. Funds are used to support andidates—Republicans, Democrats and independents—who support letter carriers’ issues, and to help finance get-out-the-vote and other political activities. Absolutely no union dues money is used to support political candidates.

How to contribute to COLCPE
NALC's political action fund helps elect friends of letter carriers (for NALC members only)
Active members can contribute directly from their paychecks via PostalEASE. Phone instructions \| Online instructions
Active and retired members can contribute automatically from their bank account via Electronic Fund Transfer. Instructions
Retired members can contribute directly from their OPM annuities. Instructions

Contributions to COLCPE are entirely voluntary. Tens of thousands of active and retired NALC members choose to give each year, many through regular deductions from their paychecks or monthly annuity payments, or by electronic funds transfer from their checking accounts.

“Gimme 5 for COLCPE” was launched in March 2006 with the aim of increasing the number of automatic contributors. The target of $5 per pay period represents just 50 cents per work day. The goal for retiree contributions is $5 each month. (Of course, any amount is welcome.)

A steady stream of contributions is important for planning by the union's Legislative and Political Affairs Department, as well as for budgeting resources.

	Winning COLCPE coordinator strategies for signing up new contributors
	May 2009 Postal Record: COLCPE coordinators concentrate on contest
	June 2009 Postal Record: COLCPE Contest: A new-found interest in math?
	July 2009 Postal Record: Growing Gimme 5 is goal
	August 2009 Postal Record: The heat is on for COLCPE contest
	September 2009 Postal Record: COLCPE catch-up

The contest

For the 2009 COLCPE contest, the union locals were divided into five categories:

Branches with 2,000 or more members
1,000 to 1,999 members
500 to 999 members
100 to 499 members
50 to 99 members

Through the end of 2009, branches strove to sign up as many active and retired members as possible as automatic Gimme 5-level COLCPE donors. The five branches with the highest percentage of members who are Gimme 5 contributors in their size category as of December 31, 2009, will be declared the winners.

Then, each winning branch is set to conduct a raffle among all of its Gimme 5 members with the winner receiving a $1,000 American Express gift card. In addition, the five winning branches each get laptop computers for branch use, and the COLCPE coordinators of each winning branch receive a $200 gift card upon completion of a report on their branch’s winning strategy.

BRANCH STANDINGS
Note: These figures reflect the automatic contributors at the "Gimme 5" level only. Charts are in Microsoft Excel.
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
Note: Contributions to COLCPE are not tax deductible.

There is a special prize for making the greatest progress. The branch recording the most growth in percentage of automatic contributors during the contest months also will stage a $1,000 raffle for eligible members, receive a laptop, and the COLCPE coordinator will receive a gift certificate. (The branch winning this special prize must not have won in its size category in the general competition.)

And don’t think for a minute that branches with 49 or fewer members are being forgotten. All Gimme 5 contributors in these branches are entered into a separate raffle, with one lucky winner drawn for a $1,000 gift card.

Branch standings are reported and updated at left so members can track the progress of their home branch. Winning branches will be announced in the February 2010 Postal Record, the annual COLCPE recognition issue.