Be wise when you donate

1 year ago

To the editor:

I have been receiving repeated calls from the National Police and Trooper Association, which is a division of the International Union of Police Associations.

Both of these groups brand themselves as organizations supporting law enforcement, and particularly the families of fallen law enforcement officers.  It is always the same manly, positive voice, so I got suspicious and did a little searching.

It didn’t take much work.  Both organizations receive an F from the Better Business Bureau.

The most recent time I heard from them, they asked if they could send me an envelope for a donation.  I invited them to do so, on the condition that they satisfactorily explained their F rating from the Better Business Bureau.  They responded that they would remove me from their database.

We all get a lot of calls for donations from any number of groups, especially at this time of year.  Take a step back, consider who is making the request, and make your donations wisely.

Gretchen Asam
Presque Isle