Can You Spare an Extra Ten Bucks, Sister?

Last week I got a thank you letter I really liked. This week my wife got a thank you letter she didn't like. What was the difference?

Her thank you was for a Komen for the Cure run/walk she had participated in the previous weekend. My wife walked with a whole team of women, including a close friend of hers from work who has been fighting cancer for some time.

My wife was happy to walk and raised $400. Her team of five raised $2,500.

But when she read this email from Komen she didn't feel appreciated. Although the subject line for the email said "Thank You!", it felt thankless.

Thanks for putting a team together. Thanks for buying and screening your own team apparel. Thanks for taking time out on a Saturday morning to join us at the walk. Thanks for raising all that money and for exceeding your goal.

But do you think you could spare an extra ten bucks, sister? Because without it we're not going to make OUR goal.

I was less insulted by the appeal, but probably because I'm a professional fundraiser and have looked a gift horse in the mouth more than once. Sadly, all in the interest of making goal, instead of what was in the best interest of my supporters.

But thinking like a donor, a supporter, I could understand how this email could strike the wrong chord with me, my wife and others that supported Komen last weekend.

What about you?