Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 08:36:21 -0400
To: corps@West-Point.Org
From: -w <wwelter@widomaker.com>
Subject: WP-ORG: WP-ORG The "Glue" That Holds A Class Together; Case Study:
USMA Class of 1955...
Cc: Advisor <Advisor@West-Point.Org>
Reply-To: feedback@West-Point.Org
Thanks to to the generosity of its members, WP-ORG's Fund Drive 9 is
rapidly advancing toward the $95k Goal.
As we pass the 73% mark, here are a few words about the role WP-ORG plays
in keeping USMA classes together. It is important to recognize that WP-ORG
is a volunteer organization, totally independent from AOG. WP-ORG operates
with no financial assistance from AOG: the source of all WP-ORG funding is
your contributions made during WP-ORG Fund Drives. I will use my own
class, USMA 1955, as a representative USMA class which has been "glued"
together by WP-ORG services.
USMA '55, now with 390 surviving members, was one of the first classes to
join WP-ORG. Beginning with 11 '55 Troops on "usma1955", '55 joined WP-ORG
in 1995. Since joining WP-ORG, over 280 '55 Troops have sent 23,000+
e-mail messages via WP-ORG the '55 forum. These messages are a finite
measure of the great service that WP-ORG provides '55 graduates to maintain
the bonds developed at West Point many years ago. What follows are
highlights of '55 on-line activities made possible by WP-ORG.
In 1996, as '55 Moderator, I received a message from a '55 Daughter in her
forties requesting information about her Dad. Her father, a USAF '55
Troop, died in an aircraft accident when the daughter was four. For many
reasons, the daughter was prohibited from ever learning anything about her
father. Now, some forty years later, she learned of WP-ORG and e-mailed
the '55 Moderator for information about her Dad. In 1996, "usma1955" had
about 100 members. After learning of the daughter's request, a flood of
e-mail to the daughter from the 100 '55 Troops provided the long needed
information about her Dad. Today the daughter is a member of WP-ORG's
"usma1955" , and is an active member of the '55 family.
Later in the '55 WP-ORG experience it became known that '55's own Jesuit
Priest, a Mexican Citizen and '55 graduate, needed a hip replacement.
Because the Priest was serving in Mexico, the Jesuit's insurance policy was
to allow only Mexican medical facilities to perform the hip replacement.
The recovery statistics for hip replacements using Mexican medical
facilities were not good and the '55 Priest could not afford to have the
hip replaced in a US hospital. In four weeks time the now 180 "usma1955"
members, with communication provided by WP-ORG, raised $50,000 and had the
Priest's hip replaced in the United States. Online coordination by '55
Troops arranged for the hip to be replaced at Duke University Hospital by
the same surgeon who had just replaced Duke University Coach K's hip. Now
some 2 years later the '55 Priest's new hip, as Coach K's hip, has given no
trouble.
The above two stories are only highlights of 1955's many "success stories"
made possible by association with WP-ORG. We truly are a 'closer' class
because of these experiences, and the daily 'chatter' that occurs over the
now four WP-ORG '55 forums. It may accurately be said that WP-ORG is the
"glue" that holds USMA 1955 together in 2001. The same can be said for many
other USMA classes active on WP-ORG.
WP-ORG is not overlooked by '55 when Fund Drives come around. '55 always
leads when it comes to the percent of members participating. As a matter
of fact '55 leads all classes in the current WP-ORG Fund Drive as the first
USMA class ever to exceed 100 donations, shown at:
http://lazarus.west-point.org/wporg/donate/report/
Your donation is 100% tax deductible because WP-ORG is now recognized by
the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization.
If you haven't yet given, make your online donation at:
https://www-secure.west-point.org/wporg/donate
If you prefer to make your donation using a check, please make it out to
WP-ORG
and mail to:
WP-ORG
P.O. Box 2108
Abingdon, VA 24212-2108
WP-ORG serves us every day. Fund Drive 9 needs our support now.
Thank you,
Bill Welter, '55
Advisor, WP-ORG
________________________________________________________________
WP-ORG gratefully recognizes Armed Forces Insurance (http://www.afi.org)
for its continuing sponsorship. FD9 is the fourth consecutive fundraising
drive receiving AFI support.