As we move toward our year-end (31 March 2002), our financial condition remains in great shape. Unless there are some unexpected expenses, we should end up the year close to our budget and finished with our long-term financial commitments. And so we are expecting that we will be able to build up our contingency funds again next year.

We are still receiving some contributions for the present financial year (2001/02), but for most of you who have sent in donations since the beginning of 2002, the monies are being credited to the 2002/03 fiscal periods. It must appear repetitious to our readers, but we are still only receiving contributions from about 600 to 650 persons each year although the number of retirees we reach via our newsletter and other mailings is increasing. In other words, our contributors are now less than 50% --- we need everyone’s support!

Our long time readers will also note that we have not included a membership form that was a usual part of the newsletter. It has been omitted because we are attempting to reduce the paperwork in obtaining supporters. In the past, the membership form has come in with letters and at the Annual General Meeting. Nowadays, however, with most monies coming in via cheque (and hopefully we can encourage everyone to contribute that way, even at the AGM), we do have a record of your name and you, in effect, have confirmation that it has been received in your monthly bank statements. This, hopefully, eliminates the need to provide receipts and membership cards to you as we have done in the past. Since UGRA does not have tax-free status and since membership cards do not provide any discounts or “freebies”, they have little value. In effect, all of this reminds us that contributions are voluntary…and necessary.

Once again, our thanks to the many who do help us.