The Technical Search and Rescue Association is hoping for a strong finish to their combined fundraising efforts in 2020. While the initial hope was to raise $20,000, the team is now hoping to finish up with $15,000 in ticket sales after a COVID-19 slowed summer season.
Fundraising Director Bailey Randolph says she worries about the organization’s ability to fund training new volunteers and obtaining new equipment as the year moves forward.
“Our [original] goal was $20,000, hoping to put everything towards a new med skid and new lifesaving equipment,” she says. “We’re really just trying to push the last nine days and try to bring awareness to our group.”
The raffle usually generates approximately one-quarter of the funds raised every year for the team. Randolph adds their current pool allots Technical Search & Rescue almost the necessary funds for their new skid, and if there is any leftover, it will be put towards equipment for their water rescue teams.
Another blow to the team’s fundraising capabilities came from the inability to run their annual golf tournament. Randolf says despite the hits to their funding, the team is as busy as ever.
“With everyone being cooped up and not being able to travel this summer, people are staying closer to home and they’re enjoying the great outdoors but that’s also caused an uptake in the amount of calls for us,” she says.
“We’ve been so busy over the last couple months with calls of overdue boaters and people missing on the river. We’re being utilized more and more so it’s very important that we be able to keep purchasing the lifesaving equipment that can help people come home and help keep training our volunteers.”
The deadline for the raffle is August 30th. More information is available on the Technical Search and Rescue website.