To: Missouri Association of REALTORS® Membership
Re: The Center for Education and Private Enterprise (CEPE)
From: The CENTER Trustees and MAR Leadership
MAR’sCENTER for Education & Private Enterprise(the CENTER) is a not-for-profit foundation established in 1959 to provide consumer and business education to the youth and citizens of Missouri.
The CENTER is an important part of the Missouri Association of REALTORS® and its thirty-seven local Boards, and many members volunteer to support its programs.
The CENTER has traditionally had two very important high school outreach programs: MISSOURI BUSINESS WEEK and the education program "It's Your Move." More information on the programs can be found at http://www.missourirealtor.org/content/TheCenter.htm
The CENTER is funded with member dues, check-off donations, association fundraisers, member direct support and outside support. In the past few years with changes in the economy and decreased membership, funding for the CENTER has been dwindling and unfortunately changes in programming and support are needed. Consequently, the CENTER Trustees met in January and made a decision to suspend programming for the 2010 calendar year. They are focusing on rebuilding donations and support and have employed a fundraising firm to assist with fundraising efforts and look for new opportunities.
The Missouri Association of REALTORS® is proud to have a non-profit entity to support education regarding property ownership in Missouri. However, we need your help and support to continue the mission of the CENTER.
While many of our members and local boards/associations have held fundraisers for specific CENTER programs, today we need donations that support the CENTER as a whole. As a result current and relevant programming that reaches the most people and provides the best benefit to the association can be developed.
What can you do? Continue to support the CENTER, encourage your local associations to host CENTER fundraisers, and volunteer your time. We will continue to provide you with progress updates so that you are aware of the status of all the fundraising efforts.
We hope you will understand that the Trustees are committed to making the best decisions for the CENTER and to be fiscally responsible for your donations and your dues dollars. We value your input and if we can answer any questions please contact any member of the CENTER Trustees or the MAR Leadership Team.
More information about the CENTER and financial reports of the past 5 years can be found on our website (click here).
We appreciate your support and attention.
Sincerely,
Gay Lynne Dawson Elizabeth Mendenhall R. Dennis McClelland
CENTER Trustees President 2010 MAR President CEO/EVP MAR
2/11/10