Support for The TECHE Project—GIVING TUESDAY

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Greetings to our friends, members, and supporters,

Next Tuesday, November 28, is recognized as #GivingTuesday—a special day for giving to charitable foundations and non-profit organizations such as The TECHE Project.

All donations will be MATCHED dollar for dollar up to $5,000!

*Expires December 31, 2017

Many of you have recently received a letter request from me urging your support.  The contributions we’ve received in the last week alone suggest just how relevant the programs of our organization are to the people who feel the Bayou Teche is so special and important.

The Bayou Teche is Louisiana’s most historic bayou.  It is also the only nationally-designated Water Trail in Louisiana—one of only 22 such national treasurers designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

But I suspect you know this already and appreciate how much the Bayou Teche means to the thousands of people who live nearby and in the 15 communities along the Teche.  I know you get it because you’ve supported The TECHE Project—the volunteer-based, non-profit stewardship and management organization for the Trail.  And, thank you very much for your support.

Here are several apparent good trends for the Bayou Teche:

  • Use and appreciation of the benefits of the Bayou Teche and the National Water Trail designation are growing.
  • More and more communities and businesses are realizing the varied benefits of the Teche.
  • More projects to improve accessibility and information delivery are in the works.

Downward (not so good) trends:

  • The availability of public funding to develop recreation amenities and program services is dropping very fast and the future of state and federal support is all in doubt.
  • The operating budget of The TECHE Project is under rapidly emerging challenges to meet the ongoing and new demands for services provided by The TECHE Project.

As you can see, trend lines are moving in two diverse directions.

More than ever, The TECHE Project needs your financial support.  In the next two years, we plan to launch more floating docks; install informative “orientation kiosks”; publish a new paddle trail guide, and expand our educational programs.

In other words, your support and our efforts to enrich the resources of the Teche, help people explore its wonders, and assist communities to embrace all that our wonderful bayou offers.

Ways in which you can manifest your financial support for The TECHE Project include:  

  • Consider moving up a membership level, i.e. single to family if appropriate.
  • Make sure your membership is renewed and up-to-date.
  • During the holiday season give your friends, business associates or employees gift memberships.
  • We now have five new one-time donation levels ranging from $101 all the way to $5,000+.  Consider an end of the tax year donation which is tax deductible!
  • We have unique merchandise exclusive to The TECHE Project—more holiday gift giving opportunities.
  • Take advantage of a special opportunity provided by AmazonSmile where Amazon donates 0.5% of your entire purchase to The TECHE Project.  Think about this for your holiday gift shopping!
  • Incorporate The TECHE Project in your long-range estate planning with the help of lawyers for estate planning.  

For the members of The TECHE Project Council and our affiliates, I urge you to take advantage of these opportunities.  Your support is needed as much as ever.  And Giving Tuesday is the perfect day for you to go to our website and go above and beyond your current level of support for The Teche Project. You can also take advice from experts for estate planning for children, an teach them the basics. But make sure to contact lawyers from a reputed law firm like The Hatchett Law Firm – Estate Planning Law Firm for legal advice and plan your estate efficiently.

Above all, we wish you the very best for the rest of 2017 and the new year.

Sincerely,

Conni Castile, Executive Director