November-December 2010

Annual Update wrap-up and other news

Jennifer Vitera

TDCAF Development Director in Austin

Thank you to all of our Advisory Committee members who attended the Foundation meeting in South Padre—we appreciate your continued support. We had a great meeting thanks to your input and leadership, and a lot of great ideas came out of it. We will be in touch soon to follow up over the next few months.

   And the winner of the iPad raffle is … Todd Smith, chief investigator in the Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. Congratulations! A big thank you to all the conference attendees who purchased an iPad raffle ticket in support of the Foundation. We raised close to $1,000 for TDCAF.

   Also, I want to thank the following folks for going out of their way to set up TDCAF introduction meetings in their area over the last few months:  Bobby Bland, Yolanda de Leon, Knox Fitzpatrick, Judge Gerald Goodwin, Clyde Herrington, Ed Jones, Judge Susan Reed, and Julie Renken.

Year-end giving

Please consider making a year-end gift to the 2010 Annual Campaign. The Foundation needs your support! (Go to www.tdcaf.org to make a contribution; we’ve even included a return envelope in this issue for your convenience.) For many members and friends of TDCAA, the end of the year is a traditional time for giving, and the Foundation’s fiscal year ends December 31 so you still have time to donate. Gifts to TDCAF not only provide important support for TDCAA programs, but they also yield significant tax savings. Make your gift by December 31 to receive a tax break when you itemize deductions on your 2010 tax return.

      Thank you to all of our donors and volunteers who have made this year so successful. We still have time to exceed our fundraising goals for the year with your support!

Last reminder for the Annual Campaign

This is the last reminder regarding the two fundraising goals for our membership groups: one for elected prosecutors, and one for investigators, key personnel, and victim assistants. This year we are asking all elected prosecutors to coordinate with prosecutors in their office to raise $500 in unrestricted funds for the Annual Campaign. If all 332 prosecutors donate at this level, the foundation will receive $166,000 in unrestricted funds.

    The second fundraising goal involves three of our membership groups (investigators, key personnel, and victim assistance coordinators) who have challenged each other in their fundraising. So far, the investigators are leading the way in the 2010 Annual Campaign Challenge. The Foundation will host a reception for the winning membership group at its scheduled conference in 2011 (Investigator School or the Key Personnel and Victim Services Coordinator Seminar). The winning group will also receive an engraved plaque to be presented at the 2011 Annual Criminal & Civil Law Update, along with recognition in the Prosecutor journal and on the TDCAF website. Remember, any amount you give is appreciated.

   If you have contacts within your community who would like to learn more about the Foundation, please call me at 512/474-2436.

DWI Summit coming up November 12!

TDCAA, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., and the Foundation, is proud to offer Guarding Texas Roadways, our 2010 DWI Summit, which will be broadcast over the Busch Satellite Network to 31 Texas cities (and two other states) on November 12. Register online at www.tdcaa.com.

    And thank you to our DWI Summit sponsors!