
- 2-1.A.S. Newsletter, October 1967 
PUBLICITY: To create a new image of the Lllinois Audubon Society, with the aid 
of two volunteer "press secretaries", we issue at least six publicity releases 
each year to almost 200 newspapers and radio stations in Illinois, The subjects 
range from hawk and owl protection, to the prairie chicken campaign and to water 
pollution and highway litter. We have spent almost $200 a year on this phase of 
our educational program, Our purchase of the great CBS film ("Silent Spring of 
Rachel Carson") cost the Society $250. 
LONG RANGE: Over a year ago, the Board of Directors established a "Committee on 
Long-Range Goals" to study in depth some cf the administrative problems of our 
Society and to seek new directions, Some interesting facts were uncovered: 
We learned that though the Society has barely balanced its books in recent 
years, it was costing $6,32 to service each member; that mre than 50% of the 
membership were paying the mere $3.00 minimum dues; that of all the major state 
societies in the nation, the dues of the IAS were the lowest. We learned that 
it would be impossible to create and fund new and vigorous programs or even pay 
for the present ones, unless our dues structure was brought into line with reality. 
We have no paid staff, nor have we had one in 70 years. We have no office, 
nor have we bad one in 70 years, Over 2500 pieces of mail go out from the Office 
of President annually; the Editors are not paid as they are in some states; one 
of our Regional Secretaries devotes an abnormal amount of time to keeping our 
stencils in shape - each mailing to our membership takes 8 to 10 hours. We have 
to mail the BULLETIN and the NEWSLETTER quarterly. There is a membership dues 
mailing, an annual meeting notice, the appeal for Prairie Chicken funds, and a 
mailing of the wildlife films announcement, and a minimum of 12 membership-wide 
mailings, plus incidentals, Membership dues have been held down only because of 
donation of vast volunteer hours, 
DUES: By unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, and effective immediately, the 
new dues structure for the Illinois Audubon Society will be Active, $5; Husband 
and Wife (Family), $7.50; Contributing, $10.00; Sustaining, $25.00; Life, $100.00. 
A library or school subscription to the BULLETIN and NEWSLETTER will be $3.00. The 
new Family membership has been established in answer to several requests, Since 
the IAS has long accepted new memberships for the following year each September, 
the new dues wit be Bktespive immediately, This will, of course, include any 
renewals, Many Lif, have's minimum member's dues of $10 a year, and we hope that 
many JAS members will place eenaleee in that category. The famed naturalist, 
Richard Pough, feels that every American should contribute at least $25.00 annually 
to outdoor conservation, dividing it among. qational, state and local organizations 
such as Audubon clubs, 
The dues of our Affiliates have now been set at $15.00 annually. Our Committee 
on Long-Range Goals has found that the former dues of $5.00 was wholly inadequate 
to pay for postage, publications, special mailings, special notices, and handout 
literature, Some clubs have felt that they were making a "donation" to IAS, but 
this is hardly the case, In other states, local clubs have contributed and raised 
from $25.00 to $450.00 annually to aid the educational program of a state organization 
EARNEST: The conservation of wildlife and the preservation of natural environment 
has become one of the most important issues of our time. Unless the world is made 
safe for wildlife, it will not be fit for human beings, We need clean water; clean 
air to breathe; erosion-free land, and forests, rivers, and prairies and marshes 
for recreation and education. As we face our Diamond Anniversary, the officers 
and directors pledge to work towards those goals, and thus help "save the land 
and water we love." We urge your strong support. 
- Raymond Mostek, President, 

