Return to Sender

My stash of return address labels

9/26/12

Tucked in the corner of my desk is a thick stack of return address labels that seems to grow faster than a pesky earlobe hair.  All of these address labels are "gifts" courtesy of non-profit organizations who enclosed them along with their letter pleading for my financial support.  Who dares to say no to writing a check to St. Jude Children's Hospital after receiving some handy fall-themed return address labels?  A heartless jerk, that's who.  Today, the March of Dimes mailed me another sheet of labels...which this heartless jerk sent straight to the trash.  Why?  Well, I have more of these labels than I'll ever need seeing as I only mail about one thing each month.  Fifteen years ago, it was a different story: I mailed bills, cards, and even letters (remember those?).  Times have changed, and I wish non-profits would rethink wasting their precious resources on printing and mailing address labels that no one needs, wants, or uses.  There has to be another way.  Maybe it's time to go back to another old solicitation strategy: mail a donation letter along with a shiny new nickle.  It just might work.