When we started our in-depth examination of RheumPAC in 2016, we heard one comment over and over again: ACR and ARHP members did not know enough about RheumPAC. In response, we have increased the amount of information we share with the membership by:
- Creating educational documents and posting them online;
- Implementing quarterly fundraising campaigns to maintain an optimal awareness level; and
- Increasing transparency by posting our supported-candidates list online.
All of this information is available on the RheumPAC website. And if our 2017 first-quarter numbers are any indication, we’ve successfully responded to members’ needs.
Voices Needed
Our first-quarter campaign theme this year was Power in Numbers. The fact is that a PAC is only as impactful as the investors it represents. In the past, RheumPAC has raised most of its funds at the very end of the year, which hindered the PAC’s impact. In the first quarter of 2017, we sent out the message that even if you plan to invest more later, you should also invest something now. RheumPAC is not just money, it is voices, and we need as many voices as possible to advocate for our policy priorities in this political environment.
A Note of Thanks
In the first quarter of this year, 95 ACR and ARHP members have invested $37,620 in RheumPAC, and we have 14 major investors ($1,000+) to thank. At the same point in 2016, we had raised only $16,000 from 52 investors. We had only seven major investors at this point last year. That’s right: RheumPAC has more than doubled the dollars raised, doubled our major investors and almost doubled the total investors compared with this time last year. Thank you to those who gave big and those who gave early:
Leadership Circle ($2,000+)
Jody Hargrove, MD
Karen Kolba, MD
Sharad Lakhanpal, MD
Gwenesta Melton, MD
Ellison Smith, MD
Angus Worthing, MD
Grace Wright, MD
Platinum ($1,000–2,000)
Gary Bryant, MD
Edward Herzig, MD
Joseph Huffstutter, MD
Kent Kwas Huston, MD
Joseph Lemmer, MD
William Robinson, MD, PhD
Raymond Scalettar, MD, DSc
RheumPAC is going to keep fighting for the interests of our specialty in the medical policy arena. If you have not yet done so, we hope you will donate soon.