MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Marines, Sailors and family members of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar collectively contributed to a significant increase in this year’s Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society donations.
The annual NMCRS fund drive, which is the official time of the year when the society actively seeks out donations from active-duty Marines and Sailors, raised $9.1 million across the world this year. The 3rd MAW and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar combined contribution increased by 60 percent to $210,000 in 2015.
According to the 3rd MAW Commanding General Mike Rocco, the key to this uptick was the effort of the 3rd MAW NMCRS fund drive representative. Capt. Eric Meyers, an anti-terrorism force protection officer with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3 and a Utica, New York, native approached this year’s fund requests a bit differently.
“I think we tried something new,” said Meyers. “Before, there had just been an online notice and we had looked for donations that way. I think the person-to-person contact we utilized was a lot more effective than the Internet just asking for the one-time [donation] that people may not even see.”
The 3rd MAW commanding general expressed his appreciation by awarding Meyers the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, June 5. His efforts boosting the wing’s donations made it one of only two subareas in the world to see a rise in contributions compared to last year.
“People look at a nonprofit and think they can just go out and do the good work they do,” said Meyers. “That money has to come from somewhere. The NMCRS gets the majority of it’s funding from the enlisted Marines and young officers, and it just turns it around to help those young Marines and officers. If we don’t continue to get out there and gain contributions, eventually that well runs dry and the relief society loses their ability to help those people.”
For more information on how to donate to or apply for assistance from the Navy- Marine Corps Relief Society, visit the organization’s website at www.NMCRS.org.