WHY DOES THE ALUMNAE SEND NEWSLETTER BY FIRST CLASS MAIL and not by BULK MAIL, which would be cheaper?

MANY years ago we gave up BULK MAILING for several reasons, among them:

1) Two of the three newsletters are time-critical (The October issue is sent 4 weeks before the annual Mass and event and has a reservation form for the meal, and the March issue is sent 4 weeks before the Fundraiser and contains the raffle tickets.) With bulk mailing we cannot be sure they arrive in a timely fashion... it gets delivered whenever the local carrier has a "lighter load."

2) With first class mail and the "Return Service Requested" notice below our return address, we get all mail to be forwarded BACK to us with the correct address. This way we do not lose the information. If it were not first class, it does not get forwarded, and in addition, we would never get the new information. At least 50-70 change of addresses happen with each mailing. People are very poor in contacting the Alumnae Office with a change of address on their own.

3) Sorting for a bulk mailing is a PAIN!!! It has to go out from one point, all in one mailing, and sorted by ZIP code. The system to get the mailing ready has been developed over a number of years and involves volunteers. The first crew packages newsletters, stamps and labels in groups of 100, and other volunteers take one or two bundles to do that day or the next couple of days.... and they can pop the finished group into any mailbox, and out they go without hassle.