Local 311 Charities
P.O. Box 46201
Madison, WI 53744
Madison firefighters have a long history of
helping with many charitable causes. After the "bus fire" of April 19,
1998, Local 311 members coordinated an unprecedented community-wide response, by
hosting a day of food and music and public gathering at Elver Park. We
raised over $220,000 for the victims of that fire.
Recognizing the need for a vehicle to organize
and manage that level of charitable activity, President Conway appointed an ad
hoc committee (Beth Rissler, Tim Healy, Mike Dirienzo and Bruce Hill) to proceed
toward 501 (c)3 non-profit status. In the following fifteen months they
worked with Attorney Bob Kelly, to draft a Trust document. Exercising that
agreement on September 3, 1998 created Local 311 Charitable Trust.
The Committee, now Trustees, filed for an IRS
determination of 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, as an organization formed for
"general charitable purposes." We received that recognition on May 7,
1999. We were registered with the State of Wisconsin as a Charitable
Organization September 13, 2000. This process cost roughly $2500 for
attorney and filing fees, which came from some proceeds of the 1998 golf outing,
and full transfer of the Charity Account of Local 311.
Members of the Trust elect five Trustees, for
staggered five-year terms. Membership is available to current or former
members of Local 311, who contribute to the Trust, at an established minimum
level. Trustees are charged with operating the Trust within the rules of
the IRS and according to the Trust document.
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