Final Draft story 3

Slug – Canvassers

 

Reported by – Jon Tattum

 

Proposed Headline – Canvassing from Canvassers perspectives

 

Blurb – Canvassers talk about the successes and drawbacks of canvassing.

 

“Hey do you have a minute for the environment?” Unless you turn up the volume on your I-pod, you probably hear these words often while on campus. Mark Severy, a 25-year-old canvasser for Environment Colorado, says he is used to being avoided.

 

“It’s a good day when you’re out here for like five hours talking to between 35 and 40 kids” Severy said.

 

Of these people, Severy predicts that around 15 to 20 percent of them donate money.

 

According to Jacey Dapper, a 22-year-old who also canvasses for Environment Colorado, the amount of people Severy talks to during a shift is pretty average.

 

“Around 40 people stop, about five or six of them become members and around 15 of them sign postcard petitions,” Dapper said.

 

The postcard petitions are sent to the state legislature to try and increase awareness of a cause.

 

According to its Web site, Environment Colorado’s cause is to focus “exclusively on protecting Colorado’s air, water and open spaces.” Mike Severy said environmental issues made him want to become a canvasser.

 

“What first drew me into working with the organization was to work on energy and preservation energies,” Severy said. “But I do enjoy canvassing on gay rights or other social issues as well.”

 

Severy canvasses in different towns including Fort Collins and Breckenridge. He said the average donation doesn’t vary from town to town.

 

“The average monthly contribution is about $15 a month” Severy said. “On one-time contributions, the average is usually about $35 to $40.”

 

This average can change due to bad weather, which tends to put people in bad moods, Severy said. Sometimes however, people will be rude despite the weather.

 

“Sometimes people will be like, ‘haha this guy’s like trying to get money for a cause and is trying to sap all of the funds of the people’” Severy said.

 

Severy said these comments are normally said quietly.

 

“For the most part, the good thing is that they just keep walking” Severy said.

 

Word Count – 333

 

Sources – Mark Severy, 25. Jacey Dapper, 22.