This Holiday Season Remember the Bill Collins Fund

Our Union does so many things. Certainly, the power of our working together provides us ways to help us all face the challenges we all share as being musicians, not the least of which is helping each other out when times get rough. This is what the Bill Collins Benefit Fund is all about.

It was the Bill Collins Benefit Fund which helped us to get a start on putting together the DFW Musicians Covid Relief Fund in 2020, which ultimately provided distributions of over $140,000 to our musicians in need during the Pandemic. And in that spirit I remind you today that the Bill Collins Benefit Fund is still an important resource for our musicians in crisis.

Certainly, musicians can be the most vulnerable people in the world when health crises occur. Even a short illness can cost a musician critical income beyond the actual costs of health care, and many Local 72-147 musicians have benefited from assistance from the Bill Collins Benefit Fund at just these difficult times.

So I have two asks today. The first is to let us know if someone needs help. If you know of one of our members who is struggling with a health or disability crisis, call the union office and let us know.

Please let us Know if You Know a Member Who Needs Assistance

My second request is a consideration of support of this important resource. The Bill Collins Fund is maintained by donations from individuals. Please consider making a donation to ensure that we are in a place to provide assistance when a musician is in need. It is an important arm of support basic to our union family. Simply prepare a check of any amount payable to the Bill Collins Benefit Fund and mail to the Local 72-147 offices. 100% of the donations in support of the fund go directly to assistance payments. If you wish to make a specific donation for a member in need, we will be pleased to honor that as well.

Consider Making a Donation to the Fund

The Fund was begun by Bill Collins III in memory of his Dad, member Bill Collins, Jr., to aid sick, injured and disabled Union members in financial distress. I especially want to express my appreciation to Bill for getting the fund started, and for his unflagging support of it ever since.

And to everyone who has contributed, my sincerest thank you. For a complete list of donors to the Fund, please click HERE.

There may also be help available from the AFM’s Lester Petrillo Memorial Fund.  Established by former International President James Petrillo in honor of his son, the fund provides financial aid to qualified applicants on an emergency basis. The trustees have complete discretion in determining the eligibility and the amount of the benefit, but you must be either physically or mentally disabled (as that term is defined by the trustees) and a member of the AFM in good standing. If you want to apply for assistance, call the office, and we can get you an application, and help you apply.

Help us help your colleagues in a meaningful way.

I wish you all the happiest, and healthiest of holiday seasons.