“The greatest oak was once just a little nut that held its ground” is the motto of Northeast COMBAT Consumers Of Maine Bringing Action Together, believed to be the oldest consumer advocacy group of its type in the United States. Since this column is about consumer information and COMBAT is Maine’s consumer organization, news about us is … well … news. And boy do we have some!

For 32 years, COMBAT has helped Maine consumers who have been cheated, misled or ignored by out-of-state companies. Where government agencies with ample budgets have failed to obtain justice for a wronged Maine consumer, little grassroots COMBAT with its meager $20,000 budget and unpaid volunteer staff has often succeeded, returning millions of dollars in cash, merchandise and services to Maine pockets.

COMBAT organizers credit their success to two factors: their belief that every individual counts, and tenacity. While government agencies often quit if a company does not reply voluntarily, COMBAT seldom gives up. COMBAT representatives often describe themselves as “pit bulls for justice, fairness, and accountability.”

That tenacity has helped tens of thousands of Maine consumers even though COMBAT receives no state, federal or United Way funding and pays its own way through memberships, tax deductible donations, appropriations from a smattering of Maine towns, user fees, program income and events such as yard sales, bake sales and raffles.

But in 1999 it became apparent that COMBAT’s overwhelmed volunteer staff could not cope with the rapidly growing number of Maine consumers being victimized by increasingly numerous and sophisticated scams. As thousands more streamed to the Internet, where virtually no protections exist, the problem was getting worse.

So COMBAT set out on its first ever major fund drive, aimed at raising $1.1 million to build its capacity to help more people while paying its own way. But a depressed economy, competition from an unusual number of fund drives, the effects of 9-11, and the worst fund-raising environment in decades made success unlikely.

That is where tenacity again proved to be COMBAT’s greatest asset. Realizing it would be virtually impossible for a small nonprofit to raise $1 million in 18 months, the COMBAT volunteers hunkered down for a long struggle. It has taken five difficult years to accomplish what they hoped to achieve in two, but thanks to hundreds of generous donors and a tenacious resolve to succeed, COMBAT has raised $263,000 in cash and in-kind contributions of goods and services valued at $500,000.

But now COMBAT and Maine consumers face their biggest challenge ever. Since 1999, online shopping has exploded, with the number of Internet shoppers over 65 increasing by 47 percent. Much as they have always been targets for mail-order and telemarketing schemes, greater numbers of Maine’s oldest citizens are being targeted for fraud and deception on the Internet. So while COMBAT’s aim is to expand its capacity to serve all Maine consumers, their focus will turn to the age group most at risk and vulnerable, our seniors.

Tenacity and perseverance have made possible COMBAT’s countless achievements on behalf of Maine consumers, but tenacity doesn’t pay the bills. COMBAT must put fund raising behind it so the organization may concentrate on job No. 1 – helping people – so a committee has been formed to raise the $337,000 needed to support COMBAT’s resolve.

To underscore the importance of COMBAT’s work and encourage individuals and companies to give generously, Gov. John Baldacci has volunteered to serve as honorary chairman. COMBAT is thankful for the governor’s support. Now the “little nut that held its ground” places its destiny in the hands of those it has served loyally for three decades, the consumers of Maine.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT-Maine Center for the Public Interest, Maine’s membership-funded nonprofit consumer organization. Individual membership $25, business rates start at $125 (0-10 employees). For help and information write: Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.