I can't abide fundraisers. That is all. (I'm lying. That's not all.)

[Colleen]

This is a vent, plain and simple. And the vent is, "I hate fundraisers". I'm not talking about raising funds for people truly in need. The other day, someone posted here about a family whose baby daughter was born with a major heart defect. I went to their web site, read about their plight, and via Paypal, made a small donation to help defray their medical expenses. That's one kettle of fish.

 

In the other kettle are the incessant fundraisers that involve people who are perfectly able to pay for their own child's activities. Here's my brilliant thought: We'll pay our way, you pay yours. I'm an across-the-board no to fundraisers kinda gal. So I'm bothered when "friends" (read: acquaintances at best) stop by selling things to raise funds for, say, the football team. The private school football team. The private school that costs a pretty penny. I don't get it. You can pay a bundle to send your kid to the private school but you can't shell out the money for a uniform or what-have-you? Oh, I know. This is supposed to help the kids take ownership of the team. It's supposed to stir up community support. Yada yada yada. And my husband who, having been raised in a small village and suffering from the "I Must Look Good to Others" syndrome, just can't say no. So we fork over money for a card that provides discounts to a myriad of stores ~ which is admittedly better than what's offered through some fundraisers, but I don't go to a single one of these businesses so keep the ding dang card as far as I'm concerned.

 

Ah. That feels better. Pardon me, Susan, for using your bandwidth to denounce fundraisers. I should instead parlay this into a math lesson or some such.:tongue_smilie:

[LauraGB]

:iagree:

 

I have nothing else to add. :)

[RoughCollie]

It is a math lesson, one on money management. Don't buy what you don't use; it is a waste of money that could better be spent on something else.

 

RC

 

I don't go to a single one of these businesses so keep the ding dang card as far as I'm concerned.

 

Ah. That feels better. Pardon me, Susan, for using your bandwidth to denounce fundraisers. I should instead parlay this into a math lesson or some such.:tongue_smilie:

[tibbyl]

Ah, that is a HOT TOPIC for me! We now flatly refuse to participate in school or extracurricular activity fundraising as either a buyer or a seller.

 

We do not ask others to pay for our child's education or sports activities, and we do not wish to be asked to pay for OPK (other people's kids') activities.

 

If I do feel moved to help out, I make out a check marked "charitable contribution" directly to the organization in lieu of buying overpriced junk.

[angela in ohio]

I totally agree.

 

Every time we go to the store, there is some group out front begging for money. This last week it was the most expensive Catholic school in town's team of some sort. I wanted to say, "At least sell some hot dogs or wash a car and make the kids work for it!"

 

Many homeschoolers I know fall into this, too, though... Ugh.

[Vida Winter]

Ah, Colleen, for once we agree on something!

 

~Dana

[Danestress]

I would vote for you.

 

I might even go door to door selling, "Vote for Colleen" buttons. Especially if you picked SWB as your running mate.

[Colleen]

It is a math lesson, one on money management. Don't buy what you don't use; it is a waste of money that could better be spent on something else.

 

Ya know, even if they were selling something I want, I wouldn't buy it. I've made an across-the-board decision not to go in for fundraisers. Hans isn't a soapboxer (thank goodness; one of those in the family is enough;)). He thinks fundraisers are silly, but he'd rather just hand over twenty bucks and get the nice guy award than say no on principle.

[elegantlion]

This is a vent, plain and simple. And the vent is, "I hate fundraisers". I'm not talking about raising funds for people truly in need. The other day, someone posted here about a family whose baby daughter was born with a major heart defect. I went to their web site, read about their plight, and via Paypal, made a small donation to help defray their medical expenses. That's one kettle of fish.

 

In the other kettle are the incessant fundraisers that involve people who are perfectly able to pay for their own child's activities. Here's my brilliant thought: We'll pay our way, you pay yours. I'm an across-the-board no to fundraisers kinda gal. So I'm bothered when "friends" (read: acquaintances at best) stop by selling things to raise funds for, say, the football team. The private school football team. The private school that costs a pretty penny. I don't get it. You can pay a bundle to send your kid to the private school but you can't shell out the money for a uniform or what-have-you? Oh, I know. This is supposed to help the kids take ownership of the team. It's supposed to stir up community support. Yada yada yada. And my husband who, having been raised in a small village and suffering from the "I Must Look Good to Others" syndrome, just can't say no. So we fork over money for a card that provides discounts to a myriad of stores ~ which is admittedly better than what's offered through some fundraisers, but I don't go to a single one of these businesses so keep the ding dang card as far as I'm concerned.

 

Ah. That feels better. Pardon me, Susan, for using your bandwidth to denounce fundraisers. I should instead parlay this into a math lesson or some such.:tongue_smilie:

 

:iagree::iagree: We had ds in private school for prek and Kindergarten. It was endless fundraisers. It was a smaller town and everyone we knew had kids in that school, so there were limited people to hit up for them. It was horrid to explain that to a five year old.

[Jenne]

This is a hot button for me, too. (Even though we do participate in Boy Scout popcorn sales-- because the popcorn is AWESOME!)

 

On our older son's first day of civilian school (he went to DoDDS schools until 5th grade), he came home with a packet of junk to sell. Not realizing exactly how junky that junk was, I bought some, thinking I had gotten my Christmas shopping done. Then the stuff came in, and it was TRASH!

 

We were shocked when we switched him to a Catholic school for high school and they had their hands out as much as the public school did. Every time we turned around, they had something else for DS to sell.

 

On the other hand, our public school did use some of the fundraising money for some technology that would help visual learners, so it's not all bad. And the Boy Scout fund-raising helps support funding boys who otherwise would not be able to afford to be in Boy Scouts.

[JFSinIL]

I have had kids in school off and on - also in Scouts (boy and girl). The only stuff I would let them sell were Girl Scout cookies, since folks actually WANT them around here (looking for a Thin Mint fix!) and spring flowers from boy scouts to the few neighbors who wanted them. We tossed the rest of the many catalogs sent home form school...and do not buy that stuff from the neighbor kids. Now that none of my kids are in Scouts, we do buy our cookies from a neighbor girl.

 

I have helped out at fundraisers for Autism research, but that is event-based, not door-to-door selling.

[RoughCollie]

I don't buy fundraiser items either. Last year, the parochial school my kids went to had lots of fundraisers that were mandatory. We bought all the required stuff ourselves. No way are my kids going to go door-to-door or hit up our relatives and friends for $$. Not even for Girl Scout cookies. I take it back: I will buy those.

 

RC

 

Ya know, even if they were selling something I want, I wouldn't buy it.

[EKS]

I am with you there. One of the reasons I like homeschooling is that we aren't subject to as many fundraisers.

 

For example, the preschool auction each year. I don't have the time, creativity, or desire to put some cute thing together for an auction. I am not the type of person who wants to attend an auction. I don't mind giving money to the school, I just want to write a check and be done with it. When I asked if I could do this I was told no. Grrr! Not only that, why can't they just charge enough tuition to cover the cost of running the school? I mean DUH!

[Tracey in TX]

Remember Nancy Regan's motto:

"Just Say NO!"

 

I have avoided every fundraiser expected of my children to date. I find them to be annoying, needless, and not worthy of the time and effort.

[Jugglin'5]

:iagree: about hating fund raisers, and endorse the "You pay for yours, and I'll pay for mine plan." It has gotten entirely out of hand. I can't go to the grocery store or Walmart without having to tell some kid, "No." It really chaps my hide when it is a public school fund raiser. I feel like I'm already paying taxes for their uniforms, buses, gas, etc. Why do I have to pay for them to go to a big tournament somewhere?

 

My kids are playing basketball for a home school team. We pay for everything. When it comes time for our fund raisers, I just hand the team the required money myself. And no, I don't have a ton of money. I just don't see the point of paying for other kids, and then asking their parents to pay for mine. Of course, I am talking about middle-class parents begging for money here, not underprivileged kids.

 

This will probably offend someone, but kids going on a church skiing trip need to pay for it themselves. I can't take my own kids skiing, and I resent being asked to pay for someone else's kids. Sorry, personal pet peeve.:) Also, I am less likely to resent fund raisers that require actual work on the part of the kids, as opposed to selling candy bars or flower bulbs, thanks.

 

Gee, Colleen, I think you touched a nerve - mine anyway.:D

[StephanieZ]

:iagree::iagree: I hate hate hate them! When I was a Daisy Girl Scout leader of our little homeschool troop, we opted to stay Daisies for a second year (wide age range so we had some lee way) instead of going to Brownies b/c I didn't want to deal with cookies, etc!!! (The Daisies were exempt from the selling requirements.) I happened to move away that summer when we were going up to Brownies, so thankfully I never had to face it. I just dreaded it!

 

I'll buy GS cookies cuz I like them and we've done it every year for my whole life so somehow it just seems right. ;) But that's about it. I hate all that expensive wrapping paper, etc. Besides, it's usually the moms and dads doing the hard work and I *know* most of them would rather hand over an extra $20 than mess around with all that. Yuck yuck yuck.

 

Wowsers, a unanimous roll call thus far!!!! A WTM rarity!

[Confuzzled]

Wow! I didn't know this made so many people angry!

 

My daughter just got her American Heritage Girls fund-raising packet and although I absolutely dread going door-to-door, I really don't have the money to pay the large sum required if she doesn't sell anything. I'm still trying to figure out how to pay for science curriculum.

 

I had always figured that people would just say, "No, thank you." if they weren't interested. It had never occurred to me that people might actually get angry just for being asked.

 

Am I really crossing some type of boundary or being offensive by allowing my daughter to sell Yankee Candles and Butter Braids to pay for her scouting? It would seem that many people think so. :confused:

 

I had never really thought of it like I was "expecting" another child's parents to pay for my daughter's activities. But more like she was selling something that people might actually LIKE to buy and the profit would go toward her AHG troop, rather than to a corporation. That way everybody wins.

 

Hmm... I'm going to have to put some thought into this...

 

Kris

[Vida Winter]

The one reason I haven't put my girls in Scouts since we moved is that I don't want to get involved in the cookie-business again.

 

And when the public school has a Krispy Kreme donut sale for the music program, we buy one box and I quietly donate $50 or so to the cause. With a history of diabetes in my family I don't want to encourage so much sugar.

 

Thankfully there are not many of these types of selling fund raisers out here in the country. Instead they will have a steak dinner/dance fundraiser at the school cafeteria for one cause or another - that I will gladly attend. I'll also gladly donate hours of my time. But to have my kid hit our neighbors up for candy or donuts - no way.

[Sarah CB]

I totally agree. Everytime someone comes to my door fundraising for their activities I feel like saying, sure, I'll contribute to your activity and, funny coincidence, I'm raising money for a new violin and sparring gear for taekwon-do. I just wrote our cheques out for violin for my three boys and it's going to be $369 per month - and that's not including their orchestra class. And as steep as that seems, I wouldn't dream of coming up with a fundraising scheme to help pay for it. That's our responsibility.

[Sarah in FL]

We hit a new low here in Florida a few months back when a young twenty-something woman stopped by to sell magazines as a fundraiser for her HONEYMOON!!! To the Bahamas!:confused: She even had the gall to show me the brochure of the resort they were planning to go to. It seems to me that a real job would be a much easier way to raise the cash, but maybe I'm just old-fashioned.....

[Delighted3]

I would much rather some kid asked me to buy a candle, cards or anything than see a middle class american child out on the street corner begging for money to go on a baseball trip. We live in a very nice area in a large city and about every other Saturday while driving to our local shopping area, there are adults and kids dressed in some sort of uniform standing in the median literally with hats in hand begging for money. I just want to say to the adults involved "Don't you know the precedent you are setting for their lives. If they want something they can't afford, they should expect someone to just give it to them instead of working harder for it. " It is the whole entitlement philosophy. At least by selling something, they are having to put some effort into it. The whole begging thing is a huge pet peeve of mine.

That being said, I never buy anything that will support the public school. They get enough of my money in taxes. I will sometimes buy something if it is for a missions trip or some other activity that I think is beneficial to the child. Sometimes, if I really don't need the item, I will just ask how much they are making on the sale and contribute that amount. I don't allow my children to participate in fundraisers, because then I feel I need to buy things from friends and neighbors if they bought stuff from my kids. So I guess Colleen's suggestion that "You pay for yours, and I'll pay for mine plan." is spot on. Luckily, my husband agrees with me:).

So, while I don't like fundraisers, I usually just say "No, thank you.", but begging makes see red.

Joy

[snickelfritz]

Homeschool choir and support group

:001_huh:

 

Dh has already said that we will buy the minimum ourselves. Luckily, I think it's calendars (Christmas presents) and candles (I'll use those.) I don't know what I would have done if it was a catalog of cheapo kitchen gadgets and decorations (been there, done that, bought it, threw it in the trash.)

[Camy-7 boybarians 1 lady]

M&N returned all of their unsold "Trojan Gold Card" today. LOL. This was a football fundraiser that featured a discount card to local restaurants.

 

M&N literally walked for miles in town from door to door, but very few individuals were willing to fork out $20 to the cause.

 

We also attended a "community football picnic" (really means "fundraiser) for the boys last night. Imagine our large family with multiple small children working the public school crowd...LOL.

 

Can you believe that a woman "my" age came up to me and actually gave me a "high five" for such a "beautiful family", as she said.

 

Okay, it was nice of her, yet it sure did feel strange. I told R that I don't think I've given anyone a "high five" in many years! LOL

[Carol in Cal.]

Overpriced candy and magazines do not float my boat.

 

But, I don't mind straightforward requests for funds, or for attendance at fundraisers.

 

And, I'm happy to help financially with good causes, even though they might not seem so reasonable. For instance, this year my DD's chorus went to a choral festival in Hawaii. This was a significant expense for those involved, and it was not easy for me to justify it. Our family has never gone together on a vacation this expensive, and in a lot of ways it would have been better for us as a family to go on a little trip together (and cheaper!), something that we almost never do.

 

But we had fundraisers for this. They did not lower my family's costs at all. However, they did enable some to go who absolutely could not have made it work financially any other way. I was glad to fundraise so that everyone could go. We have a very diverse group economically, and one of our founding goals was to always be very accessible. Now, there were people who balked at contributing to a trip to Hawaii, at least until they heard that this was mainly for scholarships. And they have every right to do that. But I was happy to help with these fundraisers because they were intended to allow everyone to participate, rather than benefitting an affluent few to do something they would have done anyway.

 

And, having chaperoned on this trip, I can truly say that it was incredibly valuable and that I am more than glad to have provided my DD with this absolutely once in a lifetime opportunity. What an experience.

 

And back to the original comment--I dislike hokey, relatively ineffective fundraisers because they waste time and effort. But I don't truly hate any fundraisers (unless they are downright fraudulent) because I just don't have a hard time saying no, and it doesn't make me feel bad to have to do so.

[chickenpatty]

:iagree:

And I can't abide the fundraisers involving half-nekkid young people holding signs shouting on street corners for you to come to their car wash or buy their shrimp! Seriously, there were kids today standing on the corner, shirtless (except the girl did have a sports bra on:001_huh:), each with a letter of the word "shrimp" painted on their torsos, holding homemade signs with a poem involving the words "pimpin" and "shrimpin".

 

:glare:

[OceanBreeze]

I absolutely refused to let dd go door-to-door in our neighborhood. You know those companies who are providing full-color brochures are making a ton of money off these kids and I find that offensive. I tried to tell her why I was refusing, but unfortunately I was battling "the limo". That's right, biggest seller was promised a limo ride. :001_huh: I was rewarded with a lot of wailing from the poor deprived child. Did I mention I hate fundraisers?

 

Jenelle

[Margo out of lurking]

In a twist on this: I had an 11? yo boy give me the sales pitch for his parents' health food drink? product? as I checked him out of the library last week. (I'm working there part time.) According to his mom, I'm the lucky first person he's asked! I brightly replied something about his parents turning him into such a salesman--and the boy asked me if I wanted more information. I said, "No, but thank you for asking!"

 

His mom then said, "Well, since he's made a contact for you, can I give you my card?" And I again had to say, "No thank you!"

 

I cannot believe the nerve of such people. Standing there behind the library counter, why did *I* feel like the one being held hostage?

[Elaine]

So we fork over money for a card that provides discounts to a myriad of stores ~ which is admittedly better than what's offered through some fundraisers, but I don't go to a single one of these businesses so keep the ding dang card as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

Why don't you just take the book and donate it to someone who does patronize those businesses.

[Melissa in FL]

I agree with the majority here, I don't like fundraisers.

 

If the fundraiser is truly something the child should do, then we are asking children (some really young) to walk up and knock on a strangers door, then ask the stranger for money? That's just wrong and teaches the opposite of what we normally teach children.

 

If the fundraiser is something the parent should take to work and spend all day pestering other employees or (worse) customers, then that's wrong too! That parent is getting paid to be at work, doing work, not hawking something for a fundraiser. It's also teaching children the wrong thing!

 

If the fundraiser is set up outside a store where the children try to sell to everyone walking in and out of the store. Again, it's wrong to go up to strangers to sell one minute and not talk to them another. It's also teaching children to basically disrupt a business and harass people twice! Just not right in My not so humble opinion! BTW, I don't go to businesses who let groups do this all the time. So, it does hurt the business it is set in front of.

 

And the ones who aren't even selling something, but just panhandling money for whatever fundraiser of the day it is? Unless you WANT your child to learn panhandling, it's WAY wrong!

 

My biggest annoyance with all this is: We donate a good portion of our income to charities. We choose to support the United Way, American Cancer Society, and Special Olympics with checks every year. We donate time to the United Way and Habit to Humanity yearly. My husband participates in golf fundraisers which raise a ton of money yearly, usually to individuals with health problems (at these events about 1/2 the money raised comes from raffles and silent auctions (which we always donate to)). We've always bought passes to zoos and local museum to support them. We pay plenty in taxes that help support: public schools, the arts, scientific research, and the list goes on. OK, bear with me, I'm getting to my point:

 

Even though we do all this, I get dirty looks or even rude comments going into and out of the local grocery store because while walking I try to politely avoid eye contact and even then, a child steps in front of me asking me to buy something or just donate money, I kindly say "I'm sorry, I don't have any cash on me". I've gotten the nasty looks and comments from children ages 5-40! Just because I won't pull out money when put on the spot by these people that think they are entitled to it! I'm just sorry, but we have the money to donate to charities we choose because we think out every purchase before we walk in the store! I shop with coupons, only buy what's on sale and on my list, no matter how good those cookies look, and I will not buy from some kid outside a store (or in front of my house) just because he needs money for something!

 

Yeah, I'm thinking this might be a pet peeve of mine.

Rant almost over:

 

 

 

 

 

I had always figured that people would just say, "No, thank you." if they weren't interested. It had never occurred to me that people might actually get angry just for being asked.

 

Hmm... I'm going to have to put some thought into this...

 

Kris

 

Kris, Just so you know, if your children walked up and knocked on my door they would get a polite "No, thank you, good luck though". Even though I don't participate in other people's fundraisers, I would NEVER make a child feel bad or think I'm mad that they came and asked. Unfortunately, I have had a lot of children fundraising who tried to make me feel bad and showed me they were mad when I didn't buy. The worst was someone who actually told me he hoped my house wouldn't burn down. I just smiled and said " I hope so too".

 

OK, now the rant is over! Time for bed!

Melissa

[Kelli in TN]

I like fundraisers where people can come or not. My son's Boy Scout troop does a yearly spaghetti supper and sells tickets. Nobody is hassled and the troop does very well with this tradition. Our county has a "chicken shack" selling bbq chicken at the fair. Once again, nobody is hassled and big bucks are raised for 4H.

 

We do sell BSA popcorn, but only to people who have a history of wanting it.

[Colleen]

I had always figured that people would just say, "No, thank you." if they weren't interested. It had never occurred to me that people might actually get angry just for being asked.

 

I do say, "No, thank you." I certainly don't express anger toward anyone for asking, and I'm sure all who are in agreement with me in this thread can say the same.

 

Am I really crossing some type of boundary or being offensive by allowing my daughter to sell Yankee Candles and Butter Braids to pay for her scouting?

 

I wouldn't say crossing a boundary, but yes, I consider it an imposition.

 

I had never really thought of it like I was "expecting" another child's parents to pay for my daughter's activities. But more like she was selling something that people might actually LIKE to buy and the profit would go toward her AHG troop, rather than to a corporation. That way everybody wins.

 

Yes, I understand what you're saying. Again, I don't want to imply I'm walking around seething with resentment toward people who engage in this sort of fundraising. It goes without saying that there are far bigger fish to fry. Just wanted to get the sentiment off my chest since it isn't something one is going to say outwardly when asked to buy a candle in support of the band trip or whatever.

[Karenciavo]

Me too. Some sports teams require athletes to sell a certain about of something, we just buy it ourselves.

[Colleen]

Why don't you just take the book and donate it to someone who does patronize those businesses.

 

Yes, I realize I can do that.

[Colleen]

I like fundraisers where people can come or not.

 

Yeah, that's got a different feel than the "Will you buy this to help me raise money?" approach.

[Rosy]

Yeah, I think I'm with Kris on this one. We're doing a fundraiser for our co-op and I don't feel bad taking DD door-to-door to sell Entertainment Books. Some people use and love them. Then again, I don't feel bad saying no to the kids who come to my door selling stuff. I don't love doing fundraisers, especially when I was an employee at a private school and was "encouraged" to participate...but I like to support kids who are going on missions trips or working toward something important.

[Soph the vet]

I am totally with you on this, Colleen. I haven't read all the posts but with four pages already you have obviously hit a nerve with many of us. I had a football player come to our door just the other night and I turned down the "card" he was selling. I pay very high property taxes for a very small piece of property, much of which goes to the schools where my dc do not attend as they are home. I pay for all of my dc activities, including sports and related equipment. The school district spends 12 times what I do per student per year. If their athletes still need to go out and do fundraising then I am guessing there is too much money being allocated for administration and not enough for teachers and student activities.

[kaylk in tx]

where instead of doing the fundraiser, you simply "buyout" of it by writing them a check for a certain amount of money, usually $25. i consider the time that would be involved with selling, collecting, and distributing FAR more valuable than $25 so we always do the buyout!

[unsinkable]

Fundraisers I like:

 

Entertainment books (pays for itself)

Chicken dinners (I can't get my chicken to taste like that)

Hot dog & soda (I just get the soda)

Raffles for money (seems like we win a lot)

[VaKim]

I don't like door to door salesmen (or sales-children) any more than I like telemarketers. It's all the same to me. If they want to set up a little booth somewhere, where you can go up and buy if you are interested, that would be fine. But I think this business of pestering people is just rude.

 

And when someone is outside a store, usually right in the pathway in and out, if anybody is interested in what they are selling, they can SEE them there. If they don't look at them, that probably means they are NOT interested, and in that case, to run up to them and ask is even ruder. It is simply to make the person feel guilted into buying whatever it is. Doesn't work on me.

[Danestress]

I don't have a problem with fundraisers that invite people to a venue where they can buy something or eat pancakes or get their car washed. And I don't mind getting letters from people asking for contributions to their mission trips (though I generally don't contribute because I think the populations served would do better to have the money locally instead of having someone's 13 year old travel there). I'm not sure what you are saying your daughter's chorus did to raise money, but I am getting the idea that it wasn't a door to door thing anyway. And I think that's what I have a problem with - having someone come to my door.

 

And really, it doesn't matter how great an opportunity it is or if the child will learn great things and have a once in a lifetime experience. I just personally think it's not something I should be asked to fund for someone else's child. But if the asking is though letters or an event I am invited to, that's fine. I don't feel the pressure. But someone I know coming to my door just seems very intrusive.

 

I sponser a couple of children abroad and also give to hunger relief locally, and maybe I should just prepare myself to make a sales pitch to the people who come to my door. "Yes, you band trip to Disney sounds very exciting. But the child in this photo would really like lunch every day. Maybe you would like to contribute to that. Lunch is good."

 

But with respect to your own situation, I think it's great that your daughter's chorus wanted all kids to get to participate, regardless of their family income. I think that's a really good commitment, and it doesn't sound like your kids were out knocking on doors selling wrapping paper, so please don't be offended by those of us venting about the huge number of children who are being required to do that as school gets underway.

[Guest Jolie]

I hate fundraisers of any kind, whether it's door-to-door, in front of the grocery store, or by letter or phone. I think it's obnoxious to presume that I want to support your (general) sports or other activity, trip, charity or cause. I have my own family's activities and trips, well-chosen charities and causes to support, tyvm.

[Happy]

I have mixed feelings about fund raisers. I, too, hate the cheap junk programs that most schools, scouts, and some athletic programs promote. The companies who provide those tacky gifts or unusable cards are making a bundle. I prefer homemade fund raisers.

 

I love it when my neighbor's kid asks me to buy flats of annuals from a local grower each spring to support his baseball habit. I buy annuals anyway, and this way his team gets to benefit.

 

My son's high school youth group did enough fund raising in the form of letters, silent auction, spaghetti supper, garage sale, and old fashioned work to pay for twenty people to go to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip this summer. The team building aspect was important as they all had to work on as many of the projects as possible.

 

That kind of fund raising is valuable in teaching the kiddoes to work towards a goal, instead of having mommy and daddy fork over a check for them.

 

My son also plays baseball for a homeschool varsity level league. There are parents in that group who cannot afford the dollars necessary for their son to participate. If we do team fund raising events like a car wash or 100 inning game, the total cost to everyone gets more reasonable. Then, those folks can afford it as well.

 

The idea of fund raisers is a good one. Let the KIDS earn the dollars with some effort of their own. I started my love of sales going door to door as a Girl Scout cookie gal.

 

The idea is to learn to earn your own way.

[fivetails]

I don't mind fundraisers usually, so long as the sellers can politely accept a "no thank you" if I'm not interested in what they're selling/doing. :)

 

When dd11 was in Girl Guides 2 years ago, they did the cookie sales - they'd do a "together" day where they'd all meet and sell in a neighbourhood (I think they call that a 'cookie blitz') and another where they'd sell from a table in the mall, plus the girls were supposed to sell some on their own.... For her own cookies, my best friend/cousin (he's both) took her to his workplace at the time and - boom, every last box of cookies sold. Not one of those big tough truck mechanic guys could say no to a cute little girl with cookies. :D

[CAMom]

This is a vent, plain and simple. And the vent is, "I hate fundraisers". I'm not talking about raising funds for people truly in need. The other day, someone posted here about a family whose baby daughter was born with a major heart defect. I went to their web site, read about their plight, and via Paypal, made a small donation to help defray their medical expenses. That's one kettle of fish.

 

 

 

:iagree: with your post Colleen.

 

I just wanted to thank you for donating to the above mentioned cause. Four years ago (on Sept. 17th), I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who had a major heart defect. Our insurance covered almost nothing. Her bills totalled over $1 million for the six weeks she spent in the hospital before her passing. Friends of ours had a fundraiser and people from all over the country contributed money to our cause.

 

That money paid almost the exact amount of expenses we incurred that were not covered by the state for our daughter.

 

You did a wonderful thing.:grouphug:

[Colleen]

I just wanted to thank you for donating to the above mentioned cause. Four years ago (on Sept. 17th), I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who had a major heart defect. Our insurance covered almost nothing. Her bills totalled over $1 million for the six weeks she spent in the hospital before her passing. Friends of ours had a fundraiser and people from all over the country contributed money to our cause. That money paid almost the exact amount of expenses we incurred that were not covered by the state for our daughter.

 

I am so sorry about your baby girl. I can not even imagine, in the midst of such grief, to have to also face financial burdens. One blessing of this crazy World Wide Web is the ease with which we can support one another not only through words, but by putting our money where our mouth is, when we're so led. It took me all of two minutes to put a penny in the pot, so to speak. So little time and effort on my part, and not a major chunk of change, but collectively, it does add up. That's my thought, and I'm glad to hear you were blessed by your friends' fundraiser. Hugs to you.

[Carol in Cal.]

I don't have a problem with fundraisers that invite people to a venue where they can buy something or eat pancakes or get their car washed. And I don't mind getting letters from people asking for contributions to their mission trips (though I generally don't contribute because I think the populations served would do better to have the money locally instead of having someone's 13 year old travel there). I'm not sure what you are saying your daughter's chorus did to raise money, but I am getting the idea that it wasn't a door to door thing anyway. And I think that's what I have a problem with - having someone come to my door.

 

And really, it doesn't matter how great an opportunity it is or if the child will learn great things and have a once in a lifetime experience. I just personally think it's not something I should be asked to fund for someone else's child. But if the asking is though letters or an event I am invited to, that's fine. I don't feel the pressure. But someone I know coming to my door just seems very intrusive.

 

I sponser a couple of children abroad and also give to hunger relief locally, and maybe I should just prepare myself to make a sales pitch to the people who come to my door. "Yes, you band trip to Disney sounds very exciting. But the child in this photo would really like lunch every day. Maybe you would like to contribute to that. Lunch is good."

 

But with respect to your own situation, I think it's great that your daughter's chorus wanted all kids to get to participate, regardless of their family income. I think that's a really good commitment, and it doesn't sound like your kids were out knocking on doors selling wrapping paper, so please don't be offended by those of us venting about the huge number of children who are being required to do that as school gets underway.

 

The fundraising that we did was to organize and sponsor an E-waste drive, and then there was a walk-a-thon. And, yes, knocking on doors is a non-starter with me, for sure.