Am I just old-fashioned/a "square/etc or is this normal these days?

[elegantlion]

It does sound like a liquor store donated a bunch. I also find it a bit odd (currently drinking an Aldi's Hard Seltzer) because as noted a wagon full of alcohol is way more than a wine basket. I dislike most fundraisers anyway, but find this odd. I would presume that most people are burnt out on fundraisers - I don't need more trash bags, cookies, or chocolate - so this is innovative at least. My hope is that parents who objected would be allowed other options without judgement, not only because of possible addiction issue triggers but for religious reasons too. 

[Melissa Louise]

6 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

What is socially irresponsible about consuming alcohol from a booze wagon. No one is going to see that booze wagon and think 'man the winner of that is really gonna get sh** faced.' and if they do then that is only a judgment on how they view people owning a lot of booze.  

I would look at a wagon like that and think, 'fantastic I'll have alcohol for the whole summer' knowing my family comes over every Sunday and we like having a few drinks then.

It's ok, I have different feelings about it. We can agree to disagree. 

[JustEm]

8 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

It's ok, I have different feelings about it. We can agree to disagree. 

Of course that is ok.  I was simply asking a question.  Just trying to understand why you feel it is socially irresponsible.  But I can respect you just want to share your opinion and not discuss it. That's cool with me.

[Melissa Louise]

2 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

Of course that is ok.  I was simply asking a question.  Just trying to understand why you feel it is socially irresponsible.  But I can respect you just want to share your opinion and not discuss it. That's cool with me.

Honestly, I just don't want to keep talking about booze. My fault for getting in the discussion in the first place. 

[JustEm]

Just now, Melissa Louise said:

Honestly, I just don't want to keep talking about booze. My fault for getting in the discussion in the first place. 

makes sense

[Megbo]

It doesn't seem odd to me, but I can see how it would!

When I was growing up in the 90's, our sports teams regularly held raffles for beer donated by local breweries, where some of the fathers worked. In those days, we also held dances as fundraisers and alcohol was served (by adults to adults). With my own kids, the only time I remember a fundraiser including alcohol was at a silent auction. One (or maybe two?) of the auction items included a bottle of wine, but there were plenty of other items to choose from and I'm sure none of the kids even noticed. 

[BlsdMama]

Our local (animal) feed shop has a coloring contest every year - Candy for kids and liquor for adults. I found it amusing but it’s not the same thing. Little Jonny excitedly peddling raffle tickets to his family because liquor is the prize does seem a little off to me.... and I have no issue with social drinking. 

[whitestavern]

I've seen this done a lot in our area, but at adult-only events in support of a particular sports team. Kind of weird if an under age person were selling it, but if it's just the parents, I'd be okay with it. Liquor fundraisers bring in a LOT of money. 

[marbel]

My first thought was that it's kinda weird, because of the link with a kids' activity. But my second though was remembering all the church picnics I attended at which cases of beer and other alcohol were raffled off. Kids weren't selling the tickets, so it's not really related to the topic. Those did bring in a lot of $$. 

I think for me the difference is if kids are selling the tickets. It's an emotional response on my part, but I think it seems wrong to have kids selling the raffle tickets for booze - even though they are not handling it themselves. And in my mind, there is something slightly unsavory in the image of a wagon full of liquor bottles - again, it's an emotional response, so I can't explain it in a logical way. 

I grew up around adults who consumed alcohol mostly responsibly (there were some exceptions) and my husband, kids, and I consume too. So I haven't a problem with the general idea of booze in a raffle. 

[KungFuPanda]

It’s different, but I can’t make the leap to it being inappropriate for children to sell tickets. I’m assuming a kid won’t deliver the basket.  I hope they raise a lot of money. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

3 hours ago, chiguirre said:

They probably chose this prize structure because many of the typical raffle prizes won't fly in Covid times. Many people won't do a weekend getaway or tickets to a sporting event or dinner for two right now. 

I don't object to alcohol as a raffle prize even if it benefits a children's organization. Our local Catholic school's main fundraiser pre-Covid was a wine tasting event. It always sold out.

I really think that this is key. These still aren’t normal times and I don’t fault a fundraiser for realizing that. 
 

(I wouldn’t buy a raffle ticket for that item but I don’t see what is wrong with some people wanting to.). 

[rebcoola]

I think it's weird because it's the kids selling raffle tickets directly.  All of the ones I've seen are at dinners or baskets at the gym and they buy the tickets directly there.  It seems like it would be a big ticket item and I don't necessarily have a problem with it but it's definitely weird 

[Farrar]

I have zero moral objection to casual alcohol use. But I'm also aware that drinking is way, way up among young moms. And the culture of joking about needing to drink with young kids has definitely reached an uncomfortable point for me. This feels a bit like it's a part of that.

That said, it's not something I've seen. If someone said, oh, alcohol raffles are just a thing around here... I'd be like, oh, okay. Part of what makes it seem odd to me and therefore makes it feel connected to the trend of young white women drinking more is because I'm not familiar with such a thing.

[chiguirre]

3 hours ago, Happy2BaMom said:

ps I wonder how long it will be before MJ baskets are a thing....

That would really shake up the next bake sale! 

[bookbard]

I have said I think it's weird; equally, I wouldn't phone in a complaint if some random kid came up and asked me if I wanted to buy a raffle ticket. If it was my kid's school, yes I'd complain, but that wouldn't happen - it's not allowed here. 

The reason I wouldn't like it is that you're saying to these kids: go sell these raffle tickets, and people can win this awesome prize - XYZ brand alcohol! It is marketing, that is why XYZ donated the alcohol. And you're marketing to children by making them sell raffle tickets with one prize - XYZ alcohol. (And that's why I'm fairly sure it'd be illegal in Australia). 

[gardenmom5]

I would find it very odd, and I wouldn't allow my child to participate in that fundraiser.

[Dmmetler]

12 hours ago, happysmileylady said:

I am gonna call shenanigans on the "not normal times" raffle prize

 

Movie night basket-amazon prime and netflix gift cards.  Popcorn.  candy boxes. 

 

Grub hub/uber eat gift cards

Work from home gift basket-noise cancelling head phones, wi fi booster, 32G flash drive, an assortment of car and home chargers and "pluggers" (what my kids call the piece that plugs into the wall that you plug the USB into.)  Yeti mug and you have reached about the same price

 

The "my wife is gonna kill me so I gotta go fishing" basket-hand warmers, bass pro shop (cabelas, dicks sporting goods etc) gift card, fishing hooks, high quality line, fish finder if you need a high dollar item.

 

THe "my hubby's gonna kill me so I gotta go craft something" basket.  high quality scissors, cutting mat, Cricut, vinyl, etc etc

 

Yes, those baskets are sexist but isn't "we are in unprecedented times so everyone's drinking more...........lets have kids sell raffle tickets for a wagon full of booze" basically the same thing?

There are a LOT of options if a person just thinks a minute.  Things are not so far off the rails that "kids sell booze" is the best one.

 

The basket auction is pretty common for private schools in my area. In my experience, it is a rare donated basket that auctions for more than the cost of the items. I think most are donated by businesses (many owned by parents), and are bid on by parents.  I will say that I've submitted several baskets for auctions containing some small music items and a gift certificate for four free lessons, when I've been asked by students, and usually I end up getting a new student out of it, so there are some marketing benefits for donating. But I'm guessing that those baskets sold for WAY under the $125 or so estimated value. 

 

One thing that the cheer gym did and I did participate in was that they had each kid bring in a $20 gift card, bundled them onto posters, and raffled off the posters. Again, it was pretty common for those to end up won by parents who bought their kids' allotment of tickets, and then got the money back in gift cards-and their kid got credit for participating in the fundraiser. 

 

I chose not to participate in the beer sales at local events fundraisers, but I will say that they are some of the only fundraisers I've seen where a majority of the money did NOT come from parents of kids at the school/team/activity. 

Edited May 2, 2021 by Dmmetler

[catz]

14 hours ago, happysmileylady said:

 

There are a LOT of options if a person just thinks a minute.  Things are not so far off the rails that "kids sell booze" is the best one.

 

Sure there are lots of options.  But sometimes the option that an organization rolls with in the volunteer run scenario is the option that easily shows up at your door without a lot of work.  I would be shocked in there wasn't some tight relationship with the donator of that item somewhere in the organization.  

Like I said before, I agree it's weird option if it's actually kids out selling tickets.  But assuming it was a donation and set up by a volunteer, I would shrug and move on.  My kid might not participate and I may not buy a ticket if it weren't my thing.   If I felt strongly enough, I'd volunteer to be involved with fund raising next time around or I'd find another activity for my kid.  

I also don't think having a large supply of alcohol at once necessarily equates to alcohol misuse or drunkenness.  We have a well stocked supply but DH and I consume 1 drink 3-4 times a week.  Pre-covid days we are ready to pull out a few craft beers if neighbors are about and we sit in the yard and chat.   My parents used to own a high  end liquor store.  The people that would come in and order by the case weren't the drunks.  They were the corporate folks who could afford to buy more for the case discounts and were regularly hosting large events.  

I'd totally buy a ticket for the wagon BTW.  LOL.  I have been in charge of silent auction donations and we have received items from businesses and individuals that I wouldn't bid on ever. But they show up free to us, so on the silent auction they go and the business gets listed as a sponsor and someone is always a taker.

[catz]

2 hours ago, Dmmetler said:

The basket auction is pretty common for private schools in my area. In my experience, it is a rare donated basket that auctions for more than the cost of the items. I think most are donated by businesses (many owned by parents), and are bid on by parents.  I will say that I've submitted several baskets for auctions containing some small music items and a gift certificate for four free lessons, when I've been asked by students, and usually I end up getting a new student out of it, so there are some marketing benefits for donating. But I'm guessing that those baskets sold for WAY under the $125 or so estimated value. 

Oh this is totally true and I have been involved with volunteering with silent auctions for 3 different non-profit youth oriented organizations.  For one, I was the person "in charge".  That organization used to ask individual families to donate gift baskets for auction.  I realized it would be way better for individual families to spend $100 at the event than spend $100 putting together a basket that would sell for $50. 

When businesses donate a basket, they are doing it at cost and it's cheaper for them than a cash donation and it's more "fun" on a silent auction.  So if a salon throws some product and a gift card for a service in a basket or a grocery store throws together an Italian dinner basket, it is much cheaper than if someone decided to put together a gift basket like that by purchasing the items.  Plus businesses get exposure too.  One of my organizations is music based, so we always get a few teachers willing to do a few  introductory lessons that sometimes leads to additional contacts.