Enough fundraisers!!!

[imthatgirl]

seriously my daughter has only been in school for 6 full days and my son only for 1, and we have already had 3 fundraisers sent home with them. really now, do we really need to send fundraisers home on the first day of school?
its just so aggrevating because of course they offer those crappy prizes so the kids want to do them. but i just cant. i cant keep asking people to buy things. i wont.
we've thrown them all away so far.

dont get me wrong, im all for the event fundraisers. have a bake sale, not only will i bake, but ill come down and buy. have a fair, we'll come down and spend $50 on games and what not.
but stop asking me to ask my friends to buy crap!!! i wont do it!!!

i cant be the only mom who is just fed up with it!!!

 

[ntink]

I can totally relate. I am the PTO treasurer and last year our PTO applied for and received tax exempt status from the IRS which was a very involved process. Now we are just going with a direct giving campaign and family events. I spoke at our back to school nights and received very loud applause when I said no more wrapping paper, pizza kits or other product sales.

 

[mdsouth]

I agree!

I like the idea of just asking for donations.

I also would rather go to a chilli supper, bake sale, etc. instead of sending the kids out to sell junk, and food. Schools should quit bribing the kids with prizes.

Around here, you can't go to the grocery store on the weekend without some group bagging groceries for donations. At least the kids are working for the money!

 

[Eeyore's Wife]

Rather than sell useless items at ridiculous mark up, you can have window clings made up that say "I support (fill in the name of your school or organization) 2008-2009."

We have these for sale at the beginning of the year and promise that NO ONE from the school/organization will ask for a donation or make another sales pitch for the rest of the year to any business or home bearing our window cling.

Most people love knowing that 100% of the proceeds go to the kids and the kids and parents appreciate not having to do yet another sale of dopey overpriced items.

Ours are priced at $15 for a house and $50 for a business.

--Eeyore's Wife

 

[Beehn]

Whenever DD brings home yet another daycare fundraiser I usually just toss it and give the daycare $50 instead. Makes me feel like I'm contributing, without buying(or selling) a bunch of junk.

 

[imthatgirl]

Whenever DD brings home yet another daycare fundraiser I usually just toss it and give the daycare $50 instead. Makes me feel like I'm contributing, without buying(or selling) a bunch of junk.

wow, youre nicer than me. i just toss them.

ntink....i wish our schools would do the same. i would love ot have more fundraisers that bring us together and involve everyone. im not selling pizza mixes.
not to mention that most of my friends also have kids in the school system, lol.

 

[imthatgirl]

Rather than sell useless items at ridiculous mark up, you can have window clings made up that say "I support (fill in the name of your school or organization) 2008-2009."

We have these for sale at the beginning of the year and promise that NO ONE from the school/organization will ask for a donation or make another sales pitch for the rest of the year to any business or home bearing our window cling.

Most people love knowing that 100% of the proceeds go to the kids and the kids and parents appreciate not having to do yet another sale of dopey overpriced items.

Ours are priced at $15 for a house and $50 for a business.

--Eeyore's Wife

but see, even those i would ahve to ask people to buy them. i cant do that.

 

[jjjmranch]

I can totally relate! Between preschool fundraisers, PTA fundraisers, Cub Scouts, church fundraisers, I'm all tapped out! And that's just for my own kids. Then all the nieces and nephews call for them too. Jump Rope-A-Thons, Walk-A-Thons.

Thank goodness I don't have kids knocking on my door for the football and cheerleader team fundraisers. I'm a little too far out in the country for that. But my friends have been all "targeted."

 

[wrighter]

My DS just started kindergarten - and in our first day of school stuff there was information on the "Write-A-Check" campaign. Apparently, they don't do fundraisers at all - just this once a year thing that (last year at least) surpassed their fundraising goals for the entire year.

I'd much rather write a check one time and not have to deal with the headache of all that other junk! Judos to our school!

 

[aladams2]

We have fundraisers here. I'll buy something and my parents buy something. It's a pain to ask others and then to deliver it all. Hey, I wonder if I could do a fundraiser for my upcoming Disney trip? I would rather ask people to donate to that then junk!

 

[momz3]

My DD is in Girl Scouts. So I have one from her school one for GS and one from my sons school! I feel like as soon as one ends another one is coming home!!!!!! It's crazy!

 

[perkinsrose]

Our school is doing a Walk-a-thon this fall. (plus two Scholastic book fairs) Kids can ask for pledges-amount people want to give for their walking efforts.

I love this idea. No crap to buy or try to sell. The kids are getting a fun day of exercise at school out of it. And no company to make money off of our efforts--all proceeds go directly to the parent-teacher group and benefit the kids/school.

I can ask family & friends for pledges or just donate what I'm comfortable with/can afford. I'll take a walk-a-thon over selling food/wrapping paper/ chocolate,etc. ANY DAY!

 

[imthatgirl]

My DD is in Girl Scouts. So I have one from her school one for GS and one from my sons school! I feel like as soon as one ends another one is coming home!!!!!! It's crazy!

we are also a GS family. i was surprised by the fundraisers. i always thought it was just cookies.
we only do the cookies. the rest of them go in the trash.

 

[TinaLala]

I'm right there with you GF!! I give the teachers $50 worth of supplies at the begining of the year, a $10 S&S GC at Christmas and then another $10 GC at the end of the year. For 2 kids that's $140 toward the teachers, never mind the $$$ we pay in taxes. I go to all of the events and buy whatever they have going on, but come on....My girls were only at school 4 days and the fundraiser was shoved own our throats. I'm glad we have longer than 2 weeks to do it, but come on!!

 

[BoilerGirl91]

I can so relate. My friend and I were just talking about this at work today. This was after we both brought in the same fundraising book of junk and our kids go to totally different school districts. Besides that, my daughter in Pre-K brought home their fundraiser yesterday- entertainment books for $25 a pop. On top of that, we will be having our girl scout nut sale shortly. Thank god there is no fundraiser for soccer this fall .

 

[robsmom]

I can totally relate. I am the PTO treasurer and last year our PTO applied for and received tax exempt status from the IRS which was a very involved process. Now we are just going with a direct giving campaign and family events. I spoke at our back to school nights and received very loud applause when I said no more wrapping paper, pizza kits or other product sales.

You are my hero

 

[snowwhitemom]

OMGOSH!!!!!!!!!

I thought it was truely just me, my dd goes to a private school and last year I sent in a letter when asked what can we improve on...So I said, " Raise the fee to attend and stop asking me ( yes the parent) to sell things, company rules do not allow it, and I am not sending dd door to door.So they listened... kind of... the fee goes up 30% over three years and a few days ago....much to my dismay.... oh yeah fundraiser......yikes!!!!!!

 

[piratemamaof3]

I so know what you mean. We went to open house before school started and came home w/ the entertainment book. We will prob. buy one for us. Then Tues. one for cookie dough and one for flags. We started the day after labor day so it hasn't been long.

 

[deb24k]

I can completely understand the sentiments of families being overburdened with the expense and pressure to "sell" things for fund raisers. My DD just entered Kindergarten and the fundraisers have all begun. I also understand time constainsts for making PTO meetings, but I do suggest that many of you submit your ideas for alternative fundraising options to representatives of the committees. I think in most systems they would be welcomed.

 

[sherreis]

No more selling wrapping paper or candy bars for us!

PTA announced they were asking for a flat donation of $35 from each family. I love it! I much rather buy my wrapping paper at the dollar store.

On the other hand, my 2 yr old granddaughter started preschool 2 weeks ago and they are on their 3rd fundraiser already! I told my stepdaughter there is no way we can keep up with that. I don't give that much to my own kids' schools.