Fundraiser rant thead!

[missypie]

My child just started kindergarten two weeks ago. she brought home her first selling fundraiser last friday. I have already told the PTO that my child is not their tiny cute fundraising machine and that we will not participate in anything she is required to sell. I told them that I think it would be nice to offer us an alternative such as an 'average' amount of money they expect to make from the 'average' kid and we will request donations from close family or pay it ourselves. I think it is absurd to expect my child to sell a minimum of 12 items when everyone else's kids are doing the exact same things and I work in an office of 29 people where 14 of us all have fundraising children. Dh works somewhere that they are not aloud to fundraise at work. I'm certainly not going door to door, that's ridiculous.

I have a feeling the PTO and I are not going to be great friends, but I've paid my membership just like everyone else. I am willing to help them out with creative fundraising but selling just isn't going to happen on our end.

Okay, I'm done ranting, thanks for starting this thread, I guess I really needed to get that off my chest!

The year DS started middle school, he bought home a letter acknowledging that most of us hate fundraisers, and giving us an opportunity to make a donation in lieu thereof. I fear that not many people put their money where their mouths were, because that hasn't been repeated.

 

[missypie]

I'd really like it if they'd level with us. For example, last year we did an "emergency fundraiser" so the choir could pay for the busses to get to contest. I'd like it if the letter said, "You can either sell this %@$!, or pay $10 for your child's share of the bus rental fee."

 

[aprilgail2]

I always buy the wrapping paper, I love the wrapping paper from the fundraisers my daughter did and I always bought from neighbors kids for many many years as all their kids are 15 years older than mine...so I have NO problem walking over htere with my daughter and having them buy things after all the things I bought from their kids over the years....my only problem is that we have chances for soccer, chances for baseball, chances for karate, nuts, magazines and cookies for girl scouts and then the other fundraisers for the PTA...I usually buy all the chances myself and alterante what I sell to what neighbor, I will only ask each neighbor for ONE fundraiser per year...most of them all ask me to sell them girl scout cookies though, even houses I didn't go to came to me to ask if they could buy them LOL...

 

[Albertan mom]

It takes you buying or selling at least $40.00 for the organization to get $20.00, most of the time a donation is appreciated more than an order! I have done PTA fundraisers for the last 4 years, I'm glad someone else took it over, people were starting to run when they saw me! LOL

That sounds just like ME!!!
I did the fundraising at our school for 2 years. It was exhausting. We had to come up with about 30,000.00 for the year, for our new playground equipment, new library books, reading prizes, star student prizes, sound system, etc..., etc....

Those of you that say you would rather give money....we would rather you gave money!! That is the best way. Then we don't have to organize the fundraisers, and that way we get 100% of your money, not only the 10%-50% most fundraisers bring in.

I know it is not fun to have to give to all these different things, but have pity on the fundraiser. It is a thankless, payless, exhausting job. You get criticized for what you do and don't do. So thank your fundraising person today. Without them, your kids wouldn't get all the great things they do, whether it be playground equipment, prizes, ice-time, uniforms, trips, or whatever they are fundraising for.

Give today!!

 

[missypie]

I know it is not fun to have to give to all these different things, but have pity on the fundraiser. It is a thankless, payless, exhausting job. You get criticized for what you do and don't do. So thank your fundraising person today. Without them, your kids wouldn't get all the great things they do, whether it be playground equipment, prizes, ice-time, uniforms, trips, or whatever they are fundraising for.

Give today!!

But I still would rather be given the option to just pay my share for the uniform, trip, etc., instead of making money for the fundraising company.

So to all of you good souls out there who are in charge of fundraising for your organization, please always give the "donation" option.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Perhaps they should just charge tuition and be done with it.

I do not like school sales and I do not like the "bad appearance" of having to say no to every kid that knocks on my door when they are told how easy it is to sell this stuff.

 

[Skatermom23]

I'd really like it if they'd level with us. For example, last year we did an "emergency fundraiser" so the choir could pay for the busses to get to contest. I'd like it if the letter said, "You can either sell this %@$!, or pay $10 for your child's share of the bus rental fee."

What missypie said!!!!!

 

[KirstenB]

Missypie, just send in the donation you want to make. I started doing that last year, and no one has ever refused a direct contribution, LOL!!! The person in charge of fundraising may be concerned about offending parents or whatever. At least call them, and ask if it's okay---I bet it is.

 

[Albertan mom]

Ya, I hear ya. We do give the option. We asked each family for $100 for the year, and if we got it, we would not have had to do ONE fundraiser. 13 families gave. Out of 300. sigh.

I know some would rather sell stuff, so they can 'hit up' other people, and not have to give out of their pocket. Some families can't afford the $100. But they don't sell a thing either. It doesn't cost them anything to sell a magazine subscription or to get pledges for a walk-a-thon....

I organized a "Craft Fair and Home Based Business Bazaar" a few years ago. I rented the tables for $40 each, and they kept all their profits. We used the gym, so it was free. We provided the tables, chairs. We had a bake sale table, and admission and coffee was free. We spent about $50 on advertising. And about $50 on door prizes. We had a $1200 profit. It was great!! We had it in early november, so there was tons of Christmas crafts, and a chance for Christmas shopping. The people selling things like Avon, Tupperware, Mary Kay, Home Interiors, Creative Memories etc... loved getting their name out to the town to. It was great because the money came from the renters, and they could claim it as a business expense too. So the kids (parents) didn't have to give money, or solicit their neighbors.
*It was also alot of fun.

 

[minkydog]

Ya, I hear ya. We do give the option. We asked each family for $100 for the year, and if we got it, we would not have had to do ONE fundraiser. 13 families gave. Out of 300. sigh.

I know some would rather sell stuff, so they can 'hit up' other people, and not have to give out of their pocket. Some families can't afford the $100. But they don't sell a thing either. It doesn't cost them anything to sell a magazine subscription or to get pledges for a walk-a-thon....

But you know there are some schools, particularly private schools, where there are large families who rally cannot fund these things. I went to school with three large families: one had 6kids, one had 7 kids, and one had 14 kids. They did their best to sell, but really, they had their work cut out for them.And there was no way the parents could pay even $10 per kid.
So I can completely understand why they might opt for something that "doesn't cost them anything" or try to "hit up other people."

 

[missypie]

Last night was high school open house. The PTSA was trying the deal where they asked the parents to write one check, with the promise that they wouldn't have to buy or sell anything else the whole year. Their goal was $15,000. With 2700 students, if everyone gave $6, they'd exceed their goal. They only got $10,000 (and that is with us writing a $100 check.) I think many parents are "all talk" about not liking fundraisers.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

We don't sell to ANYONE else, and we don't buy from anyone else.

We buy a "respectable" amount of whatever from our own kids, and that's it. Or, just make a donation and don't buy anything.

That's what I did last year. My DS4 at the time was selling that horrible "Best Chocoloate Bars In The World" and I asked his teacher how much money the school made on the box full we were supposed to sell. She said, "$25", I sat down, wrote a check for $25, and handed the check and the box of candy back to her.

The year before they were selling boxes of King Sized M&M/Mars candy. 50 bars in a box, I just bought the box and ate it all just about by myself....


We are still waiting to see what they will have to sell this year. I can't get away with the donation thing, because they are excited to sell the stuff themselves. I have already bought "Best Chocolate Bars in The World" from one neighbor boy, and ordered some mint chocolates from his brother. Still two other boys to go besides mine. I try to order/buy one small thing from each kid in our cul-de-sac.

I think a $100 donation is asking quite a lot, especially when some of the kids in my sons' school on on the free lunch program.

 

[golfgal]

We tried to get a buy-out option at our school where parents could write a check for x dollars and be done with it, but our priest said it was "elitist" and no way. While I understand his point, it would be nice to have.

 

[rigs32]

(didn't read all replies)

When it came time for school fundraisers where you had to sell items given to you (rather than take orders to be placed and picked up later), this was typically candy, my dad sent a note to the teacher supervising the product. It would say something to the effect of "We will cover the entire cost of my daughter's participation in the event the group is raising money for. She has a hard time selling it all, so I would rather simply pay the money for the trip than for the overpriced candy."

I never got a hard time about it and I simply paid the $300 or so for the trip.

 

[goofyforlife]

We tried to get a buy-out option at our school where parents could write a check for x dollars and be done with it, but our priest said it was "elitist" and no way. While I understand his point, it would be nice to have.

Gee, priests have no problem passing that elitist collection plate every Sunday.....

Maybe the priests need to start selling door to door to raise money for the church.....