Fundraising for kid trip?

[Planogirl]

That's a lot of money.

Do you have any items you could sell on ebay?

 

[csharpwv]

Really torn on this one! I can see that this is a GREAT chance for your DS. However, do you want to send your son to South Africa alone? That's the part that would be tough! Send him on that trip or go to Disney or somewhere else as a family??? Kids are only kids for so long and then they grow up.

That argument goes both ways! Is it a really 'defining' opportunity? How will this trip benefit his future? Is this trip going to matter in building solid access to opportunities that will help him in the future?

It's a tough call!

If you reach the decision that it really is best that he goes, there are quite a few way to raise money! I'm sure your family will pitch in an help - as long as you have family in the area! Talk to you family and see if they would rather 'sponsor' him via donation through letter mailings - or whether they would rather pitch in to help out with a BIG fundraiser? Time or money?

It really sounds like this chorale has a very high budget! Is it a non-profit organization?

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

I'm the dissenter in the group....save the $4500 and keep him home. At age 11 he won't remember this trip. What do you remember when you were that age? I went on a tour of New England with the Girl Scouts and remember very little. That $4500 will pay for ALOT when your son is older OR it would be a very nice family vacation.

I agree.You don't have to experience everything before 15, lol.

 

[msmayor]

My biggest issue is in the last statement by the OP...that this would not be a group fundraising effort, but only involving her family. I interpret this to mean that you want to raise funds ONLY for your child and not for the group.

I have a problem with this.

You can either afford it, or you can't. I find any efforts by individual families who claim they are "fundraising" for some type of trip or event for their child inappropriate. Its not other people's jobs to bankroll your child's optional activities. Its your job as parents to decide what your family can afford to do.

 

[Cooky]

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[clh2]

I'm the dissenter in the group....save the $4500 and keep him home. At age 11 he won't remember this trip. What do you remember when you were that age? I went on a tour of New England with the Girl Scouts and remember very little. That $4500 will pay for ALOT when your son is older OR it would be a very nice family vacation.

I agree...this is a HUGE amount of money, especially for an 11 YO. While I would like my DD to do EVERYTHING...this trip would not make the cut, not unless the group had a whole fundraising campaign going on.

Don't forget - $4500 is the minimum this would cost. Passports are about $100 more, and then there is spending money. Plus - don't forget about a good camera and the memory. I would anticipate this trip would cost $5000 before it is over.

My DD did go on a band trip to Spain, and the cost of the trip was $2800. The fundraising went on for close to 2 years, and none of the fundraising paid "$200 to the group first." We did some of the fundraisers. We did some of our own fundraising - by participating in a church rummage sale (made ~$700), and sold our Rainbow swingset for $500. We were very selective on the fundraisers we participated in, i.e. they did a frozen pizza sale - and the profit was 40%, so we picked up a boatload of pizza's for our family, and didn't sell to anyone else.

If you are seriously considering this, please figure out the maximum you will help to pay for - and then figure out the remaining balance, and divide this by the number of months. If that amount is over $200/month- you are going to make fundraising almost a full-time job.

Personally - at the age of 11, if you feel you "must" spend the $4500 - why not take your ENTIRE family on a vacation?

Now - since you did ask for ideas- I've got a few...
can the group sell singing telegrams? Maybe for valentine's day?

Our church does a silent auction every three years for a youth group fundraiser. (We got all the proceeds for all the baskets we contributed.) Could you do some sort of silent auction or chinese raffle at one of you big concerts?

Are you close to a professional sports team? Many in our area use not-for-profit groups to staff the concessions stands, and the group makes a percentage of the sales.

Can your group offer a babysitting day/night somewhere close to Christmas?

What about having several parents "put their heads together" and offer birthday parties for younger kids...maybe with a basketball theme if you have access to a school gym? Maybe a kareoke party...or something based on an American Idol theme? Just something where you are offering a big value for little expense.

Regardless of your decision - good luck!

 

[dimimi]

I'm the dissenter in the group....save the $4500 and keep him home. At age 11 he won't remember this trip. What do you remember when you were that age? I went on a tour of New England with the Girl Scouts and remember very little. That $4500 will pay for ALOT when your son is older OR it would be a very nice family vacation.

Whew...I'm with you. Just think of all of the opportunities for travel your son will have as a high school student. If you start spending $4500 a year...you'll be broke. I'm curious how many other 11 year olds are attending this trip. One of my friend's sent her daughter on a trip to Europe in high school. Only 8 kids went out of the entire high school. Your son won't be missing anything by missing this trip.

Of course, if money is no object and you have $4500 extra dollars...go for it. I wouldn't think twice of telling my son to wait until at least high school for a trip like this.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Whew...I'm with you. Just think of all of the opportunities for travel your son will have as a high school student. If you start spending $4500 a year...you'll be broke. I'm curious how many other 11 year olds are attending this trip. One of my friend's sent her daughter on a trip to Europe in high school. Only 8 kids went out of the entire high school. Your son won't be missing anything by missing this trip.

Of course, if money is no object and you have $4500 extra dollars...go for it. I wouldn't think twice of telling my son to wait until at least high school for a trip like this.

If there were unending funds, I can't imagine the thread would exist. I also don't think you should beg for money from others so that your kid can do something everyone would like to do. I'm glad the op is not big on the idea, either.

 

[MinnieGi]

WOW, 4500.00 is alot of money to fundraise in such a short amount of time!!

My DD is on a competitive dance team and we fundraise all year long and we wouldn't be able to come up with that amount of money for each dancer. Now we do programs that the whole team is involved in. Its hard to believe that with such a lot of money needed for the trip there is not a group fundraising program by the parents. Do the other parents not have a problem affording this type of trip?

Right now my DD and the team have been raising money for a trip in June 2011 to Disney!!!! She will be dancing in MK's parade and also on stage at DHS. We are all super excited. The team has been raising funds for two years doing all sorts of things from restaurant nights, selling cards, wrapping paper, cookies etc.., to car washes, dances, raffles, selling refreshments, wrapping at Amazon, doing Tastefully Simple etc... and we have no way raised enough for the girls trips to be paid for alone with the fundraisers. But the money raised will put in a big dent into the cost. I guess I'm telling you this b/c I just want to make sure you have a realistic expectation of how much money fundraising can bring in and also how much time is needed to do it.

Also I'm not sure if I could send my child to South Africa alone. My DD is 10 and we of course are all going to Disney with her, but no way would I let her go to South Africa with just a group. Actually for our dance team all dancers younger than 13 must have a parent with them.

 

[Pamlur]

What part of S. Africa? It's a huge country.

I have been twice, and there is no way in the world I would let a child of mine go there with a group. It's beautiful and amazing, and crime is rampant. A friend was chatting with an older man in a cafe; he said it was too late for him but he was urging his grown children to get out of S. Africa before it was too late for them, too.

 

[lastminutemom]

My DS wanted to go on a school trip to DC that was horribly overpriced. Most of the kids don't go. He has been to DC numerous times. He really wanted to go.

While no where near the amount of your trip, he managed to raise a big chunk of it by forgoing gifts for nearly a year. Every occasion, his grandparents, aunts and uncles and we would give him $ instead of presents.

He got to go, but we knew based on previous gifts from family that he would receive the necessary funds.

The issue for you is whether you want to start down this path if the 4500 dollars isn't realistic.

 

[EMom]

What part of S. Africa? It's a huge country.

I have been twice, and there is no way in the world I would let a child of mine go there with a group. It's beautiful and amazing, and crime is rampant. A friend was chatting with an older man in a cafe; he said it was too late for him but he was urging his grown children to get out of S. Africa before it was too late for them, too.

I didn't want to bring this up, but it's true. I've talked to South Africans who dearly loved their country, but have fled due to the crime. One man I talked to was desperate to get his kids out, as his HUGE ranch wasn't even safe for them. They never left the house without being armed. Granted, it will not be like this everywhere, but still......He's 11. Do you really want to send him halfway around the world to a country where crime is rampant AND pay $4500 for it?

What about when he's 13 and the trip is to Germany? Then the year after that, it's an expensive trip to Italy. Yada, yada. If you start now, you will be like a gerbil on a treadmill. Don't get me wrong...I highly value world travel. DD is 10, has been to Europe 3 times and will go again next summer. But she and I go together and my DH joins us later. It's a family trip. And even at her age, I promise you, she will not "appreciate" any trip the way she would as an older teen or college student. Heck, an 11 y.o. will be oblivious to half of it just because they're having a good time with friends. Memory will fade away a good deal more. So I agree with some of the others. Why must you do this? He'll have lots of other opportunities, and when he's older he will be more likely to get more out of it.

I'd wait. Start saving now for a future trip.

 

[CowboyCO]

Thanks everybody for all the responses. We got the tour details in the mail today and it's not $4500. It's $4,800. They want a $500 deposit immediately, and $680 monthly payments until the tour is paid for.

We sat down at dinner tonight and discussed ways to fund raise, including many of the suggestions given here, and we decided to not send him. He has a trip around the same time that his grandfather is taking him on, and rather than working for the entire school year, he said he'd rather play soccer, focus on band and school and not stress about the tour.

So, for those that suggested not going, we're taking your advice. Thanks for all the responses.

 

[GoofItUp]

OP -- Glad you were able to work this out. Sounds like your son is very reasonable & able to make good choices. And aren't you glad that you won't be chasing this for the next 10 months?!

 

[Cjmuma]

I dunno if someone already suggested this, but it is a fantastic fundraiser. I recommend rada knives! - My coworkers daughter raised almost 7000 dollars in one year with this fundraiser. They are great knives, and they offer a fair deal! http://www.radaknives.com/ Highly recommended!

 

[clh2]

Thanks everybody for all the responses. We got the tour details in the mail today and it's not $4500. It's $4,800. They want a $500 deposit immediately, and $680 monthly payments until the tour is paid for.

We sat down at dinner tonight and discussed ways to fund raise, including many of the suggestions given here, and we decided to not send him. He has a trip around the same time that his grandfather is taking him on, and rather than working for the entire school year, he said he'd rather play soccer, focus on band and school and not stress about the tour.

So, for those that suggested not going, we're taking your advice. Thanks for all the responses.

Thanks for the update! Keep us posted - many of us want to know how many kids are going on this trip! And kudos to your son for reailizing that he'd rather just be a kid in school for the next year, doing the things he obviously likes to do, instead of stressing out about the tour.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

What a level headed 11 year old you have. You should feel really proud of him.

 

[mjkacmom]

I've partaked in MANY fundraisers....the best, by far, is the Chinesse auction.

It is alot of work. Call on every organization, restraunts, store's, casino's, movie theatres, karate, gyms, daycare etc. Get donations and set them up for a night at a local event (example would be Bingo at a neigborhood club etc). ADVERTISE! Run it over 2 or 3 events if you can. Keep tic prices cheap ($1.00 each, 6 for $5, 15 for $10.00) Most people will buy the $10.00 worth.

We did it last year and earned over $2500.00 after expenses (donation to location where event was held and tickets).

If you can get the parents involved and do themed baskets....all 8th graders would be sports, 9th music etc. Then make BIG baskets, think WOW when the kids look at them.

We got a 3 night vacation from Trump in AC......that had major movement!

Our elementary school used to PC term of tricky tray, same concept, but on a larger scale. We usually net $35,000 each year. I usually spend $100 on the tickets to attend, basket tickets, and 50/50. I also donate a $150 basket. It's our only fundraiser!

 

[allison443]

Thanks everybody for all the responses. We got the tour details in the mail today and it's not $4500. It's $4,800. They want a $500 deposit immediately, and $680 monthly payments until the tour is paid for.

We sat down at dinner tonight and discussed ways to fund raise, including many of the suggestions given here, and we decided to not send him. He has a trip around the same time that his grandfather is taking him on, and rather than working for the entire school year, he said he'd rather play soccer, focus on band and school and not stress about the tour.

So, for those that suggested not going, we're taking your advice. Thanks for all the responses.

Sounds like you made the decision that was right for your family! Honestly given that cost and the age of your child, I really don't see any realistic expectation of fundraising that amount of money in that period of time. A teenager with a real part time job probably couldn't earn that much in that time period.

 

[DawnM]

I am leaning towards this idea myself. At age 16 or even 18, the trip would be much more meaningful.

Dawn

I'm the dissenter in the group....save the $4500 and keep him home. At age 11 he won't remember this trip. What do you remember when you were that age? I went on a tour of New England with the Girl Scouts and remember very little. That $4500 will pay for ALOT when your son is older OR it would be a very nice family vacation.