I hate fund raisers!!! Another Whine!!!

[bfeller]

Ok (stepping up on soapbox) Browneyes get the wine ready.

"I hate fund raisers. Within the next two weeks my two kids are expected to sell discout cards(athletics) and magazines(high school PTA) and my DD is selling chocolate candy and some Bath and Body Works stuff.

I would prefer to just pay for my share of what it costs for my child to play.

*There are safety issues.
*Some people don't have family in town.
*Some people just plain don't want to sell to neighbors and then feel that I have to buy from them when their child comes. I do not want my neighbors buying something that they don't want or need, just to be nice and vice versa.
*And of course the biggie: With the economy being the way it is, A lot of people can't afford it. Why spend $10 on something that will net $2.


I have been at schools (in another state) that accepted donations if you didn't want to sell. I have mentioned that here and they are not interested. TRADITION!!!!


I hate it. I hate it. I hate it."

(stepping down off the soapbox, trying to regain some composure)

As Roseanne Roseanna Danna says, "Never Mind"

Hey Browneyes, Where is my wine?

 

[swanmom]

bfeller,
Boy, did you touch a nerve here !!!! My DD is often asked to do this for school or other clubs. We have no family in town and my DH and I work for ourselves in a home office. So there's just the two of us. Every single time my DD's been asked to sell something, comparisons are then made about who sells the most. Usually certificates, prizes and other kinds of recognition are based on sale volume. Last year (and the year before for that matter) the winner was a kid whose Dad is a VP at American Express (about 1,500 people work directly under him in his office) and whose Mom is a Human Relations VP (read that as hiring/firing administrator) at a major pharmaceutical company. The parents took the sheets to work and passed them around attached to a 'memo' to their staff. The kid did nothing!
I'm so tired of my DD being disappointed because, in our situation, we can only sell a few of each item. Not to mention how many different times they're asked to do this (cookie dough, wrapping paper, candy, holiday cards, and on and on.) I'd like to just donate $20 and stop all this madness.

 

[Bildmouse]

I think fund raisers are the worst part of school starting. I don't mind selling the discount cards. In fact I have people asking me when they're available but I hate brochure sales. Our band instructor decided we WON"T be doing one this year since our port-a-pit chicken and tag days have done so well lately.

 

[Pooh93]

I posted something similar on your other thread, but don't mind adding another .02. This is the only thing I dread about school starting. We don't have the family or neighborhood to draw from and I refuse to sell to coworkers. If I have to sell anything I'd rather sell a box of candy bars at $1 a piece. Those always seem to be fairly easy to get rid of.

 

[meeshi]

I agree. I hate fund raisers. I would much rather pay than have them sell. Little League and Basketball allow us to do that. But the schools don't. And usually they are just brochures full of expensive junk. Yuck, I hate that. I can hardly ever find anything I want and hate for the kids to go to the neighbors asking them to buy something. DH doesn't want to be bringing things into work all the time and I'm a SAHM.

 

[jldriscoll]

My dh is forever asking why we can't buy our way out of fundraisers! We hate them too!!

 

[Lars624]

The middle school my twins go to has each family donate 20 or 25 dollars at registration & the school does no fundraisers to benefit the PTA. Which initially seemed like a great idea, but the band, the choir, the cheerleaders etc all still do them so you get hit twice. I'm beginning to think it'll never end............I'll be eating candy & pizza kits for the rest of my life.........

 

[MosMom]

There was something on the news here about banning door to door sales for kids. I missed the story and just saw the teaser so I don't have details but I thought "Right On!".

My old elementary school used to hold a "Pow-Wow" (it was Mohawk Elementary) and parents would bring baked goods and crafts to sell, there were games, arts and crafts stations, face painting, etc. This was always a big fund raiser and we never sold stuff.

I think there are plenty of ways to raise funds that don't involve selling stuff door to door if schools used a little imagination.

 

[bfeller]

(Standing on soapbox again)

They say that they don't want kids going door to door. They want them to call on relatives and have mom and dad sell at work. What they forget is that many in society today live in a different city or state and don't have family in town. (who wants to spend $ mailing the fund raiser) and many companies have policies about not peddling fund raisers in the work place. My husband's office is in our house. Not many takers here. He is a consultant and they just can't walk into a client and ask to sell chocolate candy(not professional). As was mentioned before, the gimmicks to get kids to sell the most is an insult to me. It is like any other things(Cub Scout popcorn and Girl Scout cookies) Mommy and Dadddy usually sell it for them, but their child is the one that gets all the awards. (Just in case you want to flame me for that last sentence, there are a few kids who actually get out there and sell and they should not be short changed but I am talking from my experience)

OK, I am done.

(Oops!, I just fell off the soapbox, or did someone just shove me off)

 

[MosMom]

There are parents out there who don't give a crud too and just send their kids out alone to sell...I know this because we get at least 3 kids yearly selling stuff for school all alone with no sign of a partner or parent.

 

[Claudia1]

I am wondering why our programs need so much money. Our local HS band has a Boosters budget of $30,000.00 . They hire a separate "marching instructor" and do lots & lots of contests. Yes, they win lots of awards but I am wondering what is the benefit of all that money?

Do the cheerleaders and other groups really need the money are are these groups just "keeping up with the Joneses"? Dol we get a good return on our financial investments or are we just adding to materialism? Are we teaching our kids a good work ethic or are we spending money to make things happen?

Man, am I ever gonna get flamed for this post!!!!!

We have done fundraisers for the PTO and have used the money for new equipment and supplies that have been cut from the budget. I can accept that. I just don't quite get the need for some of the other fundraising.

Having said all of that, I make sure that I support each neighborhood kid with whatever they are peddling. I can't fault the student for wanting to participate!

 

[Pam]

Our elementary school had a policy where you could donate $20.00. Middle School sells magazines, High school does zip, until the junior year when they hold a couple of dinners, etc. to raise money to pay for Prom and Senior Trip.

DD made the dance line of the band and brought home the brochure of candy, cheese and candles. I will buy a couple of things and send it back. It's grossly overflated and we, quite frankly, are ashamed to go out and peddle it to family and friends. If she's going somewhere where $$$ is involved, we'll belly up and pay for it ourselves.

DS does sell the Scout popcorn and he does very well. He hits the neighborhood, friends and family, and 2 years ago he typed up letters and hit up companies. (surprisingly many of them bought!) He sells in full Scout uniform and always writes a thank-you letter attached to the popcorn when he delivers. He paid for National Jamboree last year ($850.00).

What frustrates me is the families that don't even bother to buy one item - but they reap the benefits of the field trips, etc. At least in Scouts, the boys have individual accounts and the commission they earn is directly deposited into their accounts. DS has not had to pay for Scout camp for two years because of this!
Pam

 

[Claudia1]

Sound great, Pam. I like the fact that he takes the responsibility to be respected and personally reaps the rewards. Good life-skills, too.

 

[jldriscoll]

Originally posted by bfeller
[B(Oops!, I just fell off the soapbox, or did someone just shove me off) [/B]

It was just a little poke

Actually, I completely agree with you!

As a Girl Scout leader selling cookies drives me crazy!! Some of my parents "brag" that their girl sold 200 + boxes, etc.....in actuality, dear old daddy sold them when he put the order form up on his office door

We also do a holiday bazaar as a service unit. My girls make the items we sell, plus the families are all encouraged to contribute a craft or baked good if they like. I think this is a far more valuable learning tool than door to door.

***jennifer steps down off bfeller's soap box, it really wasn't a push, I just needed a little extra space**

 

[Pam]

Claudia,
DD did cheerleading for 4 years. All of the fundraising went for her shoes, etc. They mainly did car washes and bath and body products. Her freshman year of HS she raised enough money for 4 years of cheerleading. (They had individual accounts.) Unfortunately this year she made the dance line and the remaining funds in her cheerleading account were not permitted to be transferred over to the dance line account.

I had to write checks this week for $200.00 for boots, costume, pictures, etc. Then I was sent home the fundraising brochures and I'm not certain what that really is for. I believe the band is NOT competing this year, so no trips are scheduled.

I am like you, why does all that money need to be raised?!
Pam

 

[Boots]

I agree. The children across the road go to a school that simply asks for donations. I would much rather do this!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Well I do get all of my magazines during our one fundraiser but other than that it does get old. My issue is the two major fundraisers for our elementary school are only 3 weeks apart. I won't hit up my parents and in-laws (and yes, thank goodness they are in town) for wrapping paper when I just hit them up for their magazine renewals, although I have my mom trained to say no to all of her magazine renewals and save it for me--I have 7 more years in this school!
I sell a LOT of gs cookies at school, but we never brag when the girls are up in the top few, because even the girls know it was mostly mom. And this last year I didn't even have to publicize--teachers without little girls around were seeking ME out for cookies!!
I mostly say no to my own students though-that pizza tastes TERRIBLE!! And if they ask me why I don't buy it I tell them it tastes terrible! I normally only buy an Entertainment book at school.
What are the consequences of not selling? Are the children not allowed to participate in these activities? Our principal won't allow club advisors to do that. If our kids don't sell enough wrapping paper that's just one crappy plastic toy they don't win.
Robin M.

 

[A kid at heart]

Whats really funny is that if they didn't have these fund raisers the parents would ge these letters telling them that they needed to cough up the extra 50 per kid(or some other round figure) and then they woudl gripe cause they would rather have some kind of fund raiser! Not you guys but you know ther would be some parents out there doing this!

I wouldn't mind buying it if the kids/schools themselves got more money out of it. I bought this nice tin with gummy bears in it for 11.00 and the amount of gummy bears was a joke!Some of the wrapping paper is nice but frankly I can get a better deal at walmart.
I do love the thin mint girl scout cookies so I don't mind buying those, but boy has the price gone up! I remember selling those.
I personally like when they sell the lottery calendars that are good for the whole year. They make a decent profit on it and I usually win a couple of times!
I remember one yr the kids coming around to sell those pocket calendar books, those were nice. But I haven't seen them since. I'd buy one of those again.

 

[bfeller]

What is a lottery calendar?

 

[A kid at heart]

You get to pick a number for the 3 digit daily number on the lottery. say I pick 169. that is my number for the entire yr, if it comes up I get 25 dollars on a weekday, 50 on a weekend, 100, 250 or 500 on a holiday(every holiday is a different amount) and they pick the mast day of hte month and the winner gets 75. for a 25 dollar investment this is great! its like playing your number for an entier yr for only 25 bucks! the payoff may not be in the hundreds but hey if you win a couple of times a yr its great! THey even throw in a coupl of bonuses like if your number comes up in a boxed way then you get (meaning any combination) then you get 20 bucks.