Kids in front of Wal-mart asking for donations for their sports teams?

[stevenpensacola]

What do you think of this?

I personally think it's wrong. You're the one who signed up your kids to play sports, so the expense is yours. Don't be asking me for a handout.

I don't have a problem with car washes, candy sales, etc., but I'm not a big fan of making kids go door to door selling raffle tickets....would not allow my kids to do this.

 

[eh24fan]

Oh this is a hot button for me. I HATE HATE HATE when they have kids doing that. My son's flag football team was being made to do it this fall and I said "No way." We don't have time for that and my child will not stand outside of a store begging for money after we have paid a fee for him to play to begin with.

 

[TEENEE]

Not one of my favorite fund raisers either. However I do understand the kids needing to raise money. I agree parents should pay some sort of fee if they have the ability. I know kids that would not be able to participate in band if the band did not do fund raisers. Those kids should not have to miss out on what could be a great life experience because their parents can't afford it. For some of those kids being part of some sort of team is the most normal thing that they do. As far as the kids who come from families that can afford it, it still doesn't hurt the kid to do something to earn the money. Like I said begging for money outside of stores is not my favorite fundraisers. I prefer to see the kids do carwashes.

 

[profdsny]

The reality is many times these kids selling for their 'team' aren't on a team at all. Certainly that's not always the case by any means, but often it is. Kids are 'hired' by some operator to sell candy, and the kids get a percentage of the sale. I don't know where you live, but down town Chicago is loaded with kids doing that. Fifteen years ago they were all over the place, and last Saturday when we were downtown, there were a few on North Michigan ave. I just wish they'd be more honest about it. Never mind the 'team' stuff.
Now, saying that, a lot of these kids are from poor areas, homes, etc, and if they can make a buck doing it, as long as they aren't creating problems,well, it's a job. I'm tempted from time to time to put my kids into the business. Beats them sitting around on their computers all day when they aren't in school. I'm sure we have a bunch of old team uniforms around.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

are the kids just asking for donations or are they selling candy bars etc....I guess it doesn't really bother me either way. It is a necessary evil. If I am not interested I just say a polite no thank you and wish them luck!

 

[juligrl]

I almost always buy stuff to support the activities if kids are selling, but to just give a donation - no. I was always selling stuff for band and colorguard fundraisers - offering the chance to buy something you may want and support the band - never just asking for a donation. I can't say I've seen any groups "begging" for donations around here though.

 

[profdsny]

Not one of my favorite fund raisers either. However I do understand the kids needing to raise money. I agree parents should pay some sort of fee if they have the ability. I know kids that would not be able to participate in band if the band did not do fund raisers. Those kids should not have to miss out on what could be a great life experience because their parents can't afford it. For some of those kids being part of some sort of team is the most normal thing that they do. As far as the kids who come from families that can afford it, it still doesn't hurt the kid to do something to earn the money. Like I said begging for money outside of stores is not my favorite fundraisers. I prefer to see the kids do carwashes.

To follow up, our band does a cheese and sausage fund raiser. The kids are supposed to go out to family/friends/neighbors, etc, and sell this stuff. First off, we have a very small family, so the kids have no aunts, uncles, cousins, etc to sell to. And, considering most of the stuff that the company they use is junk, I'd never ask them to pawn it off on neighbors. (the sad thing is is that we've seen some programs with really good stuff. But we don't use them!) So, guess who gets stuck with 23 items of stuff we can't use every year?

 

[Cool-Beans]

If they're selling something and aren't being obnoxious about it, I'm okay with it.

Plain old begging I don't enjoy. They do this at one of the local grocery stores and I wish the store wouldn't allow it. Talk about teaching kids that they don't have to work for anything.

 

[TEENEE]

profdsny, the subject of buying things that we really don't want or need came up at a booster meeting last year. One of the dads asked if it would be ok to simply make a donation in lieu of buying over priced cheese (or whatever the kids are selling). The director had no problem with the mans offer of a donation over buying something. The band makes more money from a donation. Just a suggestion. Sure beats having a freezer full of cookie dough or sausage.

 

[EthansMom]

I don't mind if they set up a table and are selling something. I do mind the begging for donations, without selling anything.

The one that drives me nuts here in our area is when the cheerleaders or band members take over our local can returns station. You could be an unsuspecting person who has saved his/her cans for months, go to take your cans in to the return station for a little extra cash and BOOM... the place is crawling with cheerleaders. Now, not only are the cheerleaders hogging all of the return machines so that you couldn't return your cans if you wanted to, but they also will beg you for the cans you've worked so hard to save.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Begging of any sort bugs me.

If my son were involved in a sport or activity and we couldn't afford to pay for anything that would come up, I'd be ok with car washes and the like, but honestly I'd prefer that he stick to activities we can afford.

One of our local pop warner teams made the championship (or whatever it is called - at WDW) and there were articles in the paper about how they needed to raise $70,000 in a week to be able to go. Well, perhaps they should have planned ahead.

 

[CheshireVal]

I really hate that actually. Most of the ones around here aren't selling anything. They're just carrying an envelope around and asking for donations.

The worst thing is that they just wander around the parking lots, and sometimes they just show up seemingly from nowhere. It makes me a little nervous sometimes when I'm by myself. I don't like being bothered in parking lots!!

 

[NewJersey]

If I have loose change or dollars, I'll usually donate something. I don't like being asked like that on the spot when I leave a store, but in no way am I bothered enough to get worked up about it.

 

[Darcy03231]

This is one of my biggest peeves! I'll buy anything the kids are selling to raise money but the ones that are just standing out in front of a store with a can begging money from strangers really gets me. To me its no different than the guy on the street that asks if I have money for bus fare or a meal. What do parents think they are teaching their children from this type of fundraiser? That its ok to beg?

 

[briar_rose_59]

There were a couple guys outside a theatre a couple weeks ago doing that (can't remember if they were selling chocolate or just asking for money). I was already late for my show so I said sorry, no thanks, and started to move into the building. They started screaming at me. I ended up having to go to a different ticket stand because I was scared they were going to come into the theatre and yell at me some more.

 

[4greatboys]

Its not a problem for me at all. I donate when I can and wouldnt say anything mean to those kids.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I'm a sucker for those kids asking for donations, whether they're selling something or not. If they ask me in a professional manner, I will always give them something. If they're rude or disorganized, I'll think twice. However, I also give to the firefighters out with their boots or police officers who are asking for donations for their various charities, as well the lady who calls from MADD. I don't think begging is the appropriate term for what any of these organizations are doing. They're asking for a charitable donation, not a handout to go by a pack of smokes and a 5th of whisky.

 

[Stucas]

I'm a sucker for those kids asking for donations, whether they're selling something or not. If they ask me in a professional manner, I will always give them something. If they're rude or disorganized, I'll think twice. However, I also give to the firefighters out with their boots or police officers who are asking for donations for their various charities, as well the lady who calls from MADD. I don't think begging is the appropriate term for what any of these organizations are doing. They're asking for a charitable donation, not a handout to go by a pack of smokes and a 5th of whisky.

I think kids asking for help playing sports that parents need to fornt some money to get them into a firefighters asking for donations are nowhere near the same thing. I am more than happy to give to firefighters who are out in the streets asking for donations, but I don't give to kids who are not selling. Makes more sense to me to help my local firefighter afford something he'll need while saving my house and cats from a fire...I can't see needing any help with a soccer emergency.(I know thats selfish but I need to save up my money for when I have kids that want to play expensive sports) When I played sports we were never allowed to do shake-a-cans outside of stores. I would have been mortified asking for something for nothing. It is not the responsibility of my town to pay for me to play a sport.

Now its a totally different situation where my sister lives where no child has to pay to play, they live off donations alone. In cases like that I would be more than happy to give.

-Lauren

 

[Faerie]

I'm torn. When I was 12, I played softball. Well I ended up on the only team in the league who didn't have a sponsor. Wouldn't you know it, we won the city championship. If we wanted to get our "champions" jackets, we had to raise the money. My cousin and I spent 2 Sunday mornings outside a 7-11 type deal and Dunks (they were right next to each other). Of course than was back in 92 ish? We did raise enough money though.

 

[MamaLema]

I always say no, thanks and secretly thinks it's pretty funny that kids are asking for donations from me, when I can't afford to put my own kids on those teams