I think that my greatest concern would be that I would put lots of hours into organizing it and planning it and I wouldn't get enough people signed up to make a profit. Has anyone ever planned one and stated that there must be "__" number of people signed up by a certain date for it to be a go?? Or do you just assume that you will get enough and just hope for the best??
I'm already sitting here brainstorming where I could get donations from and such.
If I did it for DD's swim team we could probably use a space at the Y for free... maybe the aerobics studio. And I would have a large group of people to help with it...... and even though I don't know for sure, I suppose there are probably other scrapper parents that I don't know about on the team.
If I did it for DS's robotics team, I could probably use a space at either the elementary school or the middle school.... but I'm not sure if it would be free. But there would certainly be enough space and enough tables! But it would fall to a much smaller group of us (like maybe me and one or two other parents!!) to plan it and organize it..... and as far as I know, I'm the only scrapper in the group.
Thanks for starting my wheels rolling! It sounds like maybe I could actually do this! Sorry....I didn't mean to hijack!....................P
No hijack! I may just change the title so it reflects that this has turned into a fundraiser discussion.
The one that I went to Saturday was completely organized and run by ONE person. There really wasn't a huge amount that went into it. She said she picked up the snacks/drinks/paper products when she was at Costco already shopping for her family. She got paper to cover the tables from the local newspaper-- the newsprint end rolls-- and they give them away free. She put the tables where she wanted them and covered them in paper. She did have assigned seating and she made some place cards just on her computer with our names on them and put them at each place. She had a cup of candy at each place, a sharpened pencil and there were a few handouts-- a schedule for the day, a thank you for coming note, our payment receipt, and can't remember what else.
There was sign up flyer available online, and some printed to hand out. She had a registration date (but also allowed late ones since we all know it happens!). Really she just needed to have the lunch orders in a few days early to the catering place. So the week of the event she knew how many were coming and bought her snacks/drinks/paper goods based on that number.
During the event she greeted everyone when they came in, showed them to their place and was a gracious hostess. But after about an hour she was able to spend the rest of the day scrapbooking, with an occasional run to the kitchen to refill the ice bucket.
At the end she was going to have to clean it all up on her own (even her friends abandoned her!) but myself and a friend stayed after and assisted. She said that her total out of pocket was about $100, and she was going to submit the receipts for that to come out of the profit. She had 24 people at $35 per person. Lunch was $6.50 so that was $684 profit minus her expenses. But she was taking the left over food and soda home so was only going to take out about $50 for expenses. And the CMC was donating back a portion of her profits so she expected to clear over $700.
I would certainly want to have at least 2-4 people to help with the set up and clean up. I actually felt sorry for her because no one on the PTA or the Prom Committee that this was for showed up to help-- they stuck her with the whole thing and were just taking the money.
Getting the space for free or very cheap is the key to maximizing the profit. Talk to area business about their box lunch options and factor that in your cost. My friend and I may even consider making up our own box lunch--a variety of sandwich options (ham, turkey, club and something vegetarian), a bag of chips and a cookie. We will have to price it out and see what the best option. Certainly it is easier to let someone else do it! She and I have done quick and easy (and cheap!) food options for other events before--Chili, baked potato and salad; spaghetti and salad and bread; and taco/nacho bar are some of the easiest-- you can do the prep ahead of time and just have to heat up and, set it all out when needed and put the leftovers in bags when done.
If the space is free and you have the price of lunch covered in your fee then if only 4 people register and show up you will have a fun day cropping and still make a little money-- you just don't buy very much drinks and snacks. I think that things like this can get bigger each time. Do it this year and the positive word of mouth will cause more to register next year and the next.. .
Like I said, she and I are absolutely KICKING OURSELVES for not having thought of this before! We have run yard sales, spirit wear sales, donation dinners, crap sales (cookie dough, pizza etc), and several other things in the past to fundraise. We have brainstormed so many things and worked our butts off to make them happen, I have no idea how we didn't think of this---we have even been scrapbooking together while brainstorming!
I think is great advice. It is kind of where I am at today. To heck with it, if they ask I will answer otherwise good luck! I have a few weeks to even decide if I will go. It will probably depend on what my friends decide. They have said they won't pay for round tables.
