The same volunteers all the time

[KATODAYO]

I chaired our schools fundraiser for 3 years, served as PTO VP and numerous other positions. When it started to become a "chore" for me and I didn't enjoy it any longer I knew it was time for me to step back and let someone else take over the duties. Personally I got sick of people that wanted all these great activities and parties for their kids but didn't want to step up to the plate and help out. I think you may need a little break too.

It's been a few years now and now I have a kindergartner at the same school and I'm ready to be involved again. Maybe not to the same extent but still involved. I'm not saying give it up forever - just give yourself a little break from it all and spend that time doing things with/for your own kids. They will appreciate that alot more than Mom running the fundraiser - at least mine did. I was also much nicer to be around - not always so frazzeled and grumpy because so and so didn't sign up to help or didn't donate.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[TLuvsD]

I am VERY involved in Girl Scouts (every level troop to council). I am also involved in school boosters. I think it's the same parents over and over. And when it comes to fundraising, I much prefer the ledger accounts. If you want to write a check, write a check. If you want to help with fundraising, help with fundraising. The funds stay in the organization account, with participants receiving credit for time worked (ie 10 people work for 2 hours earning $200---$200 divided by 20 hours worked means $10 per hour for those who worked). No one receives actual cash, it's $10 in credit towards the plane ticket/uniform/whatever. It's fair and gives everyone the opportunity to participate the way they want--either write a check or volunteer. What it doesn't do is give everyone the chance to coast (appropriate accomodations for family hardship).

By the way, we changed the way we do the booth sale cookie sale credit a few years back: it's total cookies sold at ALL booth sales, divide by girl hours worked equal cookies per hour. Cookies per hour times hours worked are then credited to individual girls for recognitions, etc. It helps staff all the booth sales, and shares the burden of the less popular location, rainy days, whatever. It works for us. Some troops add parent hours to girl hours, some don't--I think it depends on how even the parent participation in each troop.

 

[GoofyGolferGirl]

Richmond 282 wrote "You'd better check your state guidelines. I am a band director in TN. It is actually against the law (per our governor) to credit individual students or parents like you are suggesting unless you fill out W-4s, take out taxes, and submit it to the IRS. Not worth the effort in my opinion."

THIS IS A FEDERAL LAW! Happened in KY Lexington IRS made the parents pay back taxes on what they had spent from their kids "accounts." If I am not mistaken it became an issue when one parent complained. Also a title 9 violation.
It does seem only fair that the ones that raise the money get the benefit but our government doesn't feel that way.....same way with taxes wish I could say where my taxes were and were not spend. That's life!!!

 

[abmitch01]

I'd happily pay in lieu of all that fundraising.

I feel bad when I don't step up to the plate when an organization needs bodies but I admit I often say no.

 

[okeydokey]

In my son's scout troop, the funds raised are shared by those who showed up to wash cars etc. The money is used to offset dues and trips. If you don't want to help, that's fine, but you don't get the proceeds.

In the 4-H club I run we do have fundraisers where we make items to sell and then use those funds to buy supplies for the club. It all goes into a general pot. We have good turnout though and most everyone helps out at some time or other, so I don't worry about it.

 

[Matt'sMom]

Band Boosters, PTO, Scouts, and kid's sports... it does typically tend to be the same parents volunteering to help with all of these 99% of the time. While I know & understand that some parents simply do not have the free time to volunteer, we also know of quite a few who genuinely don't care to be involved in or support their child's activities & interests (which I find very sad).

As VP of our local Music Assoc., I am automatically also in charge of the fundraising program that supports our HS Band, chorus and musical students. We purchase many of the supplies and instruments that these organizations need in order to function (as the school district can not afford to do so). Every music student is given the opportunity to participate in fundraising (with at least one fundraiser per month), but no one is required to participate, there are no 'buy-outs', and we do not require a specific number of hours be contributed. All of the money goes into the Association's banking account, a portion of which is used to pay for a 'Big Trip' once every second year. The students do not have separate accounts, but the amount they are required to pay OOP towards the trip is directly related to their level of participation in fundraising (so there is some incentive and personal benefit to participating).

Our Band/Chorus fundraisers tend to all involve very good deals, and many people in our community actually look forward to them with great anticipation each season. For example, we sell 'pizza cards' which are redeemed for one large pizza -- the pizzas normally sell for $10 if purchased outright from the shop, but our cards only cost $7 (we then pay the shop $5 per card, so make a $2 profit per). We also sell items like discount cards to local businesses, and fresh citrus fruit (at prices way below those charged at the local groceries). Fundraising does not always involve peddling a bunch of 'overpriced junk', and can actually be beneficial to everyone involved.

If we did not fundraise, I highly doubt we would have such a successful music program in our local schools -- c. 25% of all students in our district are actively involved in band, chorus or both!

 

[FoodLover]

I think it might be a good idea, for your own sake, to take a break from volunteering. If you have been doing it for nearly 20 years then you know that nothing is going to change.

I agree 100%. I used to think I was indispensable to the organizations I volunteered with. But finally I got completely burned out, and quit in disgust. Guess what? None of the organizations collapsed without me. Either someone else stepped up to the plate, or the system got reconfigured to accomplish whatever needed to be done.

I've gone back to volunteering after a long break, but now I have a much more reasonable view of my own importance to the organization.

Let someone else take over. Give yourself a break.

 

[KS Dis Mom]

I am a board member for soccer, boy scouts and our community movie theatre. I always also try to help out with any activity that my children are in.

One of my friends from soccer suggested that we form a group for 'volunteraholics' since we end up doing more than our one job!

I am getting better at saying 'NO' to people who want me to help out. I try to keep my meeting nights to two - three a week so I have time with my own family.

I try to understand that other people do have lives and try not to judge them when I ask for their help and cannot. I also do not ask the same people over and over again to help out.

My (and my husbands) favorite line I have heard from a mother (who didn't help with anything), 'Scouts is the best free babysitting I have.'

Luckily, my son should be done with scouts in the next couple of years and only have two years left with soccer. I am looking forward to not helping out.

 

[Sugardimples]

I used to volunteer wherever there was a need. I don't do it anymore. Why? Because every time the same thing happened. Whatever you volunteered for wasn't enough. There was constant pressure to do more until you were sucked dry. I just don't do it anymore.

 

[hffmnheidi]

I think the student accounts are a great idea. The student and family work hard and earn for your own account and use that to 'pay' for your club/group/sports needs and it can follow them through their school years. It makes everyone accountable.

Don't want to sell or fundraise? That's totally your decision, but when your kid needs a $50 for a uniform, write a check to the school and be done.

Everyone chooses what they want to do and everyone is happy with their decisions. And when the child graduates or moves to a new school, maybe it can be donated back to the school for buying new textbooks or school supplies that the teachers need each year. It could be called the "Paper Towel and Toilet Paper" Fund.

 

[libraryfreak]

OP here. Thanks for all your input but I got slapped upside the head yesterday by the Man Upstairs.

Here I am whining about volunteering (thats what I was doing too, whining), when yesterday I worked at an event with a woman who's husband was shot and killed in the line of duty last year. Talk about realizing whats important and whats not! It was all over the news and I remember a picture in the paper of her and her kids - they looked like they were in such a daze. I don't know how I'd be able to get off the floor, let alone make arrangements and go to the funeral (thousands attended.)

Anyways, now that I got my life put back in perspective, I am very happy to be able to volunteer and spend time with my kids. Bonus's to volunteering: I also get to know my son's classmates, and the teenagers are so much fun. They have an energy about them that is contagious. I'm getting to know other parents and making friends with them, there's something about working your butt off for no pay that builds camaraderie!

Sorry about the whining.

 

[dimimi]

One of the things that an organization I was involved in was this:

Everyone had to volunteer 4 times. To begin the season, everyone had to write a check for $100. If you volunteered, your check was returned, if you only volunteered 3 times, you gotr $25 back and so on. We were lucky that MOST people volunteered. We would have had a problem if a lot of parents said, "Fine, keep the money, I can't volunteer!) The first year we did this, I think 3 families owed money. This year over 15 families chose to pay rather than help.

Where we live now, there is a sport that needs $1000 per child. The parents can "earn" this money by volunteering. It seems to work. It is a simple expectations, if you work, you get money, if not, you pay.

For the example you gave, maybe an idea would be 1/2 of what is earned goes to the general fund, then the rest is put in individual accounts. But...what will you do when people volunteer part of an hour or come but don't really work...etc.

One group we were involved in sent emails to everyone. The first email would list the families that volunteered for a huge event. Then they would ask for more volunteers. The next email would list the families that were not volunteering...they would have a nice prompt, like: The following families haven't had a chance to sign up to volunteer...or something like that.

I don't envy you, not an easy task!

 

[Jill in Chicago]

I really didn't think it was whining.

What I have found is that the majority of people do not want to be in a leadership role for volunteering. Many are willing to work. I also found that if you push someone into a leadership role, that they are not qualified for, it is a failure all around.

Also state, "We would like each family/person to volunteer 6 hours within this time period," or each family, "needs to sign up for one game at the food booth." You get the idea. Will it totally work? Never, but it does work for the majority.

Here's what I do. Walk up to someone. Say, "I need you to sit in a booth and sell tickets for 3 hours. Can you do that?" Usually the answer is yes. If you say, "We need volunteers to work at the community carnival," no one will say yes because they do not know what all it involves.

Also, as a member of an organization it should be clearly defined what is expected. For instance in our Cub Scout Pack each scout had to either sell two cases of chocolate candy bars OR pay the amount of profit.

With our den dues is was simply, "This is the cost." It was about $25.00 per scout so in our area very doable for each family.

Marching Band. Have you considered door to door "begging." I know it sounds horrible, but it WORKS. There are so many people in the high school district who have been in A marching band (not necessarily yours) and many who have been in band or YOUR band. Our band just made over $20,000 going door to door. (Yes we go through all the right codes and whatever you needs to do this legally.)