Ugh! Fundraisers!!!

[Pigeon]

I hate that they tell the kids "You get a prize if you sell this many" or "The class that sells the most gets a pizza party". They also do that with our PTA sponsored events - "The class with the most attendance gets an in-school party".

ITA, and I think any adult who is responsible for that kind of thing ought to be ashamed of themselves.

 

[melancholywings]

The best one is my DS 8's walk a thon. Just ask people to sponser him in the walk a thon.

Our school did a nonsponsered walk thing last year to that I loved. You could send in a check for a small amount and the kids would race around the track at the next door Jr. High. I think there were small prizes given - maybe like little ribbons for places. You could also give more to get a Tshirt of the event and I think a school water bottle.

My favorite PTA event has been family reading night where you show up in pj's, a couple of teachers will read their favorite books and maybe even do a few songs, And the kids can each bring a book from home and swap it with another student. During it all they will do small raffles from $1 tickets they sold.

There are better ways of fundraising than pushing kids into soliciting.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I have 3 in the same school.. so fundraisers are nuts. Since I am on the pta and felt obligated I bought 1 $7.00 item from each of them. I did not show it to friends or family.

We also have girl scout nuts/magazine sales starting saturday and I am my daughters girl scout leader. That sales I do push. I would be happy if my troop parents wrote a check as a straight donation instead of selling.. but some I cant even get dues from.

 

[cari12]

We also have girl scout nuts/magazine sales starting saturday and I am my daughters girl scout leader. That sales I do push. I.

I have a question as I have seen this trend in several posts - why are girl scouts sales more important then school sales? I would put a higher priority on my child's education than extra-curriculars and the schools need this money (sad but true)!

 

[descovy]

In our case it is because in Girl Scouts, the money goes directly in the troop account, and directly benefits the girls. Most important, it is managed by the girls too. They say what it is spent on. It is girl-led, not adult led.

Our Girl Scout fall nuts & cookie sales cover all our expenses, patches, field trips, and service projects. That money even goes to helping the community... There is no, "ask mom for $20" Whatever the girls get to do, they've funded with their own girl resources...

On the other hand, my children's school is flush with cash apparently. The money goes into some mystery fund. We have a pretty mural painted around our library. We have an ice sculpture are our dedication ceremony. We have a PTA who give themselves Tiffany necklaces and gift certificates at the volunteer luncheon. So yeah, I feel that buying cookie dough for the PTA won't directly impact my child nearly as much as Girl Scout cookies.

I give directly to my kids' classrooms. I volunteer. But if I have to pick one fundraiser for my kids to hawk, it is going to be the one that will have the most impact on them.

 

[KAA1972]

My child is in pre-school and they simply charge a 35.00 fee instead of doing a fundraiser. I LOVE IT! I would much prefer to write a check for 35.00 and have the school get the entire fee as opposed to try to sell things. It was only 50.00 total if you had two or more children.

I remember when I was in school that my elementary school hosted a fall festival instead of doing a fundraiser. There were Cake Walks and fun games. The whole community could attend. They sold tickets for the booths and that generated money -- to me, this is a much better idea than selling stuff. But, I don't have elementary school aged children yet -- so we shall see...

I do love the Girl Scouts -- and their cookies!! So, that is one fundraiser I support!!

 

[TruBlu]

We changed our fundraiser to a read-a-thon a few years ago. Since we get 100% of the profits, we end up making as much (if not more) than we did selling the junk.

Sadly, my oldest entered middle school this year. They have the dreaded catalog sale. To get to go to the party each kid had to sell 10 things!!! I asked about making a flat donation instead, but since the catalog company puts on the party, no luck. So, I bought 5 things and Grandma bought 5.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I have a question as I have seen this trend in several posts - why are girl scouts sales more important then school sales? I would put a higher priority on my child's education than extra-curriculars and the schools need this money (sad but true)!

Because people are more likely to buy a can of $5 nuts or $4 cookies than $10 wrapping paper.

But mainly because of what the posted I quoted below said. She summed it up perfect. I know where all the money we earn in going.It will benefit the 12 girls my troops and give them experiences they would otherwise not have.

Unlike the majority of the school fundraisers do not directly benefit my children. I do buy from them, but I wont buy much. Now if them came up with a different alternative and something more cost friendly or items I could actually use, I would consider pushing it more.

In our case it is because in Girl Scouts, the money goes directly in the troop account, and directly benefits the girls. Most important, it is managed by the girls too. They say what it is spent on. It is girl-led, not adult led.

Our Girl Scout fall nuts & cookie sales cover all our expenses, patches, field trips, and service projects. That money even goes to helping the community... There is no, "ask mom for $20" Whatever the girls get to do, they've funded with their own girl resources...

On the other hand, my children's school is flush with cash apparently. The money goes into some mystery fund. We have a pretty mural painted around our library. We have an ice sculpture are our dedication ceremony. We have a PTA who give themselves Tiffany necklaces and gift certificates at the volunteer luncheon. So yeah, I feel that buying cookie dough for the PTA won't directly impact my child nearly as much as Girl Scout cookies.

I give directly to my kids' classrooms. I volunteer. But if I have to pick one fundraiser for my kids to hawk, it is going to be the one that will have the most impact on them.

 

[Cruise]

The only fund raiser we will do is cub/boyscout popcorn. When my kids were in school (we now homeschool) I didn't do any begging friends to buy a 2" square of wrapping paper for $10. I hated it!

Dawn

A friend sent me an email with a link to her son's Boy Scout popcorn fundraiser and I went to the site with the intention of buying something, but.... $40 for two bags of popcorn?!?! That's beyond the price of ridiculous. And on top of that, you have to pay shipping and handling for it. Again, ridiculous.

The only upside to that website is that it does say right there how much of each sale goes back to the troop ($27.96 of $39.95). At least that way people can just donate to the troop rather than getting ripped off with $12 popcorn...geez.

 

[nicki.momof3]

The best think my childrens school did was stop selling things. They changed the cookie / pizza / stuff sales last year to a FunD Run.

The kids get pledges for laps they run around the school. 100% of the money goes to the school - since they are not selling something. Parents / business donate a metal for every child and snacks (bananas and water).

I don't mind donating when I know ALL the $$$ goes to the school. It also promotes exercise which is good.

 

[nicki.momof3]

I refuse to participate in them as I find it morally wrong..

Well I am not a fan of fundraisers - morally wrong - that is a new excuse.

I see it as you want to participate or you don't. Some choose to just send a check in, some sell, some do nothing (and I personally don't don't care which people choose) - but as a teacher I have never heard the excuse "morally wrong".

 

[Pigeon]

Well I am not a fan of fundraisers - morally wrong - that is a new excuse.

I see it as you want to participate or you don't. Some choose to just send a check in, some sell, some do nothing (and I personally don't don't care which people choose) - but as a teacher I have never heard the excuse "morally wrong".

I think they are morally wrong, too. I think it's morally wrong to use children as an unpaid salesforce for corporate America. I also think it's morally wrong to torture kids with the whole party thing for those who sell.

And I especially think it's morally wrong for the school administration to allow assemblies during school time to get the kids spun up about winning prizes for selling, while at the same time preaching to the parents about how important instructional time is.

 

[mrsg00fy]

Well said Pigeon.

 

[xanphylus]

I hate fundraisers too! My DD9 has already brought one home from school- we are not doing it. She is kinda upset, but I told her we never do that type of fundraiser.

She wants the prizes too. She kept saying,I only have to sell one thing and I can get silly bands! I looked at the paperwork, it is only 1 item- but the kids only get 3 silly bands.... wahoo. I told her, and she was mad and kept saying no, that they showed all the kids a bunch of them! ugh.... I hate that. I had to show her where it said it and she stopped. I told her I would rather go buy her a pack of the things than buy anything in the catalog. Worked for her. I also had to explain that she would never be able to sell the 200+ items for the big prizes. They win a limo ride to a pizza place with the principal here if they are one of the top 5 sellers.

We have explained to her that she is a Girl Scout and we will only sell cookies. I am one of the troop leaders and we have never sold magazines or the candy/nuts in our troop and never will. We try not to harass all of our friends and family too many times a year, as most don't have the cash. Her father sells her cookies at work and everyone has already stated, they will buy cookies- but none of the "fund-raising crap." Works for us!

I am also her room mom at school, so if she needs anything in her class- I am more than happy to help out!

 

[fairyprincess1]

My son just started Kindergarten 6 weeks ago - already we have had Market Day, Great American Fundraiser, Book Fair & next week Fannie May candy... I am almost afraid to open his backpack every day. I understand the need for the fundraising but I think this is a little over the top...

 

[Fire14]

Could someone with a girl scout selling stuff direct me to where I can see stuff being sold. I have a DH who loves GS cookies and our neighborhood doesn't have any, My job everybodys kids have grown out of it or r not doing it and Dh's job doesn't seem to have any either.

 

[mommy2princesses0309]

Could someone with a girl scout selling stuff direct me to where I can see stuff being sold. I have a DH who loves GS cookies and our neighborhood doesn't have any, My job everybodys kids have grown out of it or r not doing it and Dh's job doesn't seem to have any either.

Go here http://www.littlebrowniebakers.com/
and in the lower left hand corner is a yellow rectangle to find where cookies are being sold in your area. (or if you want to order from me I can deliver on our drive through OH from Maryland to IL in November )

 

[Jaime4004]

Its funny that you said you would support raising money for a new playground. That is exactly what our fall pto fund raiser was for last year. It isn't all for field trips. Our school got a really nice new playgroud with the money raised.

I wouldn't know what ours goes to, they never tell us... that's why i'd rather support the (many) ones for specific causes. And only donating my time or money, never begging other people to buy crap. I am impressed our town raised the playground money, it wasn't from the catalog fundraiser. It was mostly from business donations, which was nice to see the community so supportive. It was all put together by the parents, also.

 

[melancholywings]

I think they are morally wrong, too. I think it's morally wrong to use children as an unpaid salesforce for corporate America. I also think it's morally wrong to torture kids with the whole party thing for those who sell.

And I especially think it's morally wrong for the school administration to allow assemblies during school time to get the kids spun up about winning prizes for selling, while at the same time preaching to the parents about how important instructional time is.

You said it better than I could Pigeon.

The schools aren't the only ones profiting off of this and it equates to unpaid child labor for these companies.

 

[HeyMickeyUSoFine]

I don't have any children and dread this time of year as much as the parents do. My coworkers always put the thing on my desk and I never see anything I want. It is all over priced and not anything that I want anyway.

I know I should not want to do a tit for tat but I will never be able to reap any benefits of helping you buy this "crap". I don't have kids and do pay property taxes so I am already contributing to the benefits of the school. I also work in a different school district than where I live so I am less inclined to buy coworkers stuff.

I have made my donation to a teacher in the school so I am way over quota for school support of something that I don't use.

I am just asking parents, please be considerate of those individuals that do not have children and don't try to guilt people into buying those fundraisers.

This is exactly why I don't participate in fundraisers. Who want to buy that overpriced junk? I know I wouldn't, so I don't try to put it off on other folks. I wanna help my child's school, but there's got to be a better way.