Fundraisers

[snickerd3]

I don't mind the occassional fundraiser, but it is getting annoying here at work. Instead of quietly putting the forms in area of your own section/unit, they have started sending out agency-wide emails asking for people to buy stuff.

last week there were cheeses, candles, wreathes and something else i can't remember. This week already we have discount card.

 

[roadwreck]

do what I do when they try to stop you coming out of the grocery store and respond with

"No hablo Inglés"

 

[Supe]

Nothing like peddling $13k worth of merchandise so your kid can win a prize ball-in-a-cup.

The only charitable thing I will EVER buy are girl scout cookies, and maybe something peanut butter cup related.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

The only thing I have ever bought from a fundraiser is Girl Scout Cookies. They are overpriced, but at least I know they are good. The rest of that stuff is usually overpriced crap.

 

[snickerd3]

The neighbor boys are in boys scouts and they stopped by the house the other day selling their popcorn. OMFG $18 for a box of microwaveable popcorn.

It was neat to see they had an option, even though it was a $50 option, you could buy a bundle (a selection of items they offer) and it would be sent directly to troops overseas.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Had two little girls show up at the door a few days ago selling candybars for something or other. The parent was in a 300C just kinda cruising down the street after them. You'd have thought they'd be out walking with the kids...

 

[chaosiscash]

Here they sell school coupon books. Its actually the best fundraiser I've ever seen (with the possible exception of Girl Scout Cookies). At least its something I can use, as opposed to candybars or wrapping paper or whatnot. A lot of local vendors (and local franchises of the national chains) participate and the books have several hundred coupons in them. They cost $10 and usually pay for themselves in two coupons. The only bad thing is they no longer have the Home Depot coupon, which used to be 10% off any purchase up to $1000. They got rid of that one a couple of years ago. I guess it was costing them too much money, as I know several people would buy multiple coupon books just for that coupon.

 

[MA_PE]

From my expereince having raised a couple of kids that were involved in a variety of programs:

Nothing like peddling $13k worth of merchandise so your kid can win a prize ball-in-a-cup.The only charitable thing I will EVER buy are girl scout cookies, and maybe something peanut butter cup related.

Wait until junior starts playing soccer, goes to dance class, starts cheerleading, or plays tee-ball, softball, etc. You must be revising that statement.

The only thing I have ever bought from a fundraiser is Girl Scout Cookies. They are overpriced, but at least I know they are good. The rest of that stuff is usually overpriced crap.

It's overpriced because the organization actually wants to raise some money. The biggest culprits here are the companies that sell this "fundraising" stuff to the organizations. They aren't bargains. The option is always available to simply donate money to the cause and not "buy" anything.

The neighbor boys are in boys scouts and they stopped by the house the other day selling their popcorn. OMFG $18 for a box of microwaveable popcorn. It was neat to see they had an option, even though it was a $50 option, you could buy a bundle (a selection of items they offer) and it would be sent directly to troops overseas.

see above. If you want to send something overseas then do that. You don't need the boy scouts to do it for you. Give $10 to the Scouts. Save $8 and tell them to sell the popcorn to someone else.

Had two little girls show up at the door a few days ago selling candybars for something or other. The parent was in a 300C just kinda cruising down the street after them. You'd have thought they'd be out walking with the kids...

depends on how little the kids are, but I believe the kids should do the work. Watching from a safe distance and carrying the "stock" in the car, I don't have a problem with.

Also community programs I am more likely to give to, especially for the kids. I get annoyed with huge organization and their paid "fundraising" enterprises, where the actual organization sees may 50% of the donations with the remainder paying the overhead for the fundraising. All these "walks", and marathon activities and the pressure to pledge $50, $100, etc. annoy me.

The tough part is that you don't want to seem like a tightwad, but one can't realistically give to all the causes not matter how noble it is. You just need to pick some out and tell the others - no can do.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

The only thing I have ever bought from a fundraiser is Girl Scout Cookies. They are overpriced, but at least I know they are good. The rest of that stuff is usually overpriced crap.

It's overpriced because the organization actually wants to raise some money. The biggest culprits here are the companies that sell this "fundraising" stuff to the organizations. They aren't bargains. The option is always available to simply donate money to the cause and not "buy" anything.

That's always an option, but it won't appease the child/parent. Not only does the "overpriced" aspect come from goods that are supplied at an inflated price, but they also use some of the proceeds to provide "prizes" to give to the children in order to give them an incentive to sell the crap. If you give them a donation, but don't actually buy anything, you are helping the organization, but the child is likely to be pissed since they don't get anything out of the transaction (other than a more well funded organization). The more unscrupulous youths will be inclined to simply pocket the donation, and continue peddling their wares.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Had two little girls show up at the door a few days ago selling candybars for something or other. The parent was in a 300C just kinda cruising down the street after them. You'd have thought they'd be out walking with the kids...

depends on how little the kids are, but I believe the kids should do the work. Watching from a safe distance and carrying the "stock" in the car, I don't have a problem with.

They were 10-11, I guess. Usually we see the parents walking along and staying at the road. It was just kind of odd to see a car trailing along afterward. makes sense though if they were carrying stock.

I do agree the kids ought to be doing the work.

 

[Chucktown PE]

I hate that crap. $20 for a roll of frigging wrapping paper. Give me a break. The only thing I buy are girl scout cookies. If my kids feel like they want to go sell that stuff, more power to them, but I'm not going to encourage it.

 

[MA_PE]

I hate that crap. $20 for a roll of frigging wrapping paper. Give me a break. The only thing I buy are girl scout cookies. If my kids feel like they want to go sell that stuff, more power to them, but I'm not going to encourage it.

Another one with young kids that are obviously not invloved with some of these programs yet. None of the kids I know WANT to sell this stuff. My kids were involved in a lot ofstuff and with the exception of junior high school where the lead classroom in the fundraiser got a pizza party there were no prizes or incentives that I'ma aware of. There were however, given minimums or a quata to fulfill. For example on the hockey team each kid brought home 10 raffles tickets at $10/each that they were required to sell. Instead of hitting up friends and family AGAIN, my wife and I bought $100 worth of rafle tickets and called it a day. BTW, my kids could give a rat's patootie about the offered prizes and hated the soliciting, but they did enjoy the activity (little league, hockey, basketball, etc.) so the fundraising was part of the game.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I remember they started making us sell crap in 9th grade to raise money for the junior prom. The handed us a box of candy and said we had to sell at least X bars at Y cost. I told the teacher in charge I wasn't going to do it. She said, "Fine, you won't be allowed to go to the prom, then." I told her to go ahead, take the candy back, and write my name down on the access denied list. I wasn't selling candy.

I hate that crap.

And, no, I didn't go. Senior prom either.

 

[Ble_PE]

I remember they started making us sell crap in 9th grade to raise money for the junior prom. The handed us a box of candy and said we had to sell at least X bars at Y cost. I told the teacher in charge I wasn't going to do it. She said, "Fine, you won't be allowed to go to the prom, then." I told her to go ahead, take the candy back, and write my name down on the access denied list. I wasn't selling candy.
I hate that crap.

And, no, I didn't go. Senior prom either.

Fuddy dud!

 

[Chucktown PE]

I hate that crap. $20 for a roll of frigging wrapping paper. Give me a break. The only thing I buy are girl scout cookies. If my kids feel like they want to go sell that stuff, more power to them, but I'm not going to encourage it.

Another one with young kids that are obviously not invloved with some of these programs yet. None of the kids I know WANT to sell this stuff. My kids were involved in a lot ofstuff and with the exception of junior high school where the lead classroom in the fundraiser got a pizza party there were no prizes or incentives that I'ma aware of. There were however, given minimums or a quata to fulfill. For example on the hockey team each kid brought home 10 raffles tickets at $10/each that they were required to sell. Instead of hitting up friends and family AGAIN, my wife and I bought $100 worth of rafle tickets and called it a day. BTW, my kids could give a rat's patootie about the offered prizes and hated the soliciting, but they did enjoy the activity (little league, hockey, basketball, etc.) so the fundraising was part of the game.

I pay money for my kids to play in these leagues. If the league needs more money they should charge more for the registration fees instead of making kids go sell a bunch of overpriced crap to acquaintances where the fundraising company ends up keeping a substantial portion of the money.

 

[snickerd3]

when I was younger they passed it off as a character building excercise.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I remember they started making us sell crap in 9th grade to raise money for the junior prom. The handed us a box of candy and said we had to sell at least X bars at Y cost. I told the teacher in charge I wasn't going to do it. She said, "Fine, you won't be allowed to go to the prom, then." I told her to go ahead, take the candy back, and write my name down on the access denied list. I wasn't selling candy.
I hate that crap.

And, no, I didn't go. Senior prom either.

Fuddy dud!

Truth be told, I pretty much hated everyone there. I couldn't wait to get out of high school and go to college.

It was a private school and I was from the wrong side of the tracks.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I hate that crap. $20 for a roll of frigging wrapping paper. Give me a break. The only thing I buy are girl scout cookies. If my kids feel like they want to go sell that stuff, more power to them, but I'm not going to encourage it.

Another one with young kids that are obviously not invloved with some of these programs yet. None of the kids I know WANT to sell this stuff. My kids were involved in a lot ofstuff and with the exception of junior high school where the lead classroom in the fundraiser got a pizza party there were no prizes or incentives that I'ma aware of. There were however, given minimums or a quata to fulfill. For example on the hockey team each kid brought home 10 raffles tickets at $10/each that they were required to sell. Instead of hitting up friends and family AGAIN, my wife and I bought $100 worth of rafle tickets and called it a day. BTW, my kids could give a rat's patootie about the offered prizes and hated the soliciting, but they did enjoy the activity (little league, hockey, basketball, etc.) so the fundraising was part of the game.

I pay money for my kids to play in these leagues. If the league needs more money they should charge more for the registration fees instead of making kids go sell a bunch of overpriced crap to acquaintances where the fundraising company ends up keeping a substantial portion of the money.

I kinda agree with that.

 

[MA_PE]

I hate that crap. $20 for a roll of frigging wrapping paper. Give me a break. The only thing I buy are girl scout cookies. If my kids feel like they want to go sell that stuff, more power to them, but I'm not going to encourage it.

Another one with young kids that are obviously not invloved with some of these programs yet. None of the kids I know WANT to sell this stuff. My kids were involved in a lot ofstuff and with the exception of junior high school where the lead classroom in the fundraiser got a pizza party there were no prizes or incentives that I'ma aware of. There were however, given minimums or a quata to fulfill. For example on the hockey team each kid brought home 10 raffles tickets at $10/each that they were required to sell. Instead of hitting up friends and family AGAIN, my wife and I bought $100 worth of rafle tickets and called it a day. BTW, my kids could give a rat's patootie about the offered prizes and hated the soliciting, but they did enjoy the activity (little league, hockey, basketball, etc.) so the fundraising was part of the game.

I pay money for my kids to play in these leagues. If the league needs more money they should charge more for the registration fees instead of making kids go sell a bunch of overpriced crap to acquaintances where the fundraising company ends up keeping a substantial portion of the money.

Easier said than done. People complain about any kind of fees. They expect that "city" programs should be provided by the city. There's always hardship cases where the kid wants to play but his guradians either can't or won't pony up for the dues. It's nice to have some "disposable" income to pay for your kids to play in these leagues, like I said my wife and I threw in an extra $100 rather than sell the stuff. You could look at these fundraiser requiremnts as an additional fee but with a means for kids/families that don't have that extra money to raise it.

I reserve my annoyance at fundraisers until I find out who is raising funds for what. You can't generalize.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

The one that gets me is that the local high school puts one team or band or group outside the local supermarket most of the day on Saturday, at both entrances no less.

The thing is, they just ask for cash, kinda like the old guy that sits on the bench a couple shops down asking for money for his first pint of scotch of the day. They're not selling or doing anything.

I think the folks that ran the athletic department at my wife's HS had the right idea, she ran track there. They would partner up with the town or a local business and do something like wash all the cars on the Toyota lot or set-up/cleanup after the local street festival. They helped someone out and did community service, but didn't have to solicit money from the general public.