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Old 08-14-2013, 07:49 AM
 
Location: San Antonio, TX
11,495 posts, read 26,747,509 times
Reputation: 28029

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Bear View Post

Yes, there is the element of teaching youngsters about taking a stake in the effort, so put a table in front of the grocery store on Saturday morning and let people decide if they wish to donate/purchase/ignore.
This doesn't work with items that have to be ordered and then picked up, especially frozen things. You don't want to tie up the family freezer for months while you track down the random people from the grocery store and deliver their cheesecakes.
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Old 08-14-2013, 08:15 AM
 
3,086 posts, read 7,588,214 times
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Most schools who are used to doing fundraising are well aware that about 80% of what is sold is done by about 20% of the families in the school. So, don't worry about it. They know full well that there will be plenty of families who do not sell anything at any given fundraiser.

Learn to pick and choose which fundraisers you wish to participate in and teach your child how to react when presented with the opportunity to choose. For instance, your situation is not conducive to selling items successfully, so you won't be participating in those however you can and will attend any carnival, spaghetti dinner, pancake breakfast etc. Then make that your 'platform' going forward.
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Old 08-14-2013, 08:26 AM
 
Location: Ft. Myers
19,719 posts, read 16,715,916 times
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When my kids were in school I HATED these stupid fund raising activities. They put kids and their families in a very awkward position and force the kids to hit the streets to sell their unwanted products. I think they should ban those types of activities altogether. All these things do is prey on friends and family members and force them to buy stuff they don't need and don't want. It is just a way to extort money out of the families of the kids.

I would sell what you can and call it good.......turn in the leftovers and that would be the end of the story. Let the other parents complain, if they are so rich let them buy some of your cheesecakes.

Don
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Old 08-14-2013, 09:02 AM
 
Location: Hillsborough
2,825 posts, read 6,906,923 times
Reputation: 2669
Our school has stopped doing these types of fundraisers. We do a read-a-thon where the child asks people to pledge a certain amount per book or per page that he/she will read during the reading period, and then you just write a check at the end and the whole amount goes to the school. I think it's way better than trying to sell crap that nobody really wants, and family can participate from any distance.
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Old 08-14-2013, 10:16 AM
 
Location: Geneva, IL
12,980 posts, read 14,513,037 times
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My stance has always been to buy for these fundraisers only if I want the items, and sell what we can. It's not worth stressing over. Also try to volunteer time to help with the fundraiser if you can't afford to support it financially.

In lieu of fundraising our middle school has asked for a flat rate $100 donation per family per year which I prefer.

Our elementary school has partnered with a local running club to schedule a sanctioned 5k running event open to the public. The school premises will host the start and finish. It's the first year, so will be interested to see what profit is made.
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Old 08-14-2013, 05:24 PM
 
11,642 posts, read 23,820,832 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tristan_Davis View Post
My daughter's school is selling expensive cheesecakes. The class is supposed to sell a certain amount to earn an ice cream party. We have no family around and we can't sell stuff at work, and are made to feel badly by the other parents that we can't get the class to the "quota". Well some of these other parents have huge families and can sell a lot easier than us. Seems very unfair, what do you think?
How do the other parents know what you are or aren't selling?
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Old 08-17-2013, 02:55 PM
 
13,513 posts, read 19,204,067 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tristan_Davis View Post
My daughter's school is selling expensive cheesecakes. The class is supposed to sell a certain amount to earn an ice cream party. We have no family around and we can't sell stuff at work, and are made to feel badly by the other parents that we can't get the class to the "quota". Well some of these other parents have huge families and can sell a lot easier than us. Seems very unfair, what do you think?
I've always hated it. We would never allow our children to participate in that kind of expoitation, and in no way did we feel bad about it. I think the best way for a school to make funds is having bake sales or book sales etc...sold right there at the school...I've always hated how the class that sells the most of some product is rewarded...ridiculous, and unfair, and the very reason we don't take part.
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Old 08-17-2013, 07:47 PM
 
421 posts, read 877,908 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Bear View Post
This ^^^.

The food is HORRIBLE. The manufacturer makes WAY more than the school/troop/team, etc.

I much prefer to write the check and skip pissing off all my friends/family/co-workers/neighbors with crap.

Yes, there is the element of teaching youngsters about taking a stake in the effort, so put a table in front of the grocery store on Saturday morning and let people decide if they wish to donate/purchase/ignore.

I actually think this is a horrible lesson to teach.

If you're 100% sure that no one is going to buy something, it is a complete waste of time for the kids and you to go through the trouble of them seeing that in action.

With that logic, I feel like someone would need to stick their hand in an open candle to prove to themselves that they really will get a severe burn.
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Old 08-18-2013, 02:31 PM
 
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan
30,703 posts, read 79,422,824 times
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One school had an "anti-fundraiser" They send a card where you could check off the things you did not want to do and send a check for the amount. You could not back 3 dozen cookies for the bake sale and send $12.98. You could strongarm friends and family into buying overpriced cheesecakes and pay $25.00. You could not rent a tuxedo attend a formal dinner and silent auction and send them $250.00. There are all kinds fo things to choose from $12.98 through $2500. It worked very well, they raised about $20,000.

Recently, one of our daughters who is in college came home with a fundraiser for a service sorority she is involved with. They were selling tubs of flavored popcorn for $15 each. She asked me to take it to work. I thought it was embarrassing. $15 for popcorn? $$&&*#!. My wife wanted to support her efforts and signed up to buy $20 worth of popcorn. I tried to convince her we should just donate $30 and they woudl probably get more than if we bought a bunch of popcorn that would only make us fat. Then I suggested donating $120 and forgetting the popcorn. Seeing that I am male, we now have a house full of tubs of flavored popcorn. And yes, I am probably getting fatter.

I tried my way once years ago. A Kiwanis friend and i signed up to ring the bell for Salvation Army at the post office for two hours just before Christmas. We brought in $75 in donations in that two hours ($37.50 each). At the time, I was billed at $335 per hour at work. It made no sense to take off two hours (or one plus, since I would eat lunch anyway and lose three quarters of an hour), so the next year, when they signed us up for the same shift, we just stuck the bucket behind the door and went to lunch. I put in $75 when I left and my friend put in $50, so S.A. came out ahead, and so did we. Seemed like a good deal until the next Kiwanis meeting where we were severely chastised and embarrassed (in a kind fun and loving way, but still embarrassed). The next year we stayed and rang the bell for two hours, and put in $150.00. We were singled out as heros because we brought in the most money of any bell ringer shift (over $350 - I guess it was a better year than the prior year).
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Old 08-18-2013, 07:15 PM
 
2,152 posts, read 6,774,019 times
Reputation: 1388
I agree with it being ridiculous for the schools to send these kids out to be traveling salespeople for crap that people don't really want. They also sign up with these findraising companies that take 80% or so of the profits for themselces and the school gets very little benefit.

I am willing to write a check for that an amount where 100% or close to it can go to good use vs. supporting some manufacturer or line a fundraising companies profits. I have seen where the children who don't sell their quota are not included in an ice cream party or whatever ridiculousness that the fundraising company provides to their "salespeople". I don't agree with that and hope that this doesn't happen in my kids school which she is starting this year.

I do like the idea of the read a thon or upfront payment so that the kids don't have to be subjected to this means of fundraising.
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