I just have to rant a little bit about our kids' yearly school fundraiser. In my opinion, it is over the top. The school has done it for so many years, blah, blah, blah and each year the goal is to raise more money than the previous year. I think in past years they have raised around $30,000 to $40,000. Yes, I'm being serious.
Now I will tell you the lowdown on how they accomplish that. Each student (translate:parent) is supposed to 1.) sell their allotted amount of raffle and pancake tickets ($45) 2.) donate an item to their class auction basket for the silent auction ($10) 3.) donate a home-baked goodie ($5?) 4.) Donate either pancake mix, syrup, paper products, etc. ($5?) 5.) volunteer to help flip pancakes, etc. Now multiply that times the amount of children you have attending the school. For us, our expected contribution is around $130. Plus, there is pressure to buy the baked goods and the auction baskets once you get to the school, if you feel like you haven't contributed enough already.
With that said, the money goes to teacher requests, laptops, the end-of-the-year field day, etc. I don't know what the ideal solution is. My kids love all the giant inflatable bouncers and slides at field day but are they necessary? I know that when I was growing up our field day consisted of three-legged races, sack races, 50 m dash, etc and we got ribbons and maybe a popsicle at the end and we still loved it.
Sidenote: I don't want anyone to think I am criticizing those involved and their hard work in making this a success for our school. I know they only have the best of intentions. If I'm going to complain, maybe I should volunteer more and come up with a better plan. I just don't know what it is. Any ideas?
7 comments:
The tickets/raffle tickets come to 45 dollars per kid if you do what I do and just buy them all. I know I'm bad but I do not want my kids selling door to door. By the way, I with you on the whole over-the-top thing.
What ever happened to the days of "Jump Rope for Heart" and St. Jude fundraisers? Yes, those aren't for the school's funds, but didn't the school maybe get a portion? I loved having a day of jumping rope in the gym :)
Joni's soapbox:
It certainly isn't necessary. I think they should be able to count on you for one thing, but not all of them. That is way too much! And of course the kids would love the blow up toys, but they would love a free day outside or a waterfight or whatever else just as much - and those things are mostly free. Teacher requests should come from school funds - because there are budgets for all that sort of stuff. (I never get anything I request, but that's where they should come from.)
commiserations. but the pancakes are tasty right?
It's that time of year! I feel your pain.
Our school does a carnival/silent auction fundraiser. Our first year here, we went and dropped a boatload of money at the carnival, assuming that it was fundraising. Right?
OH NO! They hire a (lame) outside company to put on the carnival and dish out the crummy Oriental Trading Co. prizes AT A LOSS to attract parents to come to their silent auction! They spend about $5000 on hiring this carnival service! And let me tell you, I could single-handedly put on a MUCH funner carnival.
I can't get behind what our school fundraises for, either. They got iPods for the students to use during Spanish, and they tried to build an ampitheater in honor of a teacher who killed himself . . . I don't like how they spend my money.
Wow, does this post sound like something that I would write. These are EXACTLY my sentiments of my kid's fundraisers.
So this is what I have to look forward to in a few years?? Maybe we should move before Rylee goes to Kindergarden....just kidding. Dang it all sounds a little ludicrious to me....Don't we pay our taxes for this??
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