Overpriced Fundraisers

[ladymoreta]

I like most parties like that, but my friends don't go overboard with them. I can see getting really annoyed if I had invitations to more than one every few months. After my Tupperware party, I went to the two that booked from mine and one that another friend booked from one of those. That was a lot.

[SoonerTexan]

Ummm, is there a debate here because I couldn't agree more.

Just being safe

[Pollyanna]

One of my biggest issue with these fundraisers done through the school is that the school only gets 50% of the proceeds (and that would be the max, most are about 30%). When I was the FFO president we eliminated all outside fundraisers only only did things that provided 100% profit and actually benefited the students. So we now have a math-a-thon, spell-a-thon, and read-a-thon, and then just a direct giving campaign. I have no tolerance for kids hanging on street corners barely dressed trying to get people to go their carwash, it's disgusting and our kiddos know they are not allowed to be part of that type of fundraiser. Luckily DD17 dance team coach agrees so they do a dance camp for young girls in the summer and sell parking places during a winter event in town to support their entire year.

[Pollyanna]

The kids begging on our street corners aren't even doing it for a carwash, though! They are literally just running from car to car with a bucket at red lights asking for money!

Yikes!!! What the hell is wrong with the adults that encourage children to do this?

[MrsK]

That's the type of fundraising I was objecting to also. It makes me so angry. I don't know what I'd do if my kid's school insisted he participate in something like that.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I hated selling that crap when I was in school and refused to do it even as a pretty young kid. In high school, our church had an annual car wash for our mission trip and kids got pledges to raise $300 to afford the trip. I worked to get the money (babysitting, coaching camps, etc) and never fundraised.

My kid(s) won't be doing that stuff either. I agree that if you sign your child up for an activity, you should pay for it and for other things outside of normal fees (travel to competitions, new uniforms, etc.) that money can be raised in a way that 100% of the proceeds go to the kids, not to the distributors of these money making enterprises (pizzas, gift wrap, etc).

[oceanchild]

The legislature here actually banned the fundraising buckets on street corners thing a few years ago. Then they made an exception for firefighters, who do the same thing with fire boots.

I don't like any of this and wish I had a better answer than just being a scrooge.

[scrub-jay]

For high school concert band, the best fundraiser ever was selling cords of firewood, the wood was donated (or maybe discounted), but we had to cut it/load it up. We pre-sold it during fall (before winter) and then on one Saturday, we'd all go out (with parent volunteers) and cut it (parents and students 18+ generally cut it w/axes and hydraulic cutters) and the rest of us loaded the firewood into the trucks of the ppl who bought it. Really lucrative, but relied on a good relationship with timber mills. We liked it because we really didn't need to panhandle - do you need cut firewood? Yes/No... okay. It was really nice for some of the elderly population who really struggled to get cut firewood each year (some of us would follow them to their house and put it away for them too). Felt like we were being useful.

[SoonerTexan]

That sounds like an awesome one, Crystal!

I actually like greenery/wreath sales too.

[corn poffi]

I loathed fundraisers as a kid, and my parents did too. I was the lowest seller for Girl Scout cookies every year. And was proud of it! I will only buy fundraiser stuff if they actual kids are selling it. I won't buy anything sold by their parents for them. I hate it when parents bring that crap to work to try to peddle it for their kids.

[peggyfromwastate]

The boy scout popcorn goes 70% to scouting which helps explain why it's so expensive. As mentioned the girl scout cookies only get about 50-60 cents per box. There is a tiny bag of caramel corn for 9$ lol. What a deal.

I hate selling all that crap-- our cub scouts do the popcorn and boy scouts do more service related stuff (like selling mulch and delivering it to you) and they sell frozen food which I actually like. So I support my neighborhood boy scout and buy popcorn from my boys bc they are in scouting, but I'm really uncomfortable asking anyone else to buy popcorn bc it is kinda ridiculous.

We get lots of straight donations- that is nice too. A good option for ppl who feel bad saying no to the adorable 6 year old who asks you if you want to buy popcorn-- no, but I'd like to donate 1$!

One thing I appreciate is that this year we are able to just pay the straight amount to the pack without the popcorn- they have figured out that every family needs to pay x number of dollars so you can sell x amount of popcorn or donate x$. No one has to sell though-- that's just the amount it takes to cover meeting expenses, the two camping trips, the pinewood derby, etc etc.

[BonBon]

Dude asked to join Cub Scouts but thankfully I was able to say no because we already do Lego Robotics and swim. I was dreading the flipping fundraisers.

Fortunately, the schools here have switched over to using Scrip. http://www.shopwithscrip.com/ You buy gift cards through the school for all the regular places you shop/eat at and the school gets to keep a certain percentage of the gift card cost. It's great, because you're getting something you'll actually USE. (I don't do microwave popcorn, lol)

I am APPALLED by the panhandling!!! WTH!

[Meenah]

I won't give to or buy from the Boy Scouts, haven't for a long time. One Mom kept bringing her kids to my house (4 of them) and I finally told her why. I felt bad continually saying no to the kids, but didn't feel it was my place to tell them why, because they are young kids, and not my kids. She quit bringing them by for the boyuscout stuff, but still brings them for other fundraiser stuff. I guess I didn't piss her off because I was trying to be respectful.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/...in228754.shtml

Yep - that's why I don't let my boys join.

[poky]

I won't give to or buy from the Boy Scouts, haven't for a long time. One Mom kept bringing her kids to my house (4 of them) and I finally told her why. I felt bad continually saying no to the kids, but didn't feel it was my place to tell them why, because they are young kids, and not my kids. She quit bringing them by for the boyuscout stuff, but still brings them for other fundraiser stuff. I guess I didn't piss her off because I was trying to be respectful.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/...in228754.shtml

Yup, me too. DH was an eagle scout and is now quite frustrated with the organization.