Overpriced Fundraisers

[peggyfromwastate]

That would be death to the boy scouts. The evangelical church here (mega churches) have their own boy scout like thing. It requires the dad to be with the boy every meeting, or your son can't go. Yeah that's a non starter for me. The alternative is boy scouts- our pack is highly secular and they skip over any reference to god. Our pack leader is actually an atheist.

[Deebs]

I bought $20 worth of popcorn tonight. Then, I reminded the Boy Scout's dad (our new next door neighbor) that Girl Scout cookie sales are right around the corner!

[DCJenn]

Yep- and as a cib scout parent, it's embarrassing. and our dumbass leader always buys a ton. I end up buying it so that I don't have to sell it. and all of the boys live in the 'hood so we have a limited number of people we can hit up anyway.

I HATE it.

Jenn

[Vishenka69]

DD's day care is already on the bandwagon. I was hoping I didn't have to shell out until at least first grade, no such luck. Pretty soon there'll be some sort of fundraiser on the maternity floor.

[Meenah]

Pretty soon there'll be some sort of fundraiser on the maternity floor.

I thought there was!!!!!!

[GrayMatterWife]

I am a Cub Scout den mom. We haven't done fundraisers, but our activities are pretty cheap. If anyone can't pay, someone always just quietly makes it happen.

The school's version of a PTA also has a yearly fundraiser. We live in an urban area. Where I might take DS door-to-door, we'd never get past the doormen. Everywhere else, there's no way it would be safe or appropriate to go to. Forget it. And there's no way in he'll I'm taking them to my office--uh, yeah, I can't work for a federal judge and use my job to pimp out for my kid. So not acceptable. Every year, I just write them a check and make DS put in some cash from his allowance.

[peggyfromwastate]

I just got shaken down by dd15s soccer team. 30$ for a coupon book she has to sell. If she doesn't sell it, she gets an "obligation" on her account which means no activities or transcript until we pay up.

And there is a yearly activity fee of 40$ I think. Which I already paid.

Anyone want to buy a 30$ coupon book? Sigh. I haven't even
Looked at it but I guess I'll just buy it. What choice do we have.

[SoonerTexan]

I just got shaken down by dd15s soccer team. 30$ for a coupon book she has to sell. If she doesn't sell it, she gets an "obligation" on her account which means no activities or transcript until we pay up.

Is this a school team? No transcript? That's crap.

[v-girl]

I agree! That is crap! My FIL buys us an Entertainment Passbook every year from his Knights of Columbus group. He knows we actually use the coupons (or use enough to more than make up for the cost of the book). And it helps his group raise money to provide programs at his parish.

[peggyfromwastate]

Yes it's a school team.

[peggyfromwastate]

Yep... And if they just asked nicely we would have said no problem. But the scare tactics, the threats... Ugh. Come on! We pay a modest activity fee- only 35$ or so. Maybe they should jack that up rather than pull this stuff....

[SoonerTexan]

Add corporate giving campaigns to the list. My company has an annual campaign for United Way. Fine. Whatever. I don't contribute monetarily as I choose to give directly to one of the organizations they support to avoid their overheard costs--I support the organization anyway.

I do try and help out with the fundraisers, though. This year, I just want to yell, "CAN WE GIVE THE PREGNANT LADY A BREAK!!!"

I've been hit up to bring decorate cookies for the bake sale. Fine. I like baking. My coworkers know that. No biggie.

I turned down donating a free photo session to the online auction because inevitably people will want Christmas Card pics and I don't plan on picking up a damn camera (except to shoot my newborn) from November to March-ish.

Today I was asked if I would like to photograph a 2 hour lunch event on Monday. I nicely declined. People don't understand why I don't shoot constantly (NO, we don't need a picture of that group stuffing their face with Frito Chili Pie--I'd rather have 50 nice pics that capture the event) and I would inevitably spend 2-3 hours editing them even though no one will ever really look at them.

2 hours later I got an email asking if I wanted to volunteer at the same event. NO PEOPLE!!! As of 2 weeks ago I just want to sit on my ever-widening a**. I already bought a dang ticket for $10. Just let me come for 30 minutes, eat Frito Chili Pie, and leave after the CIO plays root beer pong...please?

Today I helped set up for a farewell party for someone (including a trip to Costco and dragging cakes into the building) and I'm responsible for 2 other non-work-related-but-work-related events in the next 3 weeks. It's my own damn fault because I volunteered for too much in the past and now it's expected that I would want to help for every other event...but I really need a break right now! You'd think the slow waddling down the hallway would clue them in...

[scrub-jay]

ST- I'm so sorry, I am glad that you are setting boundaries now. Shame on them for asking you!!

[peggyfromwastate]

After you tell them no enough times they will stop asking.

No guilt for saying no!! People will understand.

[diggitydot]

WTF?! Who in their right damn mind hits up the pregnant lady to do extra crap?!