Fundraising Shenanigans

My daughter's school sent out some packets a few weeks ago for a fundraising project that required the kids, and their parents, to sell gift wrap, knick-knacks, and candy to raise funds for their playground. Good idea, right? Cute kids, just trying to earn money for some playground equipment, who could say no? Parents taking the sales sheet to work, dragooning their co-workers into buying stuff they didn't need. Come on, "It's for the chiiiilldrennnn!!!!" You'd buy, wouldn't you?

What a load of horse hockey! Don't buy anything. I was embarrassed when I delivered these products to the buyers. An $8.00 box of Milk Chocolate Coconut Clusters - probably worth about $1.50. A $10.00 pair of Electric Scissors - about $2.00 in a dime store. I apologized to the buyers, I was so embarrassed. I was more upset that they were, but it still made me feel bad for pushing such low-quality crap on them.

That's it. I'm not selling anymore fundraising crap for anything. I'll ask for donations, but I won't sell anything. Not gift wrap, not popcorn, not candy, discount cards, or knick-knacks. Besides, only 50% goes to the school or organization doing the selling. The other 50% goes to the selling company. I think I can get more people to donate than would buy the stuff, anyway.

I know I'm more willing to donate $10.00 to your cause, than I am to buy a $9.00 jug of popcorn that's going to net the organization only $4.50, and that I could get at the supermarket for $2.98. I'm not against people raising money, I just hate the cheap crap they sell trying to do so.

Walrilla