School Fundraisers - A blessing or a curse?

LMAO!:lol:

 

I despise fundraisers, too.
I'd had enough of the overpriced trinkets, candy, and wrapping paper. I refused to ask coworkers, friends or family to buy anything because I knew they were just buying it for my child's sake and didn't want the stuff to begin with. Last year, I decided not to participate at all. What do you know, my daughter came home from school all upset because she said she was the only one in the class who didn't sell anything. The teachers hipe it up so much, the kids feel bad if they don't have an order. So.... I ended up picking out a couple of things I didn't want, didn't need just so she could say she sold something. GEEZ!!!

 

My daughters granpa buys like 200 bucks worth of this junk just so mine thinks she sold alot. I do not try and sale it cause I feel like I am ripping people off.I know in school we sold candy bars for $ 1 I think they should do that. They would make more money , nobody wants to buy wrapping paper for that price when you can go to the dollar store and get a truck load for the same price that you would pay for one small roll with the fundraiser crapolog.

 

it's like sell 40K and wil give you a pencil.

 

Try and remember that the kid's adopt the crappy attitude's ....they can't help that their school chooses to raise funds that way.....:-D

Come on People put on your Happy Face, if it exists. :-D

 

" This is my happy face" :lol:

 

We haven't been in the school for a couple of years, but at West Clayton Elementary, the big fundraiser for the year for many years was the Bull Dog Run. It's essentially a walk-a-thon. The kids collect pledges based on how many laps they walk or just a flat amount. Every participating kid gets a t-shirt, that must have been mostly provided by selling advertising on the shirt.

We loved this. The PTA raises lots of money. They parents can easily choose to just make a flat donation of whatever amount. The kids get a prize. And of course there are the health benefits of walking.

We personally refrained from participating in the sales-type fundraisers, because, as others have pointed out, the merchandise is usually not all that great and way overpriced.

Now that we are homeschooling, we don't have to participate in fundraising. But then we also have to pay for EVERYTHING. Hmm, maybe we should have a fundraiser for our own school

 

:lol:

:lol: :lol: :mrgreen: :shock:

 

Seems sad that the kids have to do fundraisers in the first place. I mean, it would be nice if the schools got the money they needed from all the taxes we pay and the new "education" lottery.:roll:

Obviously, the schools don't get the $ they need since the kids are asked to bring their own box of tissues and such (thinking of the thread on school supplies).:?

 

well per nc law you can have 1 fundraiser a month ( like selling chicken plates and such) and not have to turn that money over to a charity!

 

yea its very sad, and what makes me even sadder is the kids who cant afford stuff like that. i mean i know we all joke about being broke and stuff but i have had kids before that didnt have anything!

 

Very well said!

 

West Clayton also does a 'carnival' now and it's open to the public. Between The Bulldog Run and that, they pull in a lot money...
...so that raising money isn't placed squarely on the backs of our children... ..and the carnival is actually fun. They have food (you buy tickets to buy the food), a cake walk (I make a few killer upside down pine apple cakes for it) a silent auction, blow up ride/slide thingys (again, you buy the tickets first) .... what else... They've had two in the last two years and are really pleased with the outcome, so I believe it's going to be a regular event.

 

http://www.westviewpta.com/prod01.htm

Someone posted Westview's budget for the PTA. I am rather confused and was wondering if there were further explanations for the expenses. For example:

Hospitality-- what does this entail. $3500 seems like a lot.

Teacher appreciation-- what does this include

Box tops--why is this an "expense" as I thought the kids collected and send them in. Why would we have to pay $300 to send the box tops in? I'm assuming postage but that seems rather high for box tops. I ship stuff all the time overseas and cross country. Just seemed high to me.

Insurance--$200 what are you insured for? Why would the PTA need insurance?

Copies--$2000. I know the PTA sends out papers but that is ALOT of paper and toner for $2000. Would email cut down on the copy expense perhaps?

Membership--$700. Is this for membership at the national level?

Yes, it does need landscaping but I'm sure if you sent out a request to bring in flowers and donate time, some people would gladly go to lowes, pick up $10 worth and bring their gardening tools. I know I would.

I'm sure these are all justified expenses, I just was wondering WHAT they were for exactly. So no one jump down my throat, I'm honestly just trying to figure out where exactly the money is going to. As a parent, it's nice to know where the money is going to that you send in.

And I know alot of parents on here have awesome ideas on fundraisers but seems the schools are all too worried about liability or PC for anything different to happen. I grew up, NC schools did all kinds of cool carnivals. And yes, we'd have powder puff football games and enjoy it! Just seemed like not everyone was so uptight back then about offending people and more or less acted as a community w/ the schools. I mean, I remember parents volunteering at the dunking booths and principals. We used to have a huge one at an elementary school in Jacksonville, NC when I was younger. Yes, we all wore costumes to school the week of Halloween. Even teachers. It was a blast. We all had costume contests. AFter teh parade, the festivities went on from after school till 9 o'clock at night. It was like a mini-carnival/ state fair atmosphere. Kids stayed afterschool, parents joined in later, and everyone had fun, no one complained about it being Halloween time of year, and tons of money was raised for the school. In fact, it was so big, that they only did 2 fundraisers when we went to school. And we didn't have to be door-to-door salesmen either. I know times are different now but seems like a lot of great ideas by parents get squashed. I LOVE the tie/ money in a jar idea.

Have a great evening and hopefully all of us can make a difference in our kids' schools this year.

Take care,

Stephanie--mom to 7

 

School fundraisers

If people took a moment to learn how much of every dollar earned actually comes back to the school, nobody would participate in most of the school fundraisers. If you truly truly want to help your school, instead of beating friends and relatives over the head asking to buy expensive crapola, and then fussing with delivery etc. .... JUST WRITE A CHECK TO YOUR CHILD'S PTA. 100% goes to the school and there's no muss or fuss. (When my kids fundraising envelope comes home, I toss it immediately into the trash.)

 

Exactly!! And please keep it out of the workplace. At one place I worked it got so bad, that I banned all of it...schools, boy scouts, girl scouts, Avon,...any type of business transaction. Told the employees that bringing a fundraiser sheet to work was the same as giving a letter of resignation.

 

It might be interesting if we had school vouchers and more charter schools to find out if they are getting enough money or just not spending what they have wisely. Competition in education might go a long way.

 

Maybe they are all going to be Outside Sales Reps when they grow up?:mrgreen:
Better get used to people saying NO (and slamming the door)

 

Have to agree with Steph. I understand some of those expenses, but some seem a little high.

I toss out the fundraiser envelopes too. Give straight to the PTA. What tweaks me is that they get the kids all hyped about what they can get. Then, you're looking like the bad guy with your kid if you don't do anything.

I explain to mine, every time, that those things she can have anyway. I don't agree with the way the PTA does the fundraisers and will not participate.


Frogger

...also, if the PTA was a TRUE PTA and not a TA, I would be more inclined to pay attention to the association.