Fundraisers and kids

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Imafitnessfreak

Cathlete
My daughter brought home some frozen bread fundraiser forms. I guess the kids are asked to sell frozen bread door to door. The money is for "program expenses". Now that you have as much information as I do, here are my issues:

1. My DD is in preschool and they want her (with adult) to go door to door.
2. "Program Expenses"?? I pay a tuition!
3. "Program Expenses"?? We bumped into DD's teacher at Kohl's less than 2 weeks ago and she was showing my DD the stuff (in her arms) she was buying for the whole class!! I'm guessing it was on her dime.
4. "Program Expenses"?? There are about 2 months left in the school year!! Program expenses for my child or next years kids?
5. "Program Expenses"?? DD's teacher always has a list of items she is hoping someone will donate for the classes activites. ie. supplies for baking pies, stuff for crafts, growing plants, that sort of stuff.

I think I have a problem with the whole "Program Expenses". I am thinking of pitching this freaking order form!x(
 
I am thinking of shredding it and delivering it to the school office with a mutilated loaf of bread!!! It's "Butter Braid Frozen Pastry Dough". Yes...that is exactly what my over weight neighbors need!
 
I read an online artcle about a week ago where some elementary or middle school age kids refused to sell the candy they were given to raise $ for a class trip or something. Their teacher had just spent time instructing them on good nutrition and healthy habits, and they flat out refused to sell and were demanding an alternative fund raiser.

I stood up at my computer and clapped for them.

ETA: I could see you leading those preschoolers in a protest.....}(
 
Hi here ya, Sarah - that sounds absolutely ridiculous "program expenses", it sounds like you do PLENTY to contribute to "the Program". I realize that some schools don't have much money for the children and their projects, but this seems like a little too much. Especially when your child is 4 and can't really "sell" the items, it's you that will be going door to door. At least they could wait until the kids are old enough to learn something while they are doing it.

Good luck
Marcia.
 
I think your school is doing you and themselves a great disservice by not explaining what "program expenses" means. I know the schools my DD attended used fund raisers to help pay for special supplies and special programs they wanted to implement while not raising tuition. I do not see how you can just go out and sell bread (I guess they really want to raise dough... sorry, couldn't resist) with no real explanation as to where the money is going.
 
Oh!!! But there is an entire page devoted to the bread, what is in it (basically a butter coated heart attack), how to prepare it, how it was prepared before it meets your hands.

It does say that the 5 families that sell the most dough wins a ToysRUs gift certicifate. First Prize:$15, 2nd Prize:$10, 3rd, 4th and 5th Prize:$5

Now, if THAT is not motivation, I don't know what is!!!!!(why don't they have a smiley face that rolls it's eyes??? probably because I would wear it out)
 
>It does say that the 5 families that sell the most dough wins
>a ToysRUs gift certicifate. First Prize:$15, 2nd Prize:$10,
>3rd, 4th and 5th Prize:$5
>

Oh yay! If you sell enough empty carb crap, they'll give you money to go buy some cheap plastic crap.

Sounds like the American dream to me :D

Sparrow

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage
 
Sarah:

I agree with you completely. After four kids I have had my fill of fundraisers. My oldest daughter now hates them as much as I do! She told her little brother who was all hyped up about getting a cheap prize to do a fundraiser, (he wanted to win a lavalamp by the way)that she would buy him the prize he wanted if he DID NOT participate in the fundraiser! So, we took her up on the offer and he declined to do the fundraiser.
And yes, she did follow through and buy him a darn Lava Lamp which he Still has in his room!



Paula
 
We almost never participate in school fundraisers. The best fundraiser ever was for the school orchestra. The orchestra teacher sent home a letter at the beginning of the school year that said the orchestra program gets almost no money from the school district but she doesn't like doing fundraisers because she believes the kids' time could be better spent doing homework and practicing their instrument. She encouraged each family to donate whatever they could afford to the orchestra program (she suggested $25) and promised that it would be only used for orchestra and that way they wouldn't have to have a regular fundraiser.

I immediately wrote a check. I hate sending my kids out to sell crappy stuff.

Kristy

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
 
Do your schools do the gift wrap thing? We have it almost every year... Guess it's better than frozen bread (alot better, I think). We've also got a Carnival, which is actually a fun, very effective fundraiser. And a parents' social, which I think is a great idea... the parents get to party! I consider myself lucky that my school district is pretty creative w/their fundraisers...:)
 
I love the giftwrap fundraisers....my kids did that one at their old school in VA. This year in AZ I have seen candles(which was kinda nice), and as we speak(or write)the spring fundraiser form is sitting on my kitchen island for giant tubs of cookie dough.....EEK!!! Enough in each tub to make something like 96 cookies.....cute idea, but very scary.....
 
Kristy - I think that is the best idea. I'd much rather contribute cash than have my kids ask people to buy overpriced stuff and have the companies who do the fundraisers get a profit.

Erica
 
Okay - since we're talking about kids and fundraisers, when I was growing up and we had a fundraiser (usually Heath bars), I had to personally go door to door (with my mother standing at the curb, of course) or go to wherever it was I wanted to sell the stuff. These days, people bring the forms into work for the stuff their kids are selling. Worse yet, people actually send out blanket e-mails to all of the employees about things their kids are selling (Girl Scout cookies or whatever else). No wonder some kids grow up without a work ethic! And the worst one was in my last job when the boss and his wife would bring in the fundraising forms for whatever their kids were selling, but tell us we didn't have to buy anything if we didn't want to. No pressure there!

Okay, I'll jump down from my soapbox now. This just really gets me going! :)

Susan

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France

http://www.picturetrail.com/dogs2birds
 
I get hit at the shop all the time.I remember hating these things when my kid was little.
Now my neice sells subs for the band. 2 subs every 2 weeks, that I won't eat. Then the fruit in the winter. She is always selling crap.
Last year it was to raise money to go to the Rose Bowl parade.
If you didn't sell enough you didn't go.

I really hat when you go to a store and see a poor kid standing out there all day collecting donations.
We pay taxes and or tuition. Why should anyone have program expenses.
The best is field trip fundraisers.
It is all a bunch of crap.
Anne
 
My sister sends her kids to private school. She pays tuition and is involved in a # of "acitivities" done to make $$$ for the school. One, ofcourse, are fundraisers...a few each year (I know she does the wrapping paper thing and chocolate bars). She only "sells" the stuff to family members and that's it. If they don't sell alot, so be it. She refuses to push the stuff on anyone and won't even LET her DH take the stuff to work with him to sell! I think she does it the right way.

As far as WHAT the kids are selling...that doesn't concern me. People will buy what they want to buy and that's it. If you don't want your kids having chocolate, butter-laiden bread or whatever then don't buy any for them...otherwise, to each his own! Most people in this world eat faaar more crap then healthy food. If they tried to sell healthy food they wouldn't get very far. It might be sad but it's very true!
 
My sister did the same when her kids were in private school, before homeschooling them. She'd let the immediate family know that the fundraising order forms were available, and anyone who wanted to buy something could. She never pushed.

Anne, I agree about the kids standing outside stores with collection tins. This drives me insane - it's BEGGING no matter how cute the kids are or how good the cause! Why don't they have a bake sale or a car wash or something? Anything that isn't just, hey, can I have some money?

One thing I always try to do though is stop at kids' lemonade stands. How cute are they?

Sparrow

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage
 
Ha, ha, ha, ha. I'm am soooo glad my kids are out of school and I am done with the fundraising crap. Last spring I put on note on the last box of candy I was selling in the break room at work "This is my last fundraiser EVER." Who-ee, did I get the nasty looks from all the other moms with school aged kids. Of course, I still end up buying the junk from the folks who bought from me over the years. It is a racket though. I totally like the idea of writing a check for what you can afford or think the program is worth.
 
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