Connecting Schools With Great Fundraising Ideas.

The Dominion Middle School of Columbus, Ohio was weary of sending their students out with door-to-door fundraisers. They decided they wanted to try something different.

They created the school’s first ever Mega Media Sale. Volunteers and students have been working since October to collect and sort books, movies, comic books and video games to make the sale a success.

The sale will be held on Saturday, December 1st at the school from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m..

“In the past, we’ve done typical fundraisers, where the kids go out and sell wrapping paper or something,” said PTSO vice president Laura Beardsley, who organized the sale. “We, as parents, were tired of that.”

Prices are very appealing for customers. Paperback books are two for $1, hardcover books are $2 and up, children’s books are five for $1 and DVDs and CD are $1 to $2. The sale will also feature a silent auction with items donated by the community.

The sale is Dominion’s main fundraiser. Funds raised will help fund contest entry fees for the music program and also permit teachers to buy classroom supplies, and also bring in artists to speak to the students.

Source: ThisWeek Community Newspapers

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If you are looking for a fundraiser that will teach children about the important people and times of the Old West of the U.S.A., Buckboard Provisioning Co. has group of unique fundraising products. Each of the company’s products has an actual person, place or incident that took place during Old West history. Their coffee is called Stagecoach Mary’s Strong Black Coffee, named for a freed slave who was one of the first women to drive a U.S. mail wagon. Buckboard Provisioning Co. is located in Sisters, Oregon.

“We loved the way the fundraiser was an educational opportunity,” notes Jan Silberman, principal at Sisters Elementary of Sisters, Oregon which just concluded a fund drive with the company. “The product labels, the old-time newspaper Buckboard provided to each child and the website offered stories and puzzles the kids could relate to. Our teachers can use the resources on the web page to extend learning on their Lewis & Clark and Oregon Trail units if they wish. The fourth grade teaching team has even served the buffalo jerky and smoked salmon at our annual pow-wow.”

One Sisters Elementary student is being rewarded with a ride in a vintage carriage pulled by horses for his stellar fundraising efforts. The third-grader Andrew Stevens raised almost $200 for playground equipment. He will get to ride in the carriage from the Buckboard Provisioning Co. office located on Hood Avenue and help deliver Buckboard Provisioning Co. products to the school. The carriage ride is donated by Thunder Mountain Ranch.

Source: Pr Urgent

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Would you really want to pucker up and kiss a pig to raise money for your school?  How about a goat?  Or a turtle?  When it comes to the infamous “kiss” fundraiser students can be pretty creative.

Students at one school, voting with their loose change, picked a teacher to kiss a goat.

The students, parents and staff at the school dropped money into milk bottles one bottle assigned to each teacher or staff member at the school. The teacher, administrator or staff member whose milk bottle contained the most money at the end of the fundraiser had to pucker up to a goat

Kramer was unpleasantly surprised when she ended up having to smooch the animal. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that that kiss, as unpleasant as it might have been, brought in close to $800 for her school.

Whether students vote for teachers to kiss a goat, kiss a pig or any other strange thing, it’s all about the “I dare Ya” of it and seeing their teacher do something they wouldn’t normally do.   Teachers rule the classroom, but once in awhile students get to have their day to be the boss too.

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Here’s a great idea for an extra fundraiser to get in before the winter holiday break. Red, Green and White lollipops in kid’s favorite holiday shapes.

These one-of-a-kind seasonal lollipops come in a variety of festive shapes including snowmen, Santa and even Christmas trees. They are available in the following flavors: Bubble Gum, Candy Cane, Cherry Cheesecake, Cherry Limeade, Cherry Snow, Green Apple, Strawberry Shake, Watermelon Slice, and Wild Cherry.

This is fast fundraiser item could be sold at a school play, winter festival, open house night, or just about anywhere.

• 9 flavors available
• Retail price per pop = $0.50
• 576 pops per case (8 inner cases of 72 pops)
• Minimum order = 1 case
• Your group earns 50% Profit

There’s lots of other shapes and flavors of gourmet pops available. You can view all the available pops and even order online here If you have any questions or want to order over the phone just call 1-866-249-0089 for more info.

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On Monday, September 17th of this year, the Hudson Elementary School PTA partnered with the Symphony of the Southwest to create a unique and educational fundraiser in Mesa, Arizona. The Hudson Elementary School PTA sells individual tickets to the Symphony of the Southwest concerts, and collects more than 35% of the sale price as a school fundraiser. Tickets are offered to the public at a reduced price, less than 20% the original price. The PTA will sell tickets until October 16th.

“We really think this fundraiser will be an efficient one. It differs from the classic cookie dough and catalog sales that we do every year and it is very educational and beneficial for the participants.” says Mark Kennedy, Treasurer and past-president of the PTA Board. “Music is a very important art at Hudson and we are glad our children will be able to get involved with the Symphony of the Southwest,” added Andy Gutierrez, president of the PTA.

As a special prize for students, whoever sells the most tickets will be invited to attend a dress rehersal performance at the Ikeda Theater of the Mesa Arts Center.

“We are very proud of our recent accomplishments and profoundly grateful to our supporters for their loyalty and generosity. Because of them, we are here today as a vibrant and growing ensemble and we look forward to continuing to enrich lives and engage with valley communities for decades to come,” says Skip Carney, SSW board of directors’ president.

Source: EVLiving.com

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If you are the PTO/PTA president or school principal, you may be all too familiar with the phrase “fundraising fatigue.” Or you may have felt this syndrome for yourself at one point during the school year.

So many organizations, schools and various causes are now fundraising. They also seem to be fundraising more frequently during the year, or running year-long fundraisers. It is important to keep your fundraising efforts motivated and focused so people do not feel burned out and tired.

Although some may feel fundraising fatigue, many Americans support their schools’ efforts enthusiastically according to the Association of Fund-Raising Distributors & Suppliers. In the 2005-6 school year, 8 out of 10 Americans purchased a consumer item to support a school fundraiser. 9 out of 10 parents purchased a consumer item to support a school fundraiser.

One suggestion for fundraising according to the Association of Fund-Raising Distributors & Suppliers is to do less fundraisers and to do them more effectively. Many fundraisers are a strong cause of burnout. Setting a time limit for your fundraiser is also important. This encourages full participation during the time limit, along with the guarantee that there will not be another fundraiser within a certain amount of time. The Association of Fund-Raising Distributors & Suppliers suggests two to three fundraisers a year for a school’s strongest fundraising success.

Source: AFRDS.org

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Over 200 students participated in Fitness Fun Day at Walter Haigh Elementary School in Salem, New Hampshire on September 18th. Students walked, jogged, jumped rope and shot basketball hoops for the special fundraiser that set everyone into motion. The annual event was a fun way for all of the grades to be active for the day and it is the school’s primary fundraiser each year.

Parents, family and friends pledge funds for students based on each lap the student jogs, or for every basketball they shoot or for every time they skip the rope. The fitness fundraiser was created ten years ago, when the switch was made from traditional school fundraisers such as selling candy and magazines.

“One hundred percent of the money stays here this way and we don’t have to pay another company,” Jinnie LaVallo, a physical education teacher said. “The kids do it on their own. They’re earning their field trips, assemblies and playground improvements, and can see the results on their own.”

In past years, Walter Haigh Elementary School has raised between $7,000 and $10,000 from this fundraiser.

Source: The Eagle-Tribune

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