LIFamilies.com - Long Island, NY


RSS
Articles Business Directory Blog Real Estate Community Forum Shop My Family Contests

Log In Chat Index Search Rules Lingo Create Account

Quick navigation:   

School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Posted By Message

joenick
Us

Member since 6/06

9370 total posts

Name:
Valerie...aka...Do Me A Favor?

School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

I am active in my boys' school PTA. Today at our monthly meeting, we were trying to come up with more "fun" Fundraisers for our school. Some of the ones we currently have are kind of getting played out.

What are some Fundraisers you have at your child's schools? We need fresh ideas.

Keep in mind, our principal is TOTALLY AGAINST having a carnival. So annoying. Chat Icon

We also can't have bake sales or pretty much anything involving food, since our district participates in the "Wellness Initiative".

So far, we have the following:

* Entertainment Book Sale
* Gift Wrap Sale
* Fashion Show
* Magic Show
* Children's Bingo
* Supermarket Sweep Bingo
* Holiday Gift Sale, Mother's Day/ Father's Day/ Valentine's Day Boutique Sales
* Car Magnet Sale

Anything FUN you can think of?

TIA!! Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 11/17/10 3:46 PM
 

CunningOne
***

Member since 5/05

26975 total posts

Name:

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

My kids school does a lot of the ones you already listed! Last year they did a Yankee Candle Fundraiser.

Other fundraisers they do are:

Santa Breakfast
Father/Son bowling
Father/Daughter dance
Tag Sale
Auction

Posted 11/17/10 4:11 PM
 

CathyB

Member since 5/05

19403 total posts

Name:

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

5th graders at our school do a car wash.
Clothes with the school name on it

Smaller but still help - class contests for box tops/soup labels. Classes that bring in the most get treat one afternoon

Our PTA president always mentions at meetings about linking up our Target CCs to the school so they get the % of spend, which adds up.

Posted 11/17/10 4:19 PM
 

yankinmanc
Happy Days!

Member since 8/05

18208 total posts

Name:

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

I don't have any real practical ideas, but most of the schools in my neighbourhood have one or two kids with famous parents, one rock star parent sold a personal gig in your backyard and raised (equiv) $10K for the school...how about that for a fundraiser!

Our school only has one famous parent from a soap opera, but the Bee Gees did go to our school, unfortunately, they haven't returned my calls!

Posted 11/17/10 4:44 PM
 

joenick
Us

Member since 6/06

9370 total posts

Name:
Valerie...aka...Do Me A Favor?

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Posted by chmlengr

My kids school does a lot of the ones you already listed! Last year they did a Yankee Candle Fundraiser.

Other fundraisers they do are:

Santa Breakfast
Father/Son bowling
Father/Daughter dance
Tag Sale
Auction



Oh yeah..>forgot we also do Yankee Candle and Santa Breakfast.

We were just talking about maybe a Tag/ Garage sale idea today!! That could be fun!

They said several years ago they tried the father/ daughter mother/ son dance idea, but didn't get a great turnout.

Thanks so much! Chat Icon

Posted 11/17/10 5:11 PM
 

joenick
Us

Member since 6/06

9370 total posts

Name:
Valerie...aka...Do Me A Favor?

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Posted by CathyB

5th graders at our school do a car wash.
Clothes with the school name on it

Smaller but still help - class contests for box tops/soup labels. Classes that bring in the most get treat one afternoon

Our PTA president always mentions at meetings about linking up our Target CCs to the school so they get the % of spend, which adds up.



Principal shot down idea of a car wash because of "safety reasons". Chat Icon She is such a hypochondriac.

Yes...forgot we also do school clothing "spirit" sale and Box Tops. Chat Icon

Thanks so much! Chat Icon

Posted 11/17/10 5:13 PM
 

joenick
Us

Member since 6/06

9370 total posts

Name:
Valerie...aka...Do Me A Favor?

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Posted by yankinmanc

I don't have any real practical ideas, but most of the schools in my neighbourhood have one or two kids with famous parents, one rock star parent sold a personal gig in your backyard and raised (equiv) $10K for the school...how about that for a fundraiser!

Our school only has one famous parent from a soap opera, but the Bee Gees did go to our school, unfortunately, they haven't returned my calls!



OMG...you are so funny!!

To my knowledge, I don't think we have any celebrity parents. Chat Icon

Oooo...who's the rock star and soap opera star?? So cool!! Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 11/17/10 5:14 PM
 

Kris
LIF Adult

Member since 5/05

1051 total posts

Name:
Kristine

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Tricky Tray (also known as a Chinese Auction)
Casino Night

Posted 11/17/10 5:25 PM
 

joenick
Us

Member since 6/06

9370 total posts

Name:
Valerie...aka...Do Me A Favor?

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Posted by Kris

Tricky Tray (also known as a Chinese Auction)
Casino Night



OK...totally love it. How did you work both of these functions?? Chat Icon Chat Icon

Posted 11/17/10 5:39 PM
 

stephaniea
LIF Adult

Member since 1/07

1280 total posts

Name:
Stephanie

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

the rubber bracelets with your school name on them. Kids love them.

Posted 11/17/10 5:53 PM
 

Erica
LIF Adult

Member since 5/05

11767 total posts

Name:

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

what about a large cash raffle?

My SD sells $200 raffle tickets (you could make them less) with a 1st prize of $5000, 2nd $2500, 3rd $1000.


There is some legalese, like if you don't sell X amount of tickets, prizes will be altered.


There is a cocktail party where the winner is announced.

Posted 11/17/10 5:55 PM
 

BaroqueMama
Chase is one!

Member since 5/05

27530 total posts

Name:
me

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

One year in my school, we did a turkey fundraiser.
Basically, every teacher had a picture of a turkey on a wall outside the main office.
Kids could pay a dollar to have a feather put on the teacher of their choice (or ten dollars for ten feathers, etc.) The teacher with the most feathers by the end date had to dress up like a turkey for the day and greet the kids at the doorChat Icon It raised a ton of money and everyone had a great time doing it.
But you have to have willing faculty! You could do it with snowmen for the winter and have the teacher dress up like a snowman or something like that.

What about a "guess how many" type of fundraiser.
Fill a jar with jelly beans or something else and stick a gift card in it. You can sell guesses for x amount of money.

Chinese auctions are always a big hit.

Posted 11/17/10 7:55 PM
 

SweetCin
My green-eyed boy

Member since 5/05

13499 total posts

Name:
Cin

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

We do a faculty vs. 8th grade volleyball game (but you can do any sport). They charge admission & then do raffles/refreshments.

We have a "fashion show" where faculty & some moms model (this year Estelle's was the store). We had it at Coral House this year & its a nice night out for moms. Then we had businesses, classes donate baskets that they raffle off (bed & breakfast weekend, Ipad, trip to Ireland, then smaller toy baskets, coffee basket, baby basket, wine, etc.)

In my other school every Halloween the children got people to "sponsor" them ($2 per lap) & the entire school dressed up & we literally walked around the block a few times & the parents all came out to see their kids.

School magnets for cars

Let me think of some other things we did...

Message edited 11/17/2010 8:39:28 PM.

Posted 11/17/10 8:35 PM
 

Bops
My 3 wishes

Member since 12/07

13625 total posts

Name:

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

My DS's school just did a cute one by Square 1 Art...

http://www.square1art.com/


They take a childs artwork and put it onto stckers, mugs, mousepads, totebags etc....They gave us a complimentary set of stickers with a pic of a turtle my DS drew and its the cutest thingChat Icon

Maybe you can do a Game Show night or something ? Charge admission and have local vendors donate the game show prizes to the kids?

Or a Double Dare type thing, Fear factor or Survivor ?

Marathon or Olympics....

Murder Mystery night?

Dunk tank/carnival in the warmer weather...

Top Chef competition of some sort






Chat Icon

Message edited 11/17/2010 8:46:30 PM.

Posted 11/17/10 8:38 PM
 

katiebell
Hoping, wishing, waiting....

Member since 8/06

1418 total posts

Name:
K

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Our school has a jog-a-thon in the spring. The kids get plegde sheets and people either give a flat donation or pay per lap. Then the kids run around our field for 30 minutes and parent volunteers put tally marks on their backs to mark how many times they go around. The PTO also gets a DJ to play which really pumps the kids up. It is our schools biggest fundrasier, they make so much money. A few yrs. ago they were able to by over 15 smartboards and projectors for the whole school with the money.
They also do the innsbrook wrapping paper, Square 1 art (as mentioned above) and Scholastic Book fairs. We also have a lot of spirit days, where a local resturant like chic-fil-a will give half their proceeds to the school if someone from our school eats there.

Posted 11/17/10 9:03 PM
 

Lauren82
LIF Adult

Member since 10/06

4580 total posts

Name:
L

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Posted by Bops

My DS's school just did a cute one by Square 1 Art...

http://www.square1art.com/


They take a childs artwork and put it onto stckers, mugs, mousepads, totebags etc....They gave us a complimentary set of stickers with a pic of a turtle my DS drew and its the cutest thingChat Icon



Our school just did this too, and its great! I ordered a few things because I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have things that my daughter "made"

Posted 11/17/10 9:30 PM
 

yankinmanc
Happy Days!

Member since 8/05

18208 total posts

Name:

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Joenick...you wouldn't know them, the actor is on Coronation Street and the rock star is pretty indie...

Do you guys have those services where your kid draws a picture and they do Christmas cards with the artwork on them???

Posted 11/18/10 5:34 AM
 

FranM
And so it goes....

Member since 9/05

2217 total posts

Name:

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

Other than most of the stuff already mentioned we do:

a movie night at a local theater

a move night outside on the school lawn

school pictures raise a lot of money

district wide faculty volleyball game

HS Football team does discount books featuring just local stores

cookie dough sales

Teachers do a storytime at Barnes & Nobel and we recieve a % of all sales

Brick Sale for our playground

golf outing

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head. We do a ton of fundraising.

Posted 11/18/10 9:23 AM
 

Sassyz75
Turning a new page

Member since 5/05

9731 total posts

Name:
Dina

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

They do an American Girl Fashion Show at a local Catholic School.. that seems like it could be interesting.. you can have outfits for sale- I can direct you to a wholesaler if you are interested.

You can also get baskets and do raffles/chinese auction as well

Posted 11/18/10 11:19 AM
 

HillandRon
LIF Adult

Member since 5/05

2922 total posts

Name:
Hillary

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

WE just did the Fun book coupon discount books...

We just got pie and bread sale for thanksging. It is through White Post Farms. We also got from Cheescake factory if you order a cheesecake, some proceeds will go to the PTA..

WE have a Barnes and Noble book fair next Tuesday and if you go to eat at Applebees Marios Pizza or Tropical smoothie a pecentage of all purchases go to PTA.

school supplies sale.

Posted 11/18/10 11:28 AM
 

Kathy
LIF Adolescent

Member since 7/05

718 total posts

Name:

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

We just got the Fun Book fundraiser (love this book) if anyone wants one ;)

They are doing a Mangia Movie Night showing a movie and serving pasta.

The PTA is also selling school spirit blankets.

Posted 11/19/10 11:43 AM
 

monkeybride
My Everything

Member since 5/05

20541 total posts

Name:

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

We raised $12,000 last year for DD's school with a silent auction. It was a huge event.

Posted 11/20/10 12:22 AM
 

JavaJunkie
Someday, Somehow

Member since 6/05

5857 total posts

Name:
Lois

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

I love:
Entertainment book sale

Tastefully simple/pampered chef/cookie dough

Our school does a "night at the races" which is so much fun! Local businesses and parents donate baskets, prizes, gc's etc for prizes.

Discount magazine subscriptions

I don't remember how the school did it but they had gc's for sale and each place donated back to the school a percentage of the gc sales. They did it for the whole year, like a bi weekly or weekly thing. I thought it was so useful!

If it's the school I think you're in my friends kids go there and I loved when they did the march of dimes walk and I loved the cookbook they did

Fundraisers I hate, just FYI:
Tupperware ( they give a limited selection)
Wrapping paper
Those catalogs with expensive random stuff

Posted 11/21/10 2:20 AM
 

Marybeth222
My Girls!

Member since 5/05

2688 total posts

Name:
Marybeth

Re: School Fundraisers...I need ideas!

What about a fashion show? I went to one years ago and it was fantatsic. Great night for the moms to get out and lots of nice prizes too.

Posted 11/21/10 12:58 PM
 
 

Potentially Related Topics:

Topic Posted By Started Replies Forum
Need ideas for nursery school graduation gift? leap29 6/9/08 7 Parenting
Classroom Management Ideas for Middle School MichLiz213 5/21/08 3 Teachers
Project Ideas for the 100th Day of School joenick 1/24/08 4 Teachers
help need demo lesson for nyc school 4th or 5th grade any ideas 04bride 5/17/07 6 Teachers
Need gift ideas for someone graduating nursing school Elizabeth 5/13/07 10 Families Helping Families ™
Gift ideas for Nursery school teachers? 4monkeys 6/11/06 4 Parenting
 
Quick navigation:   
Currently 342233 users on the LIFamilies.com Chat
New Businesses
1 More Rep
Carleton Hall of East Islip
J&A Building Services
LaraMae Health Coaching
Sonic Wellness
Julbaby Photography LLC
Ideal Uniforms
Teresa Geraghty Photography
Camelot Dream Homes
Long Island Wedding Boutique
MB Febus- Rodan & Fields
Camp Harbor
Market America-Shop.com
ACM Basement Waterproofing
Travel Tom

      Follow LIWeddings on Facebook

      Follow LIFamilies on Twitter
Long Island Bridal Shows