I'm done with school fund-raisers!

[RareBreed]

I've always hated having to do the fund-raisers for my kid's schools. Especially since this year, they got one the second week of school. So, I take the stuff into work and sell a few things... not a big deal. A few days ago, my oldest brings home a note saying I can pick up the stuff today. I go and get it and my kids look at the prizes that oldest has won. They take out the fiber-optic finger lights from the package to play with and two or three of them fall apart in their hands. Little pieces and batteries (like the kind you buy for watches) go flying all over the kitchen floor. So.. me, both kids and my husband in his suit are on our hands and knees looking for the parts and batteries so our dog doesn't find them and eat them. Batteries will kill if ingested. I think we've found everything and I start looking through my youngest's folder and see that his fund-raiser stuff is ready for pick-up too... TODAY and has to be done by 6pm. I look at the clock and it's 5:36pm. I grab my keys and head over to his school to pick up the stuff with a few minutes to spare.

Gripe #1- why must the prizes be complete crap?? I'd rather opt out of not receiving any prizes because they aren't worth anything and usually end up in the trash by the end of the day.

Gripe #2- why did Patuxent Elem not notify parents a few days ago that items needed to be picked up today?? Why did they wait until the day of the pick-up to let parents know?? God help those parents that don't get home from work until after 6pm. I guess they were SOL with getting their stuff.

[BuckinRut]

With 3 kids in school and two of them in the same school, we did away with those things years ago. Too much a pain in the keister!

[muttdog (Premo)]

I always hated the fundraisers and like you said, the prizes were junk. Thank god mine is in highschool now, no more fund raisers.

[vraiblonde]

I am still into the Sally Foster gift wrap. I've always bought from Deino's kid, but not sure if she's too old this year. So PM me when your kid does the gift wrap fundraiser and I will probably buy!

[RoseRed (Premo)]

Originally Posted by vraiblonde

I am still into the Sally Foster gift wrap. I've always bought from Deino's kid, but not sure if she's too old this year. So PM me when your kid does the gift wrap fundraiser and I will probably buy!

Mine was, until it didn't come home from her Dad's house. Deadline over.

[huntr1]

We don't do the stupid school fundraisers. We tell the teachers that if they need something, let us know and we'll see about buying it for them. I'd rather spend $20.00 on school supplies for the classroom than $20.00 on some $3.00 piece of crap candle so the school can get $1.99 in kickback from the candle company.

[Pandora]

Originally Posted by huntr1

We don't do the stupid school fundraisers. We tell the teachers that if they need something, let us know and we'll see about buying it for them. I'd rather spend $20.00 on school supplies for the classroom than $20.00 on some $3.00 piece of crap candle so the school can get $1.99 in kickback from the candle company.

Agree

I stopped doing them years ago. And I don't even think they get that much of a kick back from the items they sell. I was told, once, but forgot. I know it wasn't 65%.

[Katelin (Premo)]

Originally Posted by muttdog

I always hated the fundraisers and like you said, the prizes were junk. Thank god mine is in highschool now, no more fund raisers.

I have a friend who is in high school...so far this year I have been hit up 3x for various fund raisers....Note: I am not a parent...just a supporter of high school football and other sports....$$$$$$$..

Perhaps we all just donate 10% of our income ( like church) to our local schools and be done with these fund raisers....and when do kids and parents have the time to sell stuff?????

[RareBreed]

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one irratated with these things.

[jsouthan]

Originally Posted by RareBreed

I've always hated having to do the fund-raisers for my kid's schools. Especially since this year, they got one the second week of school. So, I take the stuff into work and sell a few things... not a big deal. A few days ago, my oldest brings home a note saying I can pick up the stuff today. I go and get it and my kids look at the prizes that oldest has won. They take out the fiber-optic finger lights from the package to play with and two or three of them fall apart in their hands. Little pieces and batteries (like the kind you buy for watches) go flying all over the kitchen floor. So.. me, both kids and my husband in his suit are on our hands and knees looking for the parts and batteries so our dog doesn't find them and eat them. Batteries will kill if ingested. I think we've found everything and I start looking through my youngest's folder and see that his fund-raiser stuff is ready for pick-up too... TODAY and has to be done by 6pm. I look at the clock and it's 5:36pm. I grab my keys and head over to his school to pick up the stuff with a few minutes to spare.

Gripe #1- why must the prizes be complete crap?? I'd rather opt out of not receiving any prizes because they aren't worth anything and usually end up in the trash by the end of the day.

Gripe #2- why did Patuxent Elem not notify parents a few days ago that items needed to be picked up today?? Why did they wait until the day of the pick-up to let parents know?? God help those parents that don't get home from work until after 6pm. I guess they were SOL with getting their stuff.

Does Patuxent Elem still do the direct donation fundraiser, so you don't have to sell anything and all your money goes to the school? I know I would rather write a check for $25 or whatever I could and know all of it goes to the school than buy a bunch of crap and know that they are only getting about 40% of it.