School Fundraising: An Introduction to a New Perspective

I first began truly appreciating fundraising when I was in college and had the time to reflect on the process of my elementary days and the impact it had on my perceived ability to succeed in a sales society. Growing up, I would bring the magazine home like every other kid--waving it in front of my mom's eyes and begging her to buy a couple things "if she wanted." I was more concerned that she show my magazine to every relative, neighbor, and breathing being on the planet. I despised the tension in the air when I would visit a distant relative once a year and have to ask if they wanted chocolate-covered Ju Ju Beans to go with my smile. It took years to realize that these events were so tough for me because:

1. I had no goals.

2. I expected my mom to do the work.

3. I started from square one with each sale.

I became passionate about fundraising when I needed to raise money for trips. In the past, I had sold things I didn't really care about. It was nice to have a Garlic Bread in the freezer once in a while--but it wasn't flying me around the world with it's magic garlic salt. So when I completely paid for my trip four years in a row to a national conference on drug education, I valued the networks I created through those elementary fundraising events. I sold my little heart out for our annual P.R.I.D.E Chicken BBQ, and then I worked at the BBQ to make sure it was a success. My team kept logs of individuals and organizations that donated in the past. This helped define our market and develop new sources.

After High School I continued my fundraising ventures. I became an avid Box Tops for Education collector because I knew that with every box top, a school would get ten cents towards school supplies. My friends' parents started collecting them for me, and I would walk through the college dorms to collect as many as I could. I took over $200 worth one time to a school I volunteered at in Philadelphia for an Alternative Spring Break. The kids in that class were never so excited.

I also have fundraised for larger organizations such as World Vision, Operation Christmas Child, Operation Rice Bowl, and Make a Wish Foundation. When it came time to fund my study on the Holocaust in Poland, I resorted to this resource I had used to help so many others in the past.

I read many disgruntled mother bloggers who are fed up with fundraising for their children. Through this blog, I hope to bring you a new perspective. If we stop fundraising for our children, we can start developing their communicative skills to goal-set, present, and network. Fundraising is experiential education for our children in a sales-dominated world.