Do-It-Yourself Fundraiser Of The Month

Goldfish Race: Two 10-foot long rain gutters are placed side by side. Caps are glued to each end so that they will hold water. A goldfish is placed in each gutter and is held at the end by a removable gutter-shaped gate. Two children are given 1 straw each and are instructed to blow behind the fish and into the water to encourage the fish to swim to the other end of the gutter. The winner gets to keep his/her fish. Charge $X per entry. Increase your profits by selling small gold fish bowls. Have plastic baggies on hand for winners to transport their prizes home, and of course straws (smaller ones are best). Make sure you have plenty of extra prepared water to accompany the fish. Also make sure the troughs are properly braced to avoid being turned over. Use narrow tables, so contestants can gage both fish's progress. If space permits and you expect sufficient crowds, set up several troughs so more contestants can participate in each race. Make sure you leave room for the players beside each set of troughs.

  Students for Organ Donation is a student-run nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting organ and tissue donation awareness and registration. Working with the framework of high schools, community colleges, and universities in the United States and Canada, we seek to empower students to make a difference in a growing international public health crisis: the shortage of vital organs and tissues. Learn how to be a donor, find answers to the most frequently asked questions, how the transplant process works, religious views on organ donation, and a list of approved chapters.

 Featured Fundraising Ideas

JustForFundRaising.com: Raise funds with today’s most popular selection of DVDs. This DVD fundraiser is perfect for teams, groups, leagues, churches, schools and organizations of any size in need of a proven, profitable and simple fundraiser. It is the only movie studio approved DVD fundraising program available in the USA and our partners are Universal Studios and Columbia Tri-Star Entertainment. Your group keeps 40% of the monies collected with no up-front costs, no inventory, no delivery, and no unnecessary effort. Visit www.justforfundraising.com for samples and additional information.

QSP: First In Fundraising. Since 1964, we have helped students raise over 3 billion dollars in profits for enrichment programs and worthwhile projects that are vital to a meaningful, well-rounded education. With QSP programs, students apply practical lessons in goal setting, planning, organization and teamwork - important facets of a successful real-world business experience. Each program has been field and time tested, is easy to implement, and has excellent profit potential. Your local QSP fundraising professional is your direct link to a company that not only puts customer needs first; it delivers a value-added service to the community.

Fundraiser News Briefs 

New Haven, IN: Car smash held for preservation of Railroad Depot; Greenwich, CT: Junior League hosts annual "Touch a Truck! fundraiser"; Union City, CA: Debate team holds public speaking showcase to defray expense of national competition; Peterborough, UK: Man pushes pea through town with his nose as a fundraiser for a new refuge centre; Bexley, OH: Dodgeball tournament fund-raiser benefits the National Alliance for Autism Research; Waunakee, WI: Sale of Parade Home part of fundraiser for First Book; Pinetops, NC: Town holds annual tractor pull fundraiser; Markyate, UK: School balloon release held to support Children's Hospice; Columbus, OH: Ohio State University students serve rice and water to support world hunger relief; Brookings-Harbor, OR: High school holds lift-a-thon to support athletic program; German Flatts, NY: Third annual game of Cow Bingo to support park improvements; Balarat, Victoria, AU: 24-hour swim raises funds for multiple sclerosis sufferers; Methuen, MA: Ninety-nine cents a gallon gas special benefits tsunami relief; Hawke's Bay, NZ: Bikers tackle the mud to help purchase school playground equipment; Ishpeming, MI: Library kicks off million-penny fundraiser campaign to benefit the Children's Room; Silverton, OR: Girls soccer team hosts “Parents’ First Friday Night Out” to help the team pay for soccer camp; London, Ontario, CA: Five-year-old raises $250 to support the Jump Rope for Heart campaign.
 

Interesting or Fun Facts

In the U.S., bingo was originally called "beano". It was a country fair game where a dealer would select numbered discs from a cigar box and players would mark their cards with beans. They yelled "beano" if they won. It was first played at a carnival near Atlanta, Georgia. New York toy salesman Edwin S. Lowe renamed it "bingo" after he overheard someone accidentally yell "bingo" instead of "beano". He hired a Columbia University math professor, Carl Leffler, to help him increase the number of combinations in bingo cards. By 1930, Leffler had invented 6,000 different bingo cards. A Catholic priest from Pennsylvania approached Lowe about using bingo as a means of raising church funds. When bingo started being played in churches it became increasingly popular. By 1934, an estimated 10,000 bingo games were played weekly, and today millions of  dollars are spent on bingo each week in North America alone. [Source: About.Com]

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