Do-It-Yourself Fundraiser Of The Month

Gift Wrapping: Get in touch with a store or mall in your area and ask about setting up a gift-wrapping booth for their customers for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and/or Father's Day. Just like regular gift wrapping stations, you can charge different amounts for different levels of wrapping. You will need to invest in boxes, tape, wrapping paper, and bows. You can either accept donations, or charge a fee per gift (depending on size, etc.). Usually the store will let you make announcements advertising your booth over their intercom while you are there gift-wrapping. Make sure you have enough people on hand to staff the booth during times advertised. Remember that your "Wrap Staff" are representing your group and cooperating merchant and should act and dress appropriately.

   Christmas Wish Program, Inc: Provides a wide variety of services to the poverty stricken homeless children on the Big Island of Hawaii. The families helped live in tents, under tarps or in old abandoned rusty vehicles along the road sides, or in county parks or on the beaches. While the program provides them with essential food, clothing, school supplies, toiletries, hot meals, blankets, tents, and other emergency needs, it also provides Christmas parties with presents, hot dinner, candy, & photos with Santa; Easter egg hunt & dinner party; and more! The program is run 100% by volunteers and 100% of all donations are used to help the children.

 Featured Fundraising Ideas

Hassle Free - Work Free Fundraising: Let your fundraiser work for you 24x7x365. Reverb's online shopping program let's you earn great rebates at over 500 stores. Your only task is to get the word out to your members and then Reverb does the rest. You can earn cash rebates of up to 25% at top stores like Office Depot, Target, Barnes & Noble, Overstock, Petsmart, Sears, and Expedia. There is absolutely no cost to join and Reverb even provides free promotional materials to help you spread the word. Sign up before December 15, 2005 and we'll double your rebates through February 2006!

By Land or Sea: How many people do you know that own a car, boat, motorcycle, truck or bus that needs motor oil? How would your non-profit organization like to keep 100% retail profits from every quart of oil sold through your group member ID? And what if I told you this company does all of the order taking and shipping for you? All you need to do is give out a 1-800 number, catalog or URL along with your group's member ID. Our fund raising program generates year round income and creates less oil waste. Email us for information.

Fundraiser News Briefs 

Miami, FL: Nova Southeastern University's law school Kiss the Pig fundraiser cancelled because it scares and humiliates the pig; Hagerstown, MD: Museum’s Singer Society clears its closets for annual treasure sale; Freeport, IL: Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll fundraiser assists people with developmental disabilities; Missoula, MT: Humane Society offers pictures with Santa for pet owners; Bend, OR: Ski for Schools fundraiser held to benefit children; Yorkshire, UK: Fundraiser completes epic cycling journey around the world in four years to benefit Hope and Homes for Children; Gwinnett, GA: Volunteers construct larger-than-life sculptures made entirely of thousands of canned goods to benefit Community Food Bank; Timmins, ON: Royal Canadian Legion holds annual Remembrance Day poppy campaign to assist veterans; Elmira, NY: Adult tricycle race opens annual United Way fundraising drive; Oxford, MS: Humane Society holds Strut Your Mutt fundraiser for new facility and ongoing shelter needs; Orlando, FL: Women for Hospice sell decorated designer Christmas trees to support patient care; Toronto, ON: Celebrity-painted goalie masks newest charity fundraiser for spinal research organizations; Cincinnati, OH: Men’s rowing team holds annual "Rent-A-Rower" fundraiser; Ft. Kent, ME: Lions Club members pose for nude calendar to support needy projects in the area; Ithaca, NY: Women's basketball team holds Shoot-A-Thon to raise funds for tour of Italy; Greenland, NH: Women’s Club sponsors Punkin Chunkin fundraiser, a fun and creative way of disposing of jack-ó-lanterns.

Interesting or Fun Facts

When, where, and how did coin banks adopt the image of the pig? During the Middle Ages, metal was both expensive and hard to find throughout Europe. Consequently, families used clay to create their household pots and jars. Usually the type of clay chosen to make these house wares was a clay called "pygg". Pygg is an orange clay, and it was used widely at this time in Europe because it was inexpensive. Whenever a typical household had coins to save, the elected bank would be a pygg jar. Inevitably, these pygg jars became known as pygg banks. Later, in the eighteenth century, craftsmen were frequently asked to create pygg banks. Misunderstanding the request, the potters crafted banks in the shape of pigs and painted them likewise. These pig banks soon became popular, and even today piggy banks (shaped as pigs) are found around the world in many cultures. [Source: Piggy Bank World]

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