Car Smash Fundraiser

Holding a Car Smash as a fundraising event is a unique and fun way to let people take out their anger, on an inanimate object. The first step is to find a car to be smashed. Possible car donors could be a car dealership, junkyard or an insurance company. The only parts of the car that need to be in good condition are the body and glass. See if a local mechanic will donate their time by removing all fluids and hazardous materials from the car. A local towing company could become a fundraising sponsor, just by bringing the car to and from the event. Any empty lot should do for this event, as long as it is approved by the city. Allow event goers to take a swing at the car with a hammer or crowbar, charging $2 to $5 a swing. Make sure safety equipment is available, such as safety glasses and protective outerwear. Also be sure to keep the crowd back at a safe distance. Have your local paramedics present, in the event of an emergency.

The New Haven Heritage Association held a Dash and Smash fundraiser which pitted three six-person teams against one another to see which could completely destroy a car, using only hand tools, in the shortest time. A police department team, a fire department team and a team from the New Haven Heritage Association vied for the fundraiser trophy. Each was supplied with an assortment of hand tools, such as large bolt cutters, tin snips, sledge hammers, axes, wire cutters, pliers, wrenches and hacksaws, and they had to dismantle and smash a car into pieces small enough to pass through a standard automobile tire. Three donated dilapidated cars were stripped of all fluids and glass for safety. Bleachers were set up an admission fee charged for the event.

We have included a number of do-it-yourself fundraising ideas in this section that offer a break from traditional product sales. They were developed by groups just like yours in an attempt have a little fun with their fundraiser. Some of them are tried and true while others show a lot of creativity … and even wackiness in some cases. All of them are obviously not appropriate for every group, but sometimes, with only a little modification, your might find some fund raising ideas that are perfect for your group. If you have an idea for a do-it-yourself fund raiser you are willing to share with others, please send it to us via email. Include anything and everything you would want to know if you were hearing the idea for the first time.