Worm Charming Fundraiser

Worm charming, worm grunting, and worm fiddling are methods of attracting earthworms from the ground. So, how do you raise funds with this? It is similar to a cow pie bingo fundraiser … with a twist. Divide a field up into 3-yard by 3-yard squares. Sell the squares to individuals or teams. Purchasers can select a square or they can be assigned by a drawing. The individual/team that collects the most worms in a set period of time wins. You can increase your return with concession sales, worm charming kits for those who come unprepared, and souvenirs of the event … photos, hats, t-shirts, etc.

Worms may not be dug from the ground. No drugs or water. No collecting outside your plot. Vibrations only can be used. Acceptable forms of charming include music, garden forks or pitchforks stuck into the ground and vibrated to encourage the worms to surface. Collected worms must be stored in containers provided by the fundraiser organizers. In the case of a tie, an additional time allocation can be made to determine the winner.

Since many readers will think we are making this up, we have included pictures of actual events (not all of them are fundraisers). If you do an Internet search you will find many others plus some tips to conduct your own Worm Charming Fundraiser. Most festivals are in the UK but Sopchoppy, Florida holds an annual Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin’ Festival and claims to be the “Worm Gruntin’ Capital of the World”. The event includes a ball and the crowning of a “Worm Gruntin’ King and Queen”.

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.