Life Lessons from Fundraising

Scent Circle Fundraising, made easy for your club or organization

In many ways, fundraising is the life blood of many organizations.  Be it raising money for a band trip for the big parade; a week long summer camp; supplies for the classroom or new team uniforms.  The list of needs goes on forever.  I don't need to write about why groups, clubs, and organizations from the young and old need to raise money.  What I think is most important are the life lessons that can be learned, especially by kids, that really participate in fund raising.  I think we forget that or don't take it seriously.

Having been involved with many organizations that have hosted fundraising events, I feel the trend is to get to the bottom line of raising the needed money, but I think we are missing out on the educational life lessons that could be the bigger part of participating.  One group I belonged to, a booster club for a high school athletic team, really missed the boat.  A vast majority of the parents just wanted to "write a check" and couldn't be bothered with fundraising.  What a missed opportunity to teach values to our kids.  The value of working to get what you want.  The value of record keeping lessons, managing money, customer service and saying thank you.  Let's look at a few lessons to be learned.

I am just as guilty as many parents who want their kids to have it all....  to have it better than we had it...  to take care of them and give them our all.  Some of us have more all than others.  We might be teaching our kids to expect that they will be given all we can for nothing in return...  are we responsible for this society of entitlement?  Requiring the members to actually do some of the work (be it selling or taking orders), teaches that we should work for the things we want.  You want to go with the band on the trip or for your team to get new uniforms?  Mom or dad might foor part of the bill, but by going door to door or standing in front of the local grocery store and solicit sales, if taught how to do it right, teaches earning what we get.  Participants can learn customer service skills....  saying please and thank you.  They learn that everyone might not be interested and will say no and how to act properly when they get those no's.  They are taught money management and how to be accountable for the monies they collect and turn into the organizers.  A little extra money counting skills can help prepare them for a real job in the future.

I don't have time, how much should I just write a check out for. Some can do that, others can't, none should.  I have heard so many parents say that....ugh!  Make the time.  Teach the value of working for what you get and not to expect something for nothing....  entitlement is not a fundamental right for which this country was built.

Sometimes there are personal rewards or prizes participants receive for being top sellers.  Not everyone should receive a reward for participating.  Teach that in contest and games, there are often winners and losers.  Teach respect and sportsmanship, graceful winning and being happy for those that exceeded expectations.