Thursday Thirteen- 13 Fundraisers for the 2007/08 year

Fundraising. It's never ending. Some causes are worth while, some not so much.

1. Chocolate almonds. These were for Saoirse's playschool. I was required to take 2 cases EVEN THOUGH MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT STARTING FOR ANOTHER 2 MONTHS! My mum sold one in her office and we ate the other one. Yep, $75 worth of chocolate almonds right onto my fat ass. And I wonder why it is in the state it is in.

2. Mint cookies. Damn Girl Guides! No one wants the mint cookies! Again, these will end up padding my bum. That would be great if I tended to fall an awful lot but I don't. Another $48 down the drain. They are currently sitting in the cupboard. I wouldn't mind so much, but the majority of the money does not stay with the unit. Only a very small percentage does.

3. Sports tickets raffle. Saoirse's second major fundraiser. The raffle winner receives tickets to games for all of Edmonton's sporting teams- the Oilers and OilKings for hockey, Eskimos for football, the Rush for lacrosse and whatever other teams there are. Soccer, baseball, basketball. Teams I've never seen anyway. I have to sell $80 worth of tickets. I thought it would be hard but my friends Nancy and Shelley both bought $20 worth, I bought $20 and my mum and Jen made up the other $20. Easy peasy.

4. Sausage fundraiser. This is for Liam's school. They were selling sausage, perogies, cabbage rolls and beef jerky. The forms and money were due yesterday. I did not participate as I was in the midst of THREE hockey related raffles.

5. Oilers raffle. Liam's school is raising money for new chairs. Exciting no? This is a pretty good raffle...1st prize is a jersey autographed by all the Oilers including everyone's favourite Avalanche player, Ryan Smyth (apparently some people just aren't over the fact that he was traded), 2nd is a basket of Oilers merchandise and 3rd is $100. The draw is at Liam's Christmas concert and if I am as lucky as I was 2 years ago at the concert then I have a chance. (I won the 50/50...$205!)

6. Sig.n of H.ope campaign. This is a charity related to C@tholic Soci@l Services . Among some of the schools there seems to be a bit of a competition to see who can raise the most money. Last year, Taylor's school came in third even with their fairly small population. They are aiming for first this year and are having a few different events. Tomorrow is movie day, where they pay $5 and spend 2 blocks watching a movie. They are having a maid/butler day where students from each class are auctioned off. There is an in school raffle to win skybox seats to an Oilers game. The big raffle is an autographed Oilers jersey with second prize being 2 tickets to Van Halen. Taylor is loving all these "Fun"draisers.

7. Cookie/ cheesecakes sales. Liam's school's spring fundraiser. God, that cheesecake is delicious. I bet it would mail well. Okay probably not.

8. Spring Tea. Saoirse's third major fundraiser. I will be required to bake! Or buy baked goods to be sold at the very least. I am required to work at this tea. My daughter will sing cute songs (or just stand there while the other kids sing.) I will be required to buy something to put into the raffles that will be held. I will be required to spend many dollars on tickets so any one of my 4 children may win a raffle prize. One year, when Taylor was in 4 yr playschool I think, we won half the raffle prizes and the big raffle prize of a boy's bike. The next year? Liam cried when we won absolutely nothing.

9. Social Justice fundraisers. Taylor belongs to this club at school. For the most part they do things like make sandwiches and squares for the homeless who go to a local church. They have two big things coming up though...hampers for the Battered Women's shelter and a raffle in February for the people of Darfur.

10. Girl Guide cookies. The spring comes and so do the vanilla and chocolate cookies. These ones are easy to sell as I have at least 3 friends who like them. You so know who you are and that I will be ringing you the moment I have that box in my hands.

11. Monthly hot lunches. Taylor's school is introducing these on a monthly basis for the first time. Liam's school has always done them. They don't charge a fortune like some schools I could mention (Taylor's old one) but they still make a bit of money on them.

12. Optional playschool fundraisers. Jeesh, that playschool. Anything for a penny. The first was a hockey pool which I did not participate in. The second is a coffee sale and since I don't drink coffee I doubt I'll do that one either.

13. School photos. What? You didn't know that when you purchase your school photos you are actually making your school money? Yep, you are. A dollar a package. If I recall correctly schools can opt out, but I don't think many due. 300 students buying pictures is 300 extra dollars. I guess not all photography companies do this, but since Lifetouch is North America's biggest school photograper I would assume a good chunck of schools are making some money this way.