I was able to get Outback Steakhouse to provide the facility and lunch for $5.00 per person for our upcoming Leader Appreciation Luncheon. At In-service one of the local casino buffets donated their famous mushroom ravioli, rolls and the heating trays, all for free and that was to feed 100 people.
I am strong in my belief that you need to ask anyone and everyone for donations. I even got someone at a garage sale to donate a large box of brand new keychain wallets, just because I asked. So start calling your restaurants, grocery stores etc. Explain that you have a small budget but are looking to make it up with donations. It may take a few phone calls but it will do wonders in making a cheeseburger event look like a caviar one!
Some things we've done is along with a lunch (sometimes catered, sometimes prepared by the parent club) we've given each teacher (staff) an electric pencil sharpener (I used it today while helping in my sons class and the Teacher said thats been one of her favorite gifts), we've had the local "coffee on wheels" guy drive out and we treated everyone to their favorite ooey-gooey coffee treat, we've given them new lunchroom tables for their teachers lounge, a tv and vcr for the teacher's lounge, gift certs to the local teacher supply store. I know there's more I can't remember right now - oh, we were in the midst of remodeling last year so we didn't want to give them anything they'd have to pack up or deal with in that process - so we are combining last years and this years gift into 2 8ft. picnic tables (made by our local senior program - we purchase the wood and the supplier deliveres it to the seniors) the tables will go on their patio outside the teacher's lounge.
We've done the daily treats in their "boxes" - that was fun.
Robin
1st Metzy- Do you remember that Seinfeld episode where George made a fake donation card as Christmas Gifts? [img]smile.gif[/img] Your post reminded me of that!
Now to the topic, last year our teacher appreciation had a "Smile for awhile" theme. Everything was smiley faces. most of it came from the dollar store but we also had some donated by party supply.
The year before that the theme had to do with Grow where your planted (not the actual theme but similiar) Centerpieces were plastic flower pots, shovels and seeds with paper flowers in them.
Seed packets are REALLY cheap!
This year I built teacher appreciation gifts into the contract for our catalog sales. Granted we do our sale in the fall and I've got to store the gifts until May but it was part of the perks we got for renewing our contract with the catalog company last year.
