Hey Tim-You know I wish when you talk to these people you would put them in line...hee hee hee.

Aimed at WSJ aarticle not posters

People who come up with "It may not work" or "What are we going to do if it fails?"
do not have the credentials to be businessmen. If there is only a 1 percent chance
of success, a true businessperson sees that 1 percent as the spark to light a fire.
--Kim Woo-Choong, Founder and Chairman, Dawwoo

Have been reading this thread closely. Funny -- I was interviewed for 20 minutes for that story.

My quotes obviously wound up on the cutting room floor, but -- more importantly -- I think some of the key concepts I tried to share went missing even from the tone/context of the story.

More later.... but let's take a breather on the personal back-and-forths please and stick to constructive/productive/on-point discussions.

Tim

If you cant say no to your boss about buying trinkets and such maybe you should find another boss --

the first time EVER i think, i disagree with shawnfuscious....i would only change it to: maybe you should get assertiveness training or a backbone. AND, if the boss docks you for not buying GS cookies or school fundraiser wrapping paper, then take it as one BIG blessing, and go find another boss.

this is after all AMERICA, and if the employer ALLOWS solitications from family members/kids, i dont see whay peope get so emotional over it. freedom of choice, free marketplace activities, etc etc. hey do you like going to silpada evenings, or pampered chef evenings? same as wth the kids, of course youre pressurd to purchase buecase of your relationship with the salesperson, but yuo are an adult and can say NO, and if your friendship is ruined becuase of that, you are better off for it.

For the record I don't listen to Howard Stern...Just wanted to share that. As far as our rage, after a while it gets old game, a few weeks ago I was interviewed by the NY times for an article on parent groups, the article ripped parent groups a part and it gets tiring.

My comment about finding that perfect fundraiser may seem catty but until you experience all of the headaches that go with fundraising you won't truly appreciate that statement...trust me some day you will laugh at it so much!

You will find that people come out of the woodwork trying to get you to use their company, parents will hit you up saying theirs. You can survey and do what parents say they want, then still fall on your face, you can pick the best idea there is and have it rain on walkathon day, you can have someone collect money and never turn it in, you can have someone pick up their merchandise and never hand it out, you can hold a pledge drive and fall short by thousand of dollars, you can get businesses to sponsor you and it doesn't add up , you can change fundraisers, you can change the months you do them, you can do that silent auction and have no one bid, or buy tickets...it can go on and on. You will have business people promise you the world and then it falls through...oh the world of fundraising! My comment is meant to help you realize that it is a tough world raising money no matter how you do it, it is tough. Also remember the decision is a group decision and it may not go the way you want it to go...been there! Good Luck...

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.....

This is clearly a very contentous issue and may be why many employers are banning fundraisers from the work place.

Of course fundraising is stressful and becoming ever more so with all of the restrictions being placed on individual groups. This isn't a matter of rich kids needing new soccer uniforms, or a bunch of daddies' princesses needing tiaras and tutus. Way too many core items are being cut from public education's budgets and parent groups are left feeling obligated to make ends meet. We're not funding just fieldtrips and popcorn parties, we're building libraries and science labs, paying teachers' salaries, funding basic first aid supplies and often even the school nurse's salary, and oh so much more.

While the very real need for funds increases daily, the available and workable fundraisers are decreasing. I'm sure Mobius had no idea she was hitting such a hot button but it's obviously one of the biggest challenges parent groups are facing.

So...... what do we do about that?