lost at sea, how did you manage to get tickets to wild adventures. I have tried the last 2 years and they tell me no. Are you in GA? Our school is located just over the line. I wonder what I am doing wrong.

We do Gift Basket raffles at our school in conjunction with our Fall Festival, and I have to say that ours are extremely successful! This may be because we have been doing them for several years, so people know they are good and get excited about them. Last year we had 16 different themed baskets. This included the usuals, such as 'kitchen', 'garden', 'boy stuff', 'girl stuff', 'fishing', etc. A new theme that was a big hit was the 'Night out/Night in' basket. Parents from that class donated Blockbuster gift certificates, wine glasses, cocoa mix, popcorn, chocolates. Then a couple of enthusiastic and enterprising moms went around town and got DONATIONS from local businesses for dinner for 2 (from about 5 different restaraunts), 1/2 day at a spa, 2 passes to Wild Adventures amusement park, manicure and pedicure,and MORE! I recommend doing this basket, even if it's the only one you do!
For all classroom gift basket raffles, I would suggest that you let the teachers, students and parents know that if there are not enought items donated to make a really good basket, their items will be combined with another basket. The students take pride in 'their' basket and will remind their parents to send in items. Also, if you are going to do this on a yearly basis, you want the reputation of having good baskets that are not skimpy.

[ 09-06-2004, 10:05 PM: Message edited by: lost at sea ]

There are many posts on this topic so I will try to keep this breif.
We did this the first time, last year. PTO sent home a note to room mom's for us to put this together. Many complained all made it happen!
As then room mom, I sent home a note asking for $2 per student. Most parents in that class worked long hours. Two donations came in. Another note, $ or item. A third note. I have purchased the items, basket is done & in lobby ready to be raffled. Finally the $$ came in!
As a room mom it was a hassle but, I would do the same as PTO if going with above mentioned ideas.
We made approx. $500 with no funds coming from PTO.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!
:cool:

I have noticed a tendency to not ask for help from the group who did the baskets. Maybe that was the real problem. Plus I like the idea of assigning items. Most people said they couldn't think of anything to donate. That's whay it took so long to get it all together.

We have a meeting where we ask that at least one class mom is present. Each class picks their theme and then writes down 20 items they need to create that theme basket. Then they take the class list and work their way down and assign each kid to an item. This list goes home and you ask the parent to kindly donate that item and they are fee to donate any other items they would like for the basket. The kids bring the items in to school and the class Mom collects them and brings them to the committe who puts the baskets together.

Most of the items on the list are less then $5. So we have no problem getting them from the parents. Of course you do have parents that won't send anything in at all, but they are in the minority. Last time we did it my daughters class was assigned the baby theme basket. The item I was asked to donate was a baby brush and comb. That cost me less then $3 and so I picked up some other baby odds & ends and added them. I would say the most expensive item asked for are the diapers for the baby basket.

A group of women meet on a Friday night and put all the baskets together.

We are a Title I also. I think our free/reduced lunch is probably more in the 75% range. Unfortunately many of our families are too embarrassed to take advantage of this program. I can't tell you how many moms have told me their husbands will not let them fill out an application, they do not realize that helps us get more money. The school across the county got an extra math teacher because of their percentage of free/reduced lunches.

Yes, it is officially the Prize/Cake Walk. But we do not have so many cakes because the prizes are more popular. We have .25,.50, and $1.00 walks. Year before last a few staff put together and did some baskets and made them a $5.00 walk. Every spot was taken. One mom that helps us out tremendously said she almost had her Christmas shopping done by the time she left. LOL! We are fortunate that the locals donate so well.