We try to have gift wrap delivered the week of parent-teacher conferences. If the pakcage is small, it gets sent home with the child. Otherwise, the teacher holds the package(s) in the classroom until the parents come in for their conference.
Our pie/cookie dough has to be picked up in person on the day of delivery. We do sort packages by teacher and then by student. Notices are sent home two days before delivery but we still have no-shows. We write a contact number on each order sheet and start making phone calls one hour before we shut down. Any items that still haven't been picked up go home with volunteers that have freezer space and get picked up from their homes (or sometimes delivered!)
No matter when we schedule it, we have never had more than 55% pickup. We usually offer after school times throughout the week or scheduled times during the day. We try not to leave things with the secretaries in the office as they can sometimes walk away but there are times when we have to do that too. After a week, at least one set of reminder notes and one or two phone calls home, we usually try to send the stuff home with the child if there isn't too much to carry.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
The more organized you are, the better. Make sure you have all of each student's items together in one spot. Organize students by grade and by teacher. Have a parent double-check the items on their list of items sold and have them sign it. We've had people come back and say that an item was missing when we were sure it was in the box. Have as many people helping with the pick up night as possible. It's better to have extra people than not enough.
We are school of about 580 elementary students. Right now we have one night where the parents pick up the items and hopefully they all show up. How do you organize your fundraiser pickups?
Also have you had the pickup on the night of an event? Does this work out well or is it too much going on?
Cindy<br />
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<br>"People have the right to be stupid, but some abuse the privelege."
