"Our top selling items at our auction were handpainted wooden toy boxes by the second graders. They worked on them in art class and each had a theme. Each child brought in a new item to fill the toy boxes too."
That would make a great class "basket." I wish I had seen it a few weeks ago. Maybe next year.
I have a friend who owns a scrap booking store. He says he gets free demos from manufacturers, so he has plenty to donate to schools. He also said he gets at least 1 inquiry a day for donations.
Baskets-
Our school is having each class do a basket. Here are the themes:
All american cooking basket
kid's art basket
adult chair basket
family game night basket - 2
traveling basket
car wash basket
kid's chair basket
fun in the sun basket
computer bytes basket
mexican fiesta basket
movie night
back pack school supply basket
owner's best friend-doggie basket
soccer basket
mother's day basket
fitness nut basket
coffee connoisseur basket
chocolate lover's basket
father's day basket
I don't know if those suggestions are timely enough for you. Hopefully it's useful to someone.
Another group I'm involved with (as if PTO wasn't enough,LOL!) did a night on the town basket last year that was VERY popular! This year we are doing a family birthday basket. Scrapbooking is HUGE!!
If your group has letter head, you can request baskets as donations from companies. A friend of a friend works for Estee Lauder as a regional rep(he's the guy that checks on the counters at the malls, teaches the associates about new products etcetera), and he was always handling requests like that. He'd make great baskets with about $300 worth of merchandise (skin care, basic makeup, brushes, perfumes). I think Lindt chocolates will do it as well. I donated a "Toy Box" one year; corrugated box done up to look like a toy box, and I jammed it full with unused/recycled new gifts from Christmas, clearance items from Target/Walmart etcetera. I tried to put a little of something for all age groups (except babies, that's one unto itself), and threw in those little things kids love but you hate to spend money on, like keychain size Lincoln Logs, tiny decks of cards etc. Another big hit is a ready-made picnic basket with a bottle of wine thrown in. I admittedly recycled three when I got four as wedding gifts.
