Is it possible to assign a particular night to a particular grade or home room? This works well in our school because it puts an obligation on a particular group of people. It's probably going to be harder in a Middle School Group but in our school, if we need volunteers to open car doors during a particular week, we advertise it that way "Second Grade Parents needed to open car doors week of Dec. 1". It REALLY looks bad for the Second Grade if they don't stir up some volunteers!
Sometimes, I think people just get tired of doing some projects--I've witnessed a "circle of life" that some projects seem to have. We used to do something similar--sell food at a city festival. For several years, they had to BEG for volunteers and the next year, they just gave it up because people wouldn't volunteer. For eight years, we didn't do it and this year we resurrected it again...
We have the same problem. We even called people and only 2 volunteered. The problem with calling, is that you call when people are at work and you leave them a message to call you back. By the time they get the message, your gone. The other thing is that if you can get a phone calling committee, why would you need them to call other people (use them!).
The only other thing you can do instead of the carnival, is a few additional fundraisers. Maybe direct sales would do it. One in the fall and one in the spring. Maybe an extra small one squeezed in somewhere?
What ever you decide, good luck!!!
I don't know how many families attend your school, but 12 people needed 25 times sounds like a lot to me. I can't imagine asking people for that much of their time. We have enough trouble staffing for our handful of events we do throughout the year.
I agree with mich-in-braz: call people directly. It's not the same as asking in an e-mail.
I know this sounds like a lot of work, but some parents just will not volunteer unless they have been personally asked. I never quite understand that, but I actually called down my list of parents the other day, and not one of them flat out said no. Of course, some of them had previous commitments and out of 10 parents, at least 5 had recently had surgery or a baby and could not help.
Parents just seem to think that everyone else is responding to that e-mail or letter and that they are really not needed. No matter how many letters you send out, some of them will never volunteer unless you ask. I'd suggest you get a phone calling committee together and start personally asking for help.
Sometime you just have to use a guilt-trip to get them there. But I'd rather them feel guilty about not working than lose the fundraiser!!
Have you tried asking your staff to volunteer? A lot of times ours will step up when the parents won't.
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
Our volunteers have to be at least 18 years old. One of our parents sent out an email about the lack of volunteers and what will happen if we lose this fundraiser (additional school fees, paying extra $ for supplies, etc). After that email, we still only received 3 more volunteers. $10-15K is a lot to lose, so we are desperate for any ideas.........
