Thank you for all the great advice. It's nice to have a place to turn to where you are understood!! We decided to ask for 6th grade volunteers to work the snack stand (one adult with 2 6th graders) and were able to fill all the time slots. I am excited for Friday! We have been blessed with a ton of families and business coming through with donations!!

I agree with the above. I get a lot of people who say, Oh just call me when you need anything, and unless I pick up the phone, they will not come in. I think when people see fliers, they think someone else will sign up. So I would say start calling now! And even ask teachers face to face. Plus, don't forget to ask the specials and sped teachers. I usually get a better response from them than some of the grade levels. Our literacy coach and school councelor is at almost every event offering to do something.

Also, we use our high school JROTC. They need service hours and all we have to do is call. If this is an option for you, be sure to call asap, though, so they can get you in. They are usually pretty good, but they are kids.

GOOD LUCK!

I agree with previous posters, you must either ask people as you see them in school or give them a phone call. To me the real purpose of the flyers that go home via the back pack express is to inform all of what is going on, they are a promt, not truly an invitation. Or they may be an invitation but not a good one, or at least not a substitute for person to person contact. This is a wonderful way to get to know others in the school and it gives the PTO a human side to it. calling people is also a huge step in developing relationships with your first time volunteer today to a veteran volunteer next year!

My advise would be to start calling on those who have signed up to come to the event, make the time slots short so they don't miss out on all the fun.

Good Luck!

Church groups are always willing to help out.

How about asking the groups from the middle school and high schools for help--national honor society, student council, etc.
Another idea may be to ask around at the senior citizen center--I know they love bingo and it may give them a chance to get out and help in the schools--maybe you could even arrange a parent with a van to pick them up and bring them home--just an idea..

We had a similar situation a couple years ago with passing out items on our fundraiser pickup day. We ended up getting a list of parents / numbers from the principal and started to make phone calls. I know to some it may seem too forward but it worked. We had also sent out a couple flyers for help ahead of time (to not much avail) and in our phone calls we explained to the parents that without the help, we wouldn't be able to hand out the items properly and/or to everyone. Once most of the parents heard a real voice on the phone, asking for help, they were right there for us.

Something else you could possibly try - could the teachers / staff be approached to help out? I know we hesitate to ask since they put in so much time with our kids already but the PTO does benefit the school, teachers, programs and students. I don't know if your Bingo is a fundraiser or more of just a "simply for fun" night but if it's a fundraiser I don't think there is any reason the staff couldn't help out as well. It does, overall, benefit them too, just my opinion.