THE UPS AND DOWNS OF FUNDRAISING

I don’t want to say I hate fundraising, because that’s such a strong word to use in regard to something that good comes out of. I guess what I really feel is an animosity for the begging, pleading, endless e-mails, running around, and the amount of clerical work involved with it.

What I like about it is the benefit it gives. The schools don’t have the money to put on events like After Prom, so it’s up to the parents to raise this money. Our group is lucky to have the kind of support we do from the Administration of our school. We ask for donations of money, services, gifts, time, etc., but the biggest fundraiser our committee does is our annual Prom Fashion Show, Silent Auction and Vendor Show. Our goal each year is to raise between $10,000 and $15,000 dollars for After Prom. We know of schools whose budget is double ours. How we are able to do it for less is fodder for another piece in this series.

I’ve told you what I like and don’t like about fundraising, but what I absolutely love is the design, logistics, and staging for the Fashion Show as well as for After Prom. Even though I’m no stranger to the clerical/business side of things I will always favor the creative side more. However, I do realize that the part I truly love cannot be obtained without all the paperwork, leg work, e-mails, budgeting, etc. Believe it or not, the fashion show actually costs us little or nothing. After all, fundraising is about raising money, not spending it. The entertainment we get to perform before, after intermission, and at the end of the show is either by artists wanting exposure or by students who want to help the cause. Our theme for the fashion show this year was The Beatles, and since our After Prom theme was Hard Rock Cafe, the props we used for one event, we also used for the other. One parent puttogether a fabulous slide show, while I put together a playlist to go with it. The technical theatre students at the school helped us out by running lights and sound, and our models were from the student body. All the dresses and the tuxes were donated, for the night, by local retailers.

Unfortunately, I don't have any still pictures from this year's fashion show. I have a video, but it didn't load for me. I do have some pictures from a past show so I will post those.

Until next Friday,

Robin