This year I am chairing the fundraisers at both my son's elementary school and my daughter's middle school. It was out of need of each schools PTO that I agreed to do this, not because I am on the verge of being committed to an asylum - though that may be a possibility by the end of October! The vendors had been selected and contracts signed before I undertook this adventure.
One vendor (elementary) provided a magician for the 2 kick offs at that school. While he was a great magician, he was not used to performing to large groups of children and became frustrated when they became restless. Additionally, he was not very familiar with the vendors program or the prize program - so pretty much whipped out a brochure, suggested selling it to friends and neighbors, and made one comment about not selling alone as his "safety plug". He then showed them a couple of prizes and said "this is what you could win". That was pretty much the extent of it.
The other vendor (middle school) provided me with one of each of the prizes and I did the kick-offs pretty much single handedly. Did this in each of 7 gym classes - total of 1700+ kids. Started off by explaining the nuts and bolts of the sale and what the funds are used for through PTO. Then went through the prizes one by one so that they could see what was in it for them. My opening line, if you will, was "I don't work for XYZ fundraising company - I WORK FOR YOU, for every student of blah blah middle school." Every class applauded, one even gave me a standing ovation (that's what it's all about, folks - that's why we do what we do! - yes - I cried!)
Anyway - I think doing it ourselves and letting all the kids know why we are raising funds and that it really is a classmate/schoolmate's parents who are involved, not a nameless faceless company, made a big difference to the kids. It very well could have been the age group differential, but I think doing it yourself is more personal than having a magician or other entertainer, especially when they aren't familiar with the product line and the program.
This will be our last year at the elementary school - so I don't know what will happen next year. If given the option of a higher percentage of profits or more money otherwise from the vendor - I would certainly recommend not using the entertainer provided by the vendor.
As for the middle school - the vendor did offer to PAY ME to do the kick offs, I declined and told her I'd rather that the money went to the school in some way shape or form.
Have any of you done your "own" kickoff assembly?
What I mean is, without the fundraising company?
Is it worth it?
Does it save $
Any ideas for doing one on our own?
