Our local Walmart donates gift cards to our PTO throughout the school year. They require that we put our request on letterhead, and they make their decision the first week of each month. This year we received a $25 gift card and 4-$20 gift cards.

Michelle B,
You are my hero! I especially love your suggestion to publically recognize those who donate "anything" to support our schools. I do believe that we should try to get donations for these not-for-profit groups. I am a little worried about hitting up all these small town merchants for donations at that particular time of year. They are being asked for major donations to support bigger events like the high school(s)post-Prom(s). Bigger businesses might be a better choice in this case. Target is new in our area -- have you found them to be willing supporters of school-related causes? 'Cause I recall that (in the past) Walmart only gave a 10% disc to our school organization. Do you know if they might have changed policy regarding charitable donations? I have not approached Walmart in a number of years since they made such a big deal about the 10%. :confused: dd

Okay took me a while to get back but I am a firm believer in donations!! Do you have a Longs? Target? Ask them to donate the seeds. IMHO, you shouldn't have to spend a dime. Everything can be donated. Try a local mom and pop store and at the bottom of the label, after the invite, seeds donated by...

We've never done the flower pens for invitations, I kinda just pulled that one out of my... I did make my own boutonniere for my wedding with silk flowers. Again, if there is a silk flower store near you, ask them to donate them. I'd buy the pens though. Hit up an Office Depot and check out their clearance areas.
Men should like them too. The big thing about those flower pens is that it's really hard to walk off with one.

As for lavender, I haven't a clue. I only drank what they made, I didn't help in the making of it. I worked on another area. I would assume a flower shop and again, REPEAT after me, "we are doing (xyz) would you be willing to donate (xyz)?" EVERYTHING can be donated.

Hello smenny13,

I haven't worked with the flower pen idea (yet). Instead of a flower pen, how about making a small fake flower boutonniere for each of your 2 male teachers? Just use a single flower with green floral tape and a straight pin. That might complement the flower pens.

What do you think? dd

Hi! I love the Garden Party ideas. I am going to take those ideas to the board so we can start planning ours. I had a question though. For the flower pen invitations, did you give those to the men as well? We only have 2 men that work in our school and I could not imagine giving them one. If not what did you give your men? Thanks!!

[ 02-18-2005, 02:36 PM: Message edited by: smenny13 ]

Thanks for the "lead" on 10 cent seed packs at dollar stores. I went to Big Lots first and they were not yet in stock. The Dollar Tree did have them so I picked up a whole bunch of assorted flower packs.