Help! Need fundraiser auction item ideas!

[Shari]

Wee difficult child's school is planning for their annual fund raiser.

They have an evening of socializing around food and a live and silent auction. As families, we have to either donate items and food to the fund raiser or pay a large "inactive family" fee. We're planning to donate items.

I plan to ask for some donations from businesses, but they coordinator also said home made items sell well. I'm trying to come up with ideas that will sell at an event like this.

So far, my list of *strictly brainstorming* ideas are this...
put together a basket of homemade canned goods such as bread and butter pickles, jelly, jam
sew a spring or summer table cloth with matching napkins and possible a matching flower arrangement
put together a basket of wine and cheese
couple hours of pony rides
buggy ride along the river or possibly to the winery or restaraunt
homemade lasagna dinner

Any more ideas or thoughts on these ideas? Are they something you would want to buy?

 

[meowbunny]

I would not do canned goods -- too high of a chance of food poisoning. I think the pony or buggy ride would be awesome. Wine and cheese baskets are always good sellers. Good luck! I always had fun working the silent auctions at my daughter's school.

 

[Star*]

Solicit ALL businesses for gift certificates NO LESS than $20.00 and give them FREE advertising at the auction - ask for their business cards and tell them while you can't conduct a 'leads' group - a donation goes a LONG way to saying you are interested in the youth of today - and their education.

Make one poster board and put the local businesses cards on their with a string to the words of what their donation is.

If you get more - BIGGER ad at the school - maybe the bulletin board by the entrance to post cards and items for auction to draw attention to the auction - and a typed letter with all the items to pass out to all the kids to take home to their parents.

As far as home made gifts - solicit businesses that MAKE stuff -
Dont' forget tools and freebies /sample basket of mixed goodies

And how about calling a radio station and asking them to donate DJing the event? Or DJing a kindergarten dance?

Big Kahuna of prizes - a YMCA family membership.

Also - board games - bicycles from local vendors, and when it's warmer - maybe all the kiddies have a car wash as one of the prizes - cute pictures.

Ask a local photographer to take pictures of the kids with a "rented" cartoon character like Curious George or Clifford -

Ask the police to offer having pictures taken in their squad car - it's a HUGE hit with little kids - and good safety idea. Also if they have a McGruff crime dog - he can come

Firetrucks on a day like this are ALSO huge - and $2.00 donation to the school????

 

[klmno]

When they have this at difficult child's school, they usually have a couple of baskets that either include movie passes or gift cards to movie rental places and microwave popcorn, snacks, etc., and another for gardening tools, seeds,etc. Personally, I like the movie basket - oh, then there's one for "mexican food night".

 

[Elise]

I recently put together a Dr. Seuss basket for my sons school.

I bought four Dr. Seuss books with four coordinating Dr. Seuss stuffed animals at Kohl's, http://www.kohlscorporation.com/CommunityRelations/Community02.htm. Cost is $5.00 each.

I found a children's soft reading chair like this one at Meijer, http://trusca.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pTRUCA1-3665578reg.jpg. The animals looked darling sitting in the chair.

I finished the whole thing in an afternoon for a very reasonable cost.

Elise

 

[tiredmommy]

One word: Webkinz!!!!

 

[babybear]

I am a massage therapist and I frequently donate gift certificates for fundraisers. Everyone likes massage!!

 

[witzend]

Do a "raise your bidder paddle" for a cash donation. Who will give $500? Who will give $100? Who will give $50?

Bunco party. Hire a limo and charge $100 per guest (that's times 12) to play bunco at someone's house. The person having the party donates the use of their home and the nummies and wine. You can do this as a "raise your paddle" bid as well.

My experience is that "sign up" parties do poorly, as people are always waiting around to see who buys. Raise your paddles do better, as there is pressure on a group to buy right now.

Themed dinner party for ten at the nicest home of a parent. They donate the hired caterer or cook the food if they are good at it.

Nails, tan, massage, haircuts, anything that you usually go do for yourself and enjoy and can get someone to donate to get a customer in the door. Always ask your stylist (whatever) if they will donate a cut or pedi/mani.

 

[JulienSam]

Shari --

My son's preschool does a silent auction where each classroom put together a themed basket of goodies -- outdoor sports, board games, family cooking, etc. They're always very popular.

My daughter's school does something similar with a raffle -- but instead of things, they offer special experiences with- teachers. For example, the art teacher offered an after school ceramics session for a student & a friend... the principal offered a special breakfast with her...

I don't know where you live, but if you have a local sports team, theater, etc., they are usually up for donating items. Popular items included packages that feature event tickets, dinner & an overnight hotel stay; or a family dinner with free bowling/other activity afterward.

Trips are popular, but tough to do. Again, depending upon where you live, you might have a larger city near you -- many hotels will donate a room, and you could contact event venues to see what they might offer (i.e. a theater, zoo, etc.).

Sounds like if you could put together one or two "packages", you would have met the donation requirement....

Good luck!

Julie