Fresh fundraising

A group of teachers, staff members and parents joined Graff, the principal, to help fix the breakfasts, sell crafts and perform other chores during the school's annual craft fair and pancake breakfast.

Area schools have various reasons for conducting such fundraisers. Those reasons range from paying for teacher and classroom supplies to funding overseas trips and building construction.

To combat fundraising weariness, schools and their parent associations are coming up with increasingly elaborate fundraising methods.

"Not like a get-rich type of thing"

Parent-teacher associations' primary goal still is to increase community involvement in a neighborhood school.

"The idea is to offer an opportunity for families to come together and be at school," Graff said. "For many parents, it could be one of the few opportunities to come to school."

Sycamore's Parent-Teacher Association has one major fundraiser at the beginning of each school year, he said. Other events are viewed as family events, he said.

"It's not like a get-rich type of thing," he said.

The association expected to make between $300 and $400 from the vendors who rented space at the craft fair. The catalog fundraisers — in which students sell items such as gift wrap and knickknacks from catalogs — can make up to $12,000, he said.

Sycamore's group also sponsors family movie nights, community dances and a spring community fair with games and rides, said Sycamore PTA President Greg Peters.

"For us, it's what we feel the school will be responsive to. We encourage people to participate," Peters said.

Fundraiser-weariness a problem

School fundraising is not without its share of difficulty, though. People's weariness over continuous requests for money and just getting the word out about fundraisers are both problems.

The Ocotillo Ridge Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association raises money mostly for teacher grant requests, which include teacher supplies and school programs.

But recently, the Ocotillo Ridge association has ventured into uncharted territory as it looks to raise about $19,000 for shade covers for the school's playground. The group has not organized any fundraisers for the shade covers, relying instead on individual donations and grants, said association Secretary Brenda Lambert.

Ocotillo Ridge opened in February.

The association has raised about $4,500 so far, Lambert said.

"It's not a traditional thing that a PTA raises money for," she said. "Normally, PTAs focus on family and community issues. That's been a roadblock."

Catalina Foothills High School's Band Boosters receive strong community support, but the group has to work even harder when the band is invited to perform in other cities or countries, said Band Boosters President Shirley Dowling.

Catalina Foothill's marching band will travel to China next summer to perform in a youth festival a month before the Olympic Games. The band also went to New York City in November 2006 to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Band Boosters organized a variety of fundraisers this year, including a silent auction, a raffle and a steel-drum-band performance on Nov. 28 at a Foothills area Cold Stone Creamery ice cream store.

They usually make about $150 with restaurant fundraisers, said restaurant chairwoman Lisa Warneke.

"It's always a challenge to find a fundraiser that appeals to our group as a whole," she said.

Keys to success

Some school groups are finding the keys to successful fundraising are consistency and discretion.

Fundraising groups strive to stay consistent with the type of events they schedule and try not to sponsor too many events throughout the year.

"We're real consistent. We do (the same fundraisers) every year," said Stacey Williams, a board member for the Tanque Verde Elementary School Parent-Teacher Group.

That group has three main fundraisers each year, including a fall festival. The group also sponsors a gift-card fundraiser and a spelling test for which students ask relatives or friends to sponsor them, Williams said. Students earn pledge money for each word they spell correctly.

"I think all our fundraisers remain steady because we try not to have too many fundraisers," she said. "You don't want to ask for a bunch of small fundraisers. That's how people get fatigued."

The Sycamore Parent-Teacher Association follows a similar formula.

"The challenge is to not go to the well too many times with the parents," Graff said.

The Band Boosters also are aware that the community could get tired of fundraisers, Dowling said.

"One of the biggest challenges is that people are hit up from every direction," she said. "But it seems like people are supportive of the group they're interested in."

Upcoming events

What: Barnes and Noble Book Fair and Gift Wrapping. Members of the Catalina Foothills High School marching band will wrap Christmas gifts for donations. The event is sponsored by the Catalina Foothills High School Band Boosters.

When: 3 to 9 p.m. today and Friday and Dec. 23, and 1 to 6 p.m. Dec. 24.

Where: Barnes and Noble Booksellers, 5130 E. Broadway.

Ongoing

What: Sahuarita Unified School District Education Enrichment Foundation Xbox 360 raffle.

How much: Tickets are $2 each or $10 for six. The tickets can be purchased at the district office, 350 W. Sahuarita Road.

The school district will announce the winner at the Dec. 14 home varsity basketball game at Sahuarita High School.

What: Ocotillo Ridge Elementary School is raising money to buy shade covers for playground structures. The parent-teacher association wants to raise $19,000 for the covers.

All donations are tax-deductible and can be made by cash or check to the Ocotillo Ridge PTA. For more information or to make a donation, e-mail Ocotilloridgepta@hot mail.com or call 465-2479.