Fundraising! The word alone can stress one out because of all the emotions relating to it –‘soliciting’ ‘commitment’ ‘organization’ ‘rejection.’ But we do believe in fundraising. We want to give; we really do. We all have a cause, or various causes, that we care deeply about, and, as we journey onwards we often come across new causes that catch our attention, due to the experiences we encounter.
Back to the question of fundraising … a good theory is: when a task seems too big to tackle, break it down into small steps and take one at a time.
Here is an example of what we can do within our small circle:
Lynette and Michael are invited to their friend’s home for a game of euchre. There are a total of eight guests plus the host and hostess. Lynette decides to bake a loaf of bread – a huge, twisted loaf – which turns out ‘glossy magazine’ perfect. They arrive at their friend’s house with the loaf beautifully wrapped in cellophane, along with a poster that reads: “Draw: 1 ticket for $3 or 2 tickets for $5.”
Lynette and Michael make $40 on the tickets that night, which they proudly hand over to their favourite charity on Monday morning.
Lynette’s enthusiasm mounts. She has her annual girls’ party coming up the following month and yes, you guessed it, she bakes another perfect loaf of bread, cooks some of her signature spicy beans which she pours into a cool dollar-store dish, and she also packages some of Michael’s phenomenal curry nuts. What a wonderful time all the girls have, with the added enjoyment of winning prizes, which leaves Lynette so happy knowing that it sometimes only takes small steps to help giant causes.
Lynette soon embraces the word ‘fundraising,’ as she now thinks of it more like ‘fun-raising’!
When you gather people together for a workshop, a party, a barbeque, remember to sometimes, when appropriate, seize the moment to fundraise. Simply tap into your talents: Are you a gardener? Divvy up your plants and raffle them in a nice pot. Do you cook? Have a draw for your delightful dishes. Are you an artist? People love having something created by an artist they’ve met in person.
Become resourceful. Break the ice with everyone. Bask in the wonderful feeling of togetherness.
We are all charitable as we share our basic human needs with each other, which are generously supplied by our rich and bountiful planet. Fundraising is a win-win situation: a win for your loving friends, and a win for all those in need.
Read more about how the world grows through our talents and achievements and how we all love and support each other, in the revelational, life reference book, SIGH, written on behalf of All of Us.
