I am so disappointed
By Thoroughrob
@Thoroughrob (11742)
United States
November 30, 2008 1:29pm CST
My son is in a special education classroom. His teacher this year is great!! She set up a fundraiser of a silent auction and bake sale yesterday. She spent lots of time getting donations. She had a room filled with items. She had things from the NFL, tickets for 4, gift certificates from about 100 places, items that covered about 10 large tables. We went and spent the day there yesterday. This fundraiser was advertised everywhere, even the radio and the local newspaper. The turnout was horrible. The only people that showed up was the kids and people that were related to the kids. The only person from the school that showed up was the principal.
I know that our children are different, but they are part of the school and it would have been nice to see just a little bit of participation from them. I feel as if they have no appreciation of our kids. It is really sad. I really feel that the community has also failed our children. The kids were just crushed, they had a lot of time in making things to put into this. We just kept telling them that maybe it was because everyone was just too busy. Would you have expected it to be such a bad turnout?
5 people like this
14 responses
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
30 Nov 08
Sadly, I am not surprised. The economy is bad and the holidays are coming up. Most parents want to get lots of stuff for their own kids because that is more important to them than helping out the community or other children. It's not that they don't care about your children, it's that they've been conditioned to give till it hurts at Christmas. If you had had this auction more than two months before a major holiday you would've had better luck.
I would be catty and send a note home (or mail it, better still) to all the parents thanking the school for those that attended the auction. "We raised a grand total of $42 dollars for our challenged children and we'd like to thank the relative of those children for being the sole participants. This will buy our classroom at least a set of watercolors for each child!"
You tell the kids that sometimes people don't realize what's important but you do and that's why all of you did this. They are important to all the right people!
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
30 Nov 08
We did it in the backroom of a restaurant, and not even the people that ate there came back. They could have bought lots of nice Christmas presents, or gift cards to get Christmas presents. They even had a $100 savings bond, that my mom bought for $40. I realize it was close to Christmas, but I do think the school could have shown just a little more support.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
30 Nov 08
Oh, that's very surprising that not even the diners came back. You know, you can always put that stuff on Craig's List. I'll bet you'll be able to make some money there.
What a shame that the community is so self-absorbed that they couldn't support the children! You be sure to tell those kids that they're treasured, no matter what happens with stuff like this!
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
30 Nov 08
It could have been because of the holidays.. A lot of people went out of town for Thanksgiving and haven't gotten home yet.. I wouldn't give up on it, I would do it again but make it at a time that would be convenient to everyone.. I do hope this is the only reason for the bad turnout, the community doesn't need to turn its back on any of the children, it needs to show support for all of them, especially the ones that do have to work harder than the rest due to special conditions.. That would have been heart breaking for me also, but you have to show the kids that you don't give up, never give up, maybe try it again and see how it goes.. If it doesn't work the second time around, then I would write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper and get an article in the newspaper showing the lack of support for the children who are going to be the future of your town and our country.. Your community needs to stand up for a great cause and show the children they do support them 100%.. Good luck on the next one..
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
30 Nov 08
It is over, they let the things go for the small bids that the family and friends put on them. They did not do too bad but should have done alot better. Family and friends did the best they could, but it should have done really good.
@mgmagana (3618)
• United States
1 Dec 08
i'm not surprised, with this economy and christmas around the corner i wouldn't have been able to show up either. Honestly, this was probably the wrong time to do it. maybe after the new yr. when everyone does their income tax would be a better time. sorry it was such a disappointment for u.
1 person likes this
@rusty2rusty (6771)
• Defiance, Ohio
30 Nov 08
When was this fundraiser held? It could of been held on a bad weekend. Espically if it was this past weekend. I am not sure. I am sorry you did not have a bigger turn out. Maybe the school should try another weekend to hold the fundraiser.
1 person likes this
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
1 Dec 08
I'm sorry your kid is disappointed. Tell him that fundraising takes a long time. When I fundraised to travel to Japan it took months. Maybe you could get involved in the local PTA craft fairs to auction some of the items. Bravo to this teacher, your son, and his classmates for doing something to help raise money for their classroom.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6231)
• United States
7 Dec 08
Aw geez, that is SUCH a shame!! I'm assuming that it's mostly because everybody's busy with the holidays approaching, plus short of funds maybe because of the economy and all. (I know my son-in-law just lost his job, and so many others have too.) No matter what, it would have been wonderful if the community would have turned out for this. I'm sure they were crushed, and who can blame them since they put their hearts into it. Poor kids, I feel really bad for them...
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
31 Dec 08
Wow!! This is Sad. Even though the Economy is in an economic downturn you would at least think they could get more support from something like this. And to think they went to all of this work, and had such Great prizes, etc. as well. This is truly a Big disappointment and does not say much for the Community as a whole. I know myself if it was me, and I was in an area that knew about something like this, even if $$ was tight, I would want to go just to show my support and possibly be able to help out Financially as well. Who cares if these are Special needs kids? Does this mean they should be forgotten?
@chertsy (3797)
• United States
30 Nov 08
Our kids school does this, but they also have other things to bring in the crowds. They have those inflatable toys, booths were you can win things, face painting, etc. Honestly the silent auctions don't bring a lot of people in, and I think it's a shame that each class room works really hard on making a basket filled with things to raise money for the school. I helped my daughter's class by calling places to see if they would be willing to donate anything. Sad, how only one out of 5 donated their services. Luckily from the booths, and inflatable toys the school raised a lot of money. We normally have it during the spring, when more people are going to be out than in the fall/winter when nobody wants to leave their homes. Hopefully, the school will do it again, the school should add more things to lure people in, fun things for the kids to do. For all ages and all handicaps, so no one is left out.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
30 Nov 08
That is a real shame. I am surprised at the lack of participation. I would have thought that people would be only to happy to support such a worthy cause. I especially think it is disgraceful that the school differentiated between the students.
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
14 Dec 08
I am so sorry that there was not a better turnout. I do not think it has anything to do with the kids, it could be the sign of the times, people are not spending money. I would thing I would have wanted to go and see if I could get a nice gift for pennies on the dollar.
To bad for the kids I know they worked hard. What was the weather like, could have that played a role in the auction?
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
1 Dec 08
Honesty, from experience I'm not surprised. I helped some friends with a fund raiser for their son. The idea was to have a motocross event to raise money for the little boy. He was deaf, blind and he cerebral palsy. His parents were well off, too well off it qualify for any kind of help but not so well off they could pay for everything he needed medically. And you know how it is with the insurance you can't get. He needed an eye operation.
I called up all the newspapers in the area and asked for them to put a mention in the sports section about the event. I was told over and over again it wasn't "sports worthy". Only one newspaper agreed to put it in. I guess it was enough because the right person saw it and although the event didn't raise the money the right person turned out to be an eye specialist. The little boy now has lifetime free eye care. All it takes it the right one to see.
@syankee525 (6249)
• United States
1 Dec 08
aww that is so sad.. but yeah people these days are so not with things like this for some reason. i feel for the kids.
i was in specail ed for most of my school years.
@gaylesglimpses (164)
• United States
1 Dec 08
I understand completely! Keep reassuring the kids that it's not their fault. Lots of things can ruin fundraisers though. Fundraising killers can be as simple as rain, other things going on in the community or a location that's difficult to get in and out of. Mid-month fundraisers are awful and so are fundraisers that happen later in the month. Generally, the closer to the first of the month (after payday) that you can get the more money you will make. If any of the items are left maybe they can be put on eBay?
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
1 Dec 08
It could possibly been the weekend, but you would think some of the school staff would have showed their face even if they did not spend. There is nothing left, as family and friends bid on everything, even though alot of it went very low.
