Fundraiser Land

Generally I know it is not good to swear, but it is really hard not to Swear to Goodness about this - so instead I will Pledge to Goodness in a dramatically sincere way that We Have Moved to Fundraiser Land. It isn't as flat as we were lead to believe, it is as windy as we were lead to believe, but no one warned us that this area loves to have a fundraiser every week!!! I don't know how to express the feeling of peer pressure that I am feeling to support all these things. BigGuy is fine with not supporting things (I should follow his lead) - but the kids look at you with those big eyes and say things like, "But I have to help......(fill in group here)" - and many of them are good causes. Just off the top of my head these are the ones that are ALL selling now -
School - Kathryn Beich (a bevy of stuff that is interesting, but not really needed - and very yummy candy) - the kids love this because they can earn useless stuff they think they can't live without.
United Way - although BigGuy says this isn't a fundraiser, we have to donate $1 each day in order for the kids to participate in whatever fun thing they are doing - kinda like BigGuy bought the $20 shirt for his work to be able to participate in the jeans days on Fridays (another fundraiser - so that is 2 more).Market Day - buy grocery items that are delivered either to your door (this is if you order - which we haven't forwarded to you to save you the feelings of guilt) or to the school to be picked up. Some of the stuff is good - at least that we have purchased. So this is an ongoing every month fundraiser for the school. Now, Next month it is a special program that you can sell pies (supposedly to die for) and earn extra for the school. Need a holiday pie or cheesecake? Let me know.
Girl Scouts - they are selling non-cookie things, candy, trinkets, paper - great organization, but we just pestered people to buy KB stuff - yet this is a great group to support (speaking of which - none of you stopped me and I am now the leader - I do believe I have also been kicked out of my 12 step Volunteer-a-holics program - thanks SS!! I phoned you every day looking for help and where were you??? In MN - argh).
Scholastic Book Fair - we all know what this is - another great way to support our school. Yet it costs money. Plus, I just placed to Scholastic orders not knowing that there was a book fair coming. Ugh! We will probably use this to score some Christmas gifts - I bet I see Santa there.
Tag onto Book Fair - if you donated a $1 then you can help to make sure a child in your school that can't afford it will be able to purchase a book too. How can you NOT support that? It is only $1 - until I add up all the other stuff from the other fundraisers.

We have only been in school for two months! How are we dealing with this? Well the Kathryn Beich thing the kids did do last minute - they sold some stuff, will receive some of the crap (I mean prizes) and everyone is happy. School Book Fair - I will buy some books for holiday gifts. The extra $1 for a student - each of the kids used allowance to donate - this gives them an experience to help others through donations. The United Way fundraiser - well, I told them that BigGuy and I would give them a big chore each day to complete that would earn them the money to participate in those - today is sweep the garage out - tomorrow is scoop the cat litter - the next day will be pick up Jakey poo in the yard. Market Day - some of our friends are interested in trying out the pretzels and we buy at least one or two things a month that really are helpful to have - pies though, I just don't care much for pie (plus I make them really well), but if you all want one let me know. Girl Scouts - well, we can't do them all and I did just give them $20 to join and sign up to be the leader - that should do. We will be calling ya all for cookies in the spring though!