By Alyssa Schuyler, Assistant Layout Editor
As the saying goes, bigger is better. With fundraisers, however, is this the case? Students have recently heard about fundraisers like Make a Wish, Rent-A-Tau, Tomato Toss, Penny Wars, A Walk to Remember, Cake in a Jar, Penguin Hair Salon, Pay to Pie, Children’s Hospital and No Shave November.
Encouraging other students to want to participate in an organization’s fundraiser is important for organizations, because without student involvement a fundraiser may not be successful. Activities and themes that go along with a fundraiser may be a factor in student involvement, but advertisement for these fundraisers is also significant. Organizations try to come up with themes or activities that have to do with their fundraiser that will excite students and make them want to be involved.Coming up with themes that are over the top could mean raising enough money to bring an organization over the top of what they predicted they could raise.
When asked what fundraisers some students have heard of in the past month the list did vary between students. When asked what fundraisers these students participated in students said they participated in the fundraisers they had heard about. Students seemed willing to participate in fundraisers on campus if they have heard about them. Sophomore Chris Swonger says his reason for not participating in fundraisers on campus is that he doesn’t know about them. Swonger says, “I don’t hear anything.” Also sophomore Chris Lambert says “The only reason I don’t participate in fundraisers is because I don’t carry cash.”
When asked why they did participate in fundraisers that did not specifically help an organization they were a part of, sophomore Nelson Blanco says “It wouldn’t have made a difference [if the fundraiser ideas were innovative or not]I’m involved in everything.” Sophomore Caryn Guth, participated in Children’s Hospital and Make a Wish. Guth says she was involved because of a family history of cancer. When asked if the fundraiser was innovative Guth says it was “So-so, in the middle.” Guth would have still participated in the fundraiser for these organizations even if they had a less exciting theme or activity because of the personal connection to her family.
Fundraisers are all about getting the involvement and support of other students to help a cause and organization. Personal interest in fundraisers seems to have an impact for students and it’s not all about the flashy and innovative ideas of a fundraiser that influence a student to be involved in an organization’s fundraiser.
