Mrs. P's Singers and Ringers Blog

We’ve reached that time of year: fundraiser time.  It’s one of the things that I wish we didn’t have to worry about, but we do.  We have lots of reasons why we need to raise money:

• Registration fees for MPA events.  I don’t ask soloists to pay their registration for solo and ensemble, as some schools do.  This is something we pay out of fundraiser money.  Last year, registration for S&E cost us almost $600.  We have to pay for choral MPA, as well, plus the buses to get us there.  We even have to pay for school buses.  Between the fees and the bus costs, choral MPA was over $400.  That’s $1,000 right there!  And that’s not counting the cost of the medals.  (And I promise I’ll make sure we get our medals this year!)
• Handbell equipment.  There is nothing about handbells that is inexpensive.   Some of our mallets are old and need to be replaced.  We are ringing without gloves right now, because our funds are depleted.  Before we can polish bells, we will need to get a new can of polish, and even the small can is $60.  So we need $400 just for these basic expenses.  Plus, with as large a group as we have this year, we don’t have enough of the portable tables if we want to play off campus.  It would cost $1,100 for two extra portable tables and the good pads.
• Music.  I know that we have a lot of music in the chorus and handbell libraries, but it’s always fun to do new music.  The average cost for a new choral piece is $76 for 40 copies.  If we want to get the accompaniment CD to go with it, that’s another $23.  Handbell music is also expensive.  Some handbell pieces now cost $4.50 per copy, so it’s about $80 for each new piece of music.
• Uniforms.  I know that most of you bought your polo shirts or paid the rental on the formal Concert Chorus uniform, but there are people who can’t afford this.  So far, one quarter of the beginning chorus class hasn’t purchased a polo shirt, and I haven’t figured out the percentage of people who haven’t paid the Concert Chorus rental.  So we have to buy extra shirts, and that comes out of our fundraiser money.
• Pizza.  I know you all like the pizza parties, but they cost money.  Last spring, thanks to the lollipop fundraiser, we were able to cover the cost of the pizza, which was about $300, and I personally bought the sodas.
• Eighth grade awards.  I would hate to do away with this, if we didn’t raise enough money.  Depending on how many eighth graders we have, this can run into a lot of money.
• My tech wish list.  I would love to have the digital projector mounted on the ceiling, as it is in the band room and some other classrooms.  Then we wouldn’t have cords and wires running all over the room

Wow!  That’s a lot of expenses.  And that doesn’t include anything for general music.   This year, we bought a new curriculum for general music that I had to pay for out of our fundraising account, and I can always use more CDs for listening examples.

So let’s sell some cookie dough!

I posted this on Edline last week, but apparently a lot of people missed it:  we are not doing our cookie dough fundraiser this year.  The company that we normally work with is going out of business.  I spoke with our school bookkeeper, and we have enough money in the chorus and handbell account to make it through the rest of this year, so I’m not scrambling to find another company right now.  I will see about doing a cookie dough sale for next fall.

If we do a fundraiser before the end of the school year, it will be something low-key.  I know that some people have asked about doing a car wash, but those don’t make a lot of money, and, frankly, you all need to remember that MRS. P HAS A LIFE!   There are a lot of evenings and weekends that I’m away from my family for performances, MPA, etc.  I really don’t want to give up another Saturday for a car wash!  However, we may sell lollipops.  I’ve seen the Ozark Delight lollipops when I’ve gone to the Florida Music Educator’s conference in Tampa.  They come in some amazing flavors.  Take a look.  Is this something that might interest you?

It’s that time of year again!  Our cookie dough fundraiser will begin on February 21st, and run through March 12th.  This is our main fundraiser of the year.

It’s a sad fact that we have to do fundraisers to keep our music programs running.  We use fundraiser money to buy new music, to pay the costs for solo and ensemble and choral performance assessment (including buses to go to MPA), and for new equipment for the chorus and handbell rooms.  I really appreciate the efforts that you and your parents make with our fundraisers.

In addition to cookie dough, there will be candy and other goodies.  And there are cash prizes that you can win.  So, start thinking now about who might support you.

Fundraising isn’t my favorite thing.  In fact, I don’t know anybody who really likes it.  But you all have made this fundraiser very easy.  You did a great job of getting your orders in on time, and we only had a couple of orders with no names, and I only have one unidentified order at this point:-).  Please deliver your merchandise as quickly as you can.

We will do our rewards next Monday, with the candy bars and scratch-off cards.  In the meantime, enjoy your goodies!

By now, all Chorus students should know that we are scheduled for MPA on March 25th.  We will be leaving from school at 3:00 that day, so you will need to either wear your uniform to school or bring it with you to change.  We’ll talk more about MPA in class, but I will keep reminding you about uniforms and, of course, permission slips.  These were handed out last Friday, and I found some on the floor after both classes.  Don’t make me kill more trees: find yours, give it to your parents, have them sign it, and turn it back in!

Remember, this Wednesday is the end of our fundraiser.  The cookie dough money is due on Wednesday.  Because next week is spring break, I must have the order in the mail by Friday afternoon.  Don’t be late!  Your order won’t go in!

Finally, while we said goodbye to Dakota last Monday, we don’t have to say goodbye to Antoinette just yet.  She will be staying here for a while yet, hopefully until the end of the year.  I’m so glad she can be with us for MPA, and hopefully for spring concert, too.