Fund Raisers

I cannot stand fund raisers. C brings home these pledge forms and a list of "prizes" he can get for accumulating donations. We did one, filed out all the forms to be sent to friends and family - one that is all. I refuse to bombard loved ones with more crap. That being said C came home with another fund raiser a few weeks ago. I didn't even read it, just pitched it.

Well, yesterday he came home with the sweetest little pitch of his own. I almost cried. Okay - I did cry. When C and I got back from the bus stop I asked him if he wanted to make some pudding. He was really excited to "cook" something. After we stirred in the milk and whisked it together we stuck it in the refrigerator. I was hoping to get him to do his homework then, so I said "hey C, I bet you can't do your homework faster than it takes for the pudding to get ready." Bait, Line, and Sinker.

We sit down to work on writing and then I ask him which activity he'd like to do for math. He gets a big grin and says "I'll be right back". So off he goes and a few crashes and bangs later he emerges from his bedroom with all his piggy banks and says "I know, we can count my money and I can donate it for heart disease." I am pretty floored at this point, so I ask him what he knows about it. He was so innocent and so sweet as he explained that in Gym class that day they had jump roped for a cure for heart disease and that some people have "hearts that aren't so good" and that sometimes "even kids have trouble." Then the flip side "Oh, mom and I get prizes if I donate." But he seemed to understand this fundraiser and he really wanted to help. I told him the prizes were just dollar store toys and he could buy one with his money. After that, he still wanted to give. I was bursting with pride, love, and appreciation for our son.

So we emptied his piggy banks. He sorted his change and then put it all in a bag so we could go to the coin star machine. (they keep almost 10% - what a rip off) Anyway in the end he had just over fifty bucks so I showed him a tithing verse and explained about the 10% rule from God. He was so excited to give five bucks. We logged onto the computer, signed up for "jump rope for heart" and gave the money. Granted I just stuck the five back in his piggy bank. He was so proud of himself, he even made a little poster to give his teacher.

I just assumed that this latest fundraiser was just a ploy for more money for the school. You know the ones, buy this 20.00 roll of wrapping paper and the school will get 10.00 of it. Please, I'd rather give the 10.00 and buy the paper at Walmart for two or three bucks. But I digress, I assumed something negative. This one was for a real cause, a real human issue, and if it wasn't for the bright, clear, innocent, and unscathed eyes of a child, we might have missed out.