Fund raising comes in many shapes and sizes. Typically, it involves selling a single item or group of items (candy bars, cookie dough, gift wrap, trash bags, magazines, coupon books or discount cards…you get the idea.) It requires the fundraiser to ask, and sometimes beg, neighbors, friends, relatives, and parents’ co-workers to buy something and support the fundraiser’s effort.
Is there a better way? There is, if you define “better” as more fun, more profitable and more environmentally friendly! You can have a moneymaking garage sale and everyone interested in the raising of money can (and will want to) participate, especially youngsters.
The “everyone” referred to in this event absolutely includes children, from school age to graduating college students. It has flexible application to a wide range of ages, as you will see from the list of benefits below.
Consider these benefits for a child or student’s participation in a garage sale:
- It keeps kids active. It will minimize time spent in bed or at the television, the game console, the computer and the cell phone.
- It encourages physical movement. There may be lifting of light boxes or carrying of items to and from the garage.
- It teaches and reinforces mathematical skills. Making change and counting proceeds is a very practical application of math.
- It is an opportunity to discuss and learn about consumerism, economics, and related values, including issues of community, charity, spending habits and thrift. Kids can experience what sells, seeing how much that $100 item they “had to have” is “worth” in a few months or years. They can also see how much a dollar can go at a garage sale rather than at a big box store or boutique.
- It exposes students to entrepreneurship and business operations, from advertising and marketing to merchandising and display. It also may expose the kids to negotiation tactics and strategies.
- It exposes children to a different form of recycling, keeping items out of the trash and landfills. Again, it shows the different uses of an item that is not wanted by one but may be prized by another.
- It encourages charity and community service, especially if you consider what to do with the money generated and in deciding which charity should benefit from any leftovers.
- Hopefully, team work can be learned as well. Each member of the fundraising group can do a job or task and do it together for the good of the whole.
- The garage sale shows kids that they can make money with their own stuff and with their own efforts. Hopefully, they will learn that the more effort they expend, the greater the rewards. Hopefully, as well, they learn how much it took to make that money and that spending and/or saving is a balance of priorities, becoming better “money managers.”
Students are very much involved in a garage sale being held at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, located at 12701 West 67th Street in Shawnee. The proceeds of that sale are for leadership activities. The students are taking ownership of this annual garage sale, under the direction of its StuCo Sponsor. The sale begins on Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and continues until 1:00 p.m. This is the fifth year of the event. Since the high school students are “in charge," you will find a ton of clothes, piled high on tables. Expect a bit of everything at the sale, including household goods, furniture, collectibles, arts and crafts, holiday décor and toys. There is a lot of enthusiasm and hospitality.
Let your Garage Sale Examiner know what treasures you found and if your kids helped! Reply by email or tweet at @agaragesale.
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