Raising funds

Gotta tell you, if I get one more fundraising envelope sent home, I am going to flip. What is going on here? Sabrina is 4. Yesterday was her first day of pre-school. The first day. Yet, I got the fundraising packet at orientation the week before. I can't take it. The t-shirt and candles for Sabrina and then the catalog with $8 wrapping paper and $12 cookie dough for Caty. And, these are just the first. They are the big ones. Look, I know fundraising is necessary. I'm on my PTA board so I really know what it means to a school. And, yes, I do want my kids to be able to go on field trips and have special programs and all of that wonderful stuff. What I don't understandis why these companies gauge people and charge so much. Heck, I don't think I've ever in my life paid more than $5 for wrapping paper. Not because I'm cheap (I'm frugal) but because there is just no need to waste that much money on something that is just going to end up in a landfill. I cannot believe that the wrapping paper fundraiser is one of the most popular at our school. I love the spring plant sale. That might not be the best money maker, but boy does my garden look pretty! I will give money to the fundraiser. And I will do my duty and ask my parents and my friends and my in-laws and whomever else I can think of. Oh, by the way, if you didn't get my e-mail, you can feel free to contact me about buying stuff. Hint, hint. Wink, wink. It's just that I can't keep track of it all. There are 4 for my girls right now. There are nephews and cousins and BFFs kids and the list goes on and on. Then there will be Brownies and then my own causes. It's endless. I don't know how people do this stuff for a living. It's too bad there isn't one big organization that just has a bunch of money and, when we need it, we go and get it. Wouldn't that be nice? Did you know that you can just donate money to the PTA? You don't have to buy the candles or the paper or the $20 figurine for your mother-in-law. You can just write a check to the PTA. Isn't that wonderful? You can go do it right now. Send them to me. I'll make sure they get to the right place.