So I mentioned, I think, in a previous post that I signed up to help with the Maadi Women's Guild Christmas Bazaar. I have no experience in anything like this, so I was thinking that I'd play a nice little behind-the-scenes, supporting role. One where I couldn't mess anything up, seeing as how this is the biggest fundraiser of the year, and MWG counts on it for money to give grants to charities (orphanages, leprosy colonies, and medical clinics, among others). I thought I'd ease my way into it, learn a few things, and then maybe, if I had an aptitude, play a bigger role next year.
God had other plans. It turns out that Marge, the MWG president and the person who's in charge of the bazaar, is having a really hard time getting anyone to agree to take a leadership role. She really wanted me to spearhead the raffle and the silent auction. This involves soliciting for donated items from local businesses, deciding what goes into the raffle and what goes into the auction, getting everything set up, setting start prices, getting volunteers to help with set-up and with monitoring the auction--can you believe someone stole a gold cartouche one year?--and probably more that I'm not thinking of right now. Luckily, for some of the donations, I have help: Marge and another lady both have relationships with some businesses that can provide Nile cruises and other large donations, and the lady in charge of the food vendors is going to hit them up for donations. But there's still a lot to be done, and not a lot of time in which to do it.
So--for those of you who are praying people, please pray for me and for this event. And for those of you who may have experience with anything like this--suggestions are welcome. And for those of you who live here in Egypt--please please please please please help me out with this. I need people to solicit donations (I'm really bad at that), put together baskets for the silent auction (I can sort items into different themes but I'm not good at packaging it to look nice . . . and I need someone to donate the containers, too), help me set up the day before the bazaar, and take a turn watching during the auction. I'm hoping for enough day-of volunteers so everyone can take some time to go shop without leaving anything vulnerable.
And everyone take a deep breath; it's going to be a rollercoaster!
2 years ago
Oh! I SO wish you were HERE and planning-I could hook you up! I believe that this year, the raising of funds is my calling! It's what I "do", besides raise my litter of Boys!
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion? Get a notebook, a big note book with pockets, and take it with you everywhere-ideas strike all the time andif you don't write them down you'll loose them. You'll have to take yourself out of your comfort "bubble" and start asking for donations-LOTS of donations! Not everyone will say yes, especially if it's close in, so you have to increase the number of people you talk to.
Good Luck! I hope you love it as much as I do!! :o)
Hmm. Well, I don't have the first clue where to start soliciting donations, BUT, I do know that when my elementary school did festivals like this, the hottest ticket was the cake-walk. So if you could get people and businesses to donate pastries/cakes you could probably rack up some funds that way.
ReplyDeleteFor packaging gift baskets, there's a lady on road 9, just one block up on the left that sells hand-made baskets. Have no idea how much they'd cost.
Oh, and there's an AWESOME shop with lots of hand-made quilted items right by the apt. Zack could show you. It's kind of where the Bread Basket is. If you were going to the BB, it's the very first store on your left once you go under the flyover. The family there is soooooo nice and they have beautiful things that would probably rack in some dough for the silent auction...including Christmas stockings!
Good luck with all of it...I'd help you if I was still there!