The Fundraising Committee December 10, 2009
Posted by jennyjumps in Working.trackback
My community church outgrew itself.
Thus began the drama that would change the community from what I knew it to be, to what it is today. Our involvement was due to my father’s professional expertise in engineering, the trades and consulting services. But enough about the actual building committee – his position as chairman and the lack of interest from other members of the building committee, was what required our participation in the fundraising committee.
Well, it required HIS participation in the fundraising committee, MY OWN participation was mandated by the fact that I was only 14 and went wherever he did.
Our big events were the 25 km walk-a-thon, the parish picnic, community auctions, a gala night and selling christmas cards.
Even though I was the youngest member – albeit the ONLY member under 40 – I put in my equal share of the work. I canvassed the neighbourhood every year for sponsors for the walk-a-thon. I worked with the nurse during the walk-a-thon as a route marshall and first aider. I stood at the booths outside the church year-round and sold christmas cards and registered auctions on items. I stood on the ladder and painted the giant thermometer sign red as our funds increased. When we needed a pamphlet insert, I designed it on the computer and printed out 600 copies. When the secretary was absent and we needed minutes published and distributed, I typed up my father’s handwritten notes, addressed all the envelopes and put them in everyone’s mailboxes. When we needed a ticket solution for raffles, I was the one who showed my dad a ticketmaster stub and insisted we could do it from home. We did! I did!
I gained some serious experience and skills from my time on this committee – but for what would I use them? I was still too young to have a real job – and if I used my skills at school, my teachers accused me of plagiarism. Things were looking just a little too well done.
