HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

I have been informed of a few impromptu fundraisers for various charities.  When the event has a theme, I have seen charities go two different ways.  In one scenario, they do not decorate, nor do they put money into the look or activities of an event because they fear retribution from members thinking they are spending money they should be spending on the cause.  The die hard supporters come out in droves, and the money all goes towards the cause, but the folks who are just looking for something to do on a lazy afternoon might not waste their time.   The second scenario is putting so much money into the event that the overhead makes the event something that reaps little return.

The event usually requires a happy medium where one can make something look very professional on the cheap, either garnering sponsorship or just rolling up ones sleeves and doing it yourself.  Celebrations.com had some killer easter decorating ideas that made me want to look around the corner to see if Martha Stewart’s staff members were lurking around the corner, or at least someone from a high end store with a pricing gun

For a very quickly put together fundraiser, how about having an easter egg decoration contest or a workshop?  I remember the egg kits with the stickers and the wax pencils that we used to use as kids, but they were never anything like this. The secret ingredient that you need to create the eggs at left is scotch tape. Yes, you heard me right. Just tape off the parts of the egg that you want to leave white. Then, wait for the egg to dry and tape off other parts. You could just dye the egg the traditional way to create stripes, but typically, the colors would run or would create secondary colors without masking them off. It takes extra time, but the result is worth it.

Another idea is to make edible paste with powdered sugar and water to paste edible spun sugar flowers to the eggs. I don’t know how much you would be able to handle those eggs. However, they would certainly be a knock out on the buffet or dessert table for a family holiday. For a fundraiser, they would be great at the place settings for party favors. Powdered sugar and water are cheap, or they are already in your kitchen, so it wouldn’t cost you a dime.  It may not be for kids, but certainly the adults would appreciate them.

Whether you decide to put on a small, impromptu fundraiser, or you just want to be a kid again with the family, have a great time.

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