As parents we have to provide the names and addresses to the H&SA, who will then send the information out to the people we specified. We are encouraged to send to friends, neighbors, relatives, businesses, doctors, etc. They especially want to see us giving contacts out of state.
There are rewards for the kids that get a certain number of names/addresses. There are class contests as well. For your class to be eligible each child has to have provided ten contacts. If one child doesn't do it, the entire class is out of the running for the party.
Today in an email we were told that it was not acceptable for the parents to donate a lump sum themselves in place of providing contacts.
Then today we were sent a note home requesting that each family donate a book of stamps or send in $10 to assist with postage.
This is really rubbing me the wrong way. I think it is putting too much pressure on parents, and if parents don't think it is appropriate or for some other reason don't do it, the child suffers because it will be known that they didn't do it.
I want to write a letter, include a check for the $75 that they claim is the average amount each child we will earn, and call it a day. Rich doesn't want me to get into it, because he doesn't want Noah to stand out more than he already does, which I completely understand.
I posted this issue on Facebook and one of my aunts suggested I use my creative mind and send to famous people and politicians.
I thought about it for about three seconds and said "brilliant."
Here is my list, in case anyone would like to use it for something similar. You'll note it's an equal opportunity list as I have some from the left and the right. To those I respect and to those I consider idiots. It's all good money for the school if they send it though!
Senator John McCain
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Joe Sestak
P.O. Box 1936
Media, Pennsylvania
19063 (610) 891-8956
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Pat Toomey
3440 Hamilton Blvd
Allentown, PA 18103
Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Office of the Speaker
H-232, US Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Governor Edward G. Rendell's Office
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
Judge Marjorie O. Rendell
Office of the First Lady
Governor’s Residence
2035 North Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Secretary Arne Duncan
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202
Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck Program
1133 Avenue of the Americas
Floor 34
New York, NY 10036
Sarah Palin
Office of Sarah Palin
PO Box 871235
Wasilla, AK 99687
So what do you guys think? In general is a fund raiser like this something you would support? Am I going overboard? Am I turning into my father?
Updated to add: Today's email included this bit:
Completed address labels are to be sent into school by Monday, Sept. 20th. We really need a minimum of 10 address labels per student. The organizers of this event are requesting that address labels be returned for future mailings to sponsors as opposed to sending in flat donation amounts. This is the only way your child will be able to access prize categories, etc.
I am really pissed off about this! One of the first emails said the following:
Please understand that your donors will receive a ONE TIME mailer, with a first class stamp, from Titus. This list will never be used for any other contact outside of the Race for Education.
But now they are talking about "future mailings to sponsors."
I think I will now be adding the school board members and the coordinators of this event to my address list.
I'm really missing the Philly Moms Blog right now, because I think this would be perfect to write about in that type of forum.
And yes, Rich is pretty much giving me the big eye roll about all of this. He doesn't fire up as easily as I do.
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