Team Fundraising- What Works, and What is Acceptable

Nation,

There are three world championships this summer. The implications of these events include but are limited to the following.

• Some very good ultimate is going to be played
• Some very deserving players are going to get some great experience
• We're going to take the temperature of Canada's competitiveness at the world stage and who the emerging countries are

And...

• Players will be scrambling to raise funds
• We as a community will be exposed to a number of fund raising schemes and efforts.

Yesterday, I was asked to assist one of our Canadian clubs by taking part in an orange order (Mephisto is the team, if you are interested in buying some contact them). I have not been involved in the "buying oranges"game since I was in grade four. I remember the school fund raising oranges being of good quality, but even grade four me knew that I was selling a product that people could get in a more timely and cost effective manner. The chocolate bar racket was much better for the school, the sellers and the buyers, but it became less popular as getting kids pimping chocolate became less acceptable socially.

It doesn't stop at oranges. Fund raising efforts have included the following

• Teams running their own tournaments for profit
• Raffle tickets
  
• Illegal poker tournaments
  
• March Madness and other fantasy pools
  
• Selling Live strong rip off bracelets (That has ceased thankfully)
• Calenders (Most notably Storm of 2004)

All of the fund raising schemes appear to be the quick hit easy to plan and make happen projects. Unfortunately.. most of these projects end up merely taking money out of the pockets of loved ones and ultimate community. That raises a moral dilemma for people who think.

So, I ask you the reader to tell me

• What is the Return On Investment for these Projects? Do people do them because they actually make money?
• Which activities have worked the best for you or your team in the past?