Fundraisers
 

My chapter was small-ish. When I graduated we had about 30 actives.

We had a very successful holiday fundraiser. We got the clear ball ornaments and then took custom decoration orders. At our semester sleep over all the sisters worked to paint the balls and fill them with colored tinsel (the color could also be requested). If memory serves me, we charged $3 for a small ball and $4 for a large ball.

We usually do bake sales once a month.

We also have this event in the spring called Penny Wars. If you're not familiar with the idea, 3-4 couples each sign up to have their names on a jar. The couple with the most coins (dollar bills are a disadvantage in this event) after a week or two pies each other in the face. Everyone participating on the jars understands that they may have to get pied/pie someone, so it's all fine.

My chapter was small, but we've grown it to about 30-something members.

http://furmansai.org/receptions
We do receptions. This is at about every senior recital. Sisters get it half off. The music department normally hires us for major events as well. I get to help run this next spring. Receptions include set-up and tear down and two sisters to work it.

Penny wars. We do it against PMA and normally send it to Save the Music. We put the jars at the music department circulation desk. I enjoy it, because I give my opinions on where someone should put their money. Normally, a PMA worker had the shift after me. It made it more fun for us.

We once had a collection at the Christmas concert to send to needy schools with broken instruments (we are talking missing tuning slides and more).

We had a can collection against PMA. Rolled in pallets of food from Aldis. We feel we will be doing that again. Felt nice when we brought the food to the local food bank.

What helped pay for that food? We do a bake sale every Christmas. We have oratorio week, and it seems every music major forgets to eat during all the rehearsals. We also sell tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, since it is getting cold for us southerners. The MITs generally repeat this in the spring. It is called the Fermata Cafe.

One year we did a 5k. A lot of work, but if you are committed it can work.

We also sold roses at the All-State concert this year.

We also sell shirts, hoodies, bags, ect, with the school's name and music department on it. Last year, one of the shirts formed the letters for our school (FU) on the front with musical terms. It was a big hit. Non-music people buy them all the time. They are sold at musical events, all-state concerts, and auditions. The department is actually planning on buying packages from us to give to each student that auditions.