The worst fundraiser ever
During my freshman year, my dad pushed me to join a sport, and since I’m a fan of swimming, that was my choice. Everything was going smoothly until we had to organize a fundraiser, thanks to the school’s inadequate funding for the swim team.
For this fundraiser, I was tasked with working at Applebee’s. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except it started at 6:40 a.m. on a Saturday! My role was as the host, but there were three positions available: busser, host, and waiter.
What made it even more frustrating was that if we received any tips, they went straight to the swim team—not a single cent for us. To top it off, we didn’t earn any community service hours, and participation was mandatory.
Since it was a Saturday, my parents could only drop me off and weren’t able to pick me up later, which added to the stress. And to make matters worse, we didn’t receive anything for our time—not even a free meal. If we wanted to eat, we had to pay for it ourselves.
All in all, I found the entire experience to be both unfair and frustrating. It felt like a total waste of time for the swim team. If this is how fundraisers are run, they really need to rethink their approach!
Also, I couldn’t help but notice how someone mentioned, “If you have a job, call in sick,” as if this fundraiser is more important than your actual job. I don’t have a job myself, but I’d choose paid work any day over this!
It sounds like you really had a frustrating experience with that fundraiser! It’s tough when something meant to support your team feels more like a chore than a positive experience. The early morning shift, mandatory participation without any perks, and the fact that you didn’t even get to keep tips must have felt really discouraging. I can understand why you’d prefer a job where you’re compensated for your time and effort. Fundraisers should be fun and engaging, not a drain on your weekends! Hopefully, they’ll reconsider their approach next time and find a way to make it more enjoyable for everyone involved. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it!