Fundraising

Every time you look up from your smart phone these days it seems like someone is raising funds for something. And all of those someones want local businesses to donate to their fundraising efforts. I can definitely understand a non-government-supported organization that provides community or social benefits needing to solicit donations. For example, I give money to Big Brothers/Big Sisters every year during their bowling fundraiser simply because I believe that they're a worthy cause. As a manager of a local business I donate to local groups as well when they are doing charitable work. What I don't get are situations where fraternal or social groups want a donation so that they can basically throw a party. The Treacle Mine Street Block Party Committee is seeking donations for their annual block party, or The Sam Vimes School of Dragon Training wants some free centerpieces to auction off for their quarterly dragon grooming fest. Or groups of parents wanting you to donate so that their little tykes can go to Paris this Fall. Hell, I want to go to Paris too!  I do have respect for groups that go door-to-door selling candy, or wash cars, or set up a grill (after paying in full for the meat and condiments) to sell hamburgers or hot dogs to raise money for their event. I've been there; when my kids were in the Boy & Girl Scouts we sold popcorn, cookies and even Christmas Trees to raise money. And mostly the money raised for the organization and it's expenses, not to send the scouts to South America for the summer. If you are providing a good or a service in exchange for funds, then you are engaging in good old fashioned capitalism, otherwise, you're simply panhandling.

Another category of people for whom I have huge amounts of sympathy, but deep down don't understand, is the folks who have a stack of medical bills, and no insurance. Sometimes the finances just weren't there, or they lost their job just as they got sick, but often they rolled the dice and gambled that they wouldn't need the insurance and lost. So now the whole town is chipping in to cover the expenses. This is a cause for teeth-gritting when you know that the person lived the high life for a long time, diverting those funds that should have gone to insurance into other activities. It's hard to get holier-than-thou about finances though when someone is dying...being the voice of reason in those situations really makes you seem like an ass.

So the bottom line is that if you want to send your kinds somewhere, or need to pay some bills, or want to throw a party, get a second job, or do a car wash, or just cut back on the beer and cigarettes, stop asking everyone else to chip and and help you pay for it. Or at least stop griping about the people on welfare.