It seems as though every time a fundraiser is held at LOHS, it is held in partnership with either Chipotle or MOD Pizza. Although Lake Oswego is home to a variety of restaurants and other small businesses, LOHS fundraisers typically pass over them in favor of larger chains. Whether this is out of a conscious desire to supposedly maximize earnings from large businesses or simply out of laziness to find new partners, the memo remains clear. By shying away from fundraising with small businesses, school clubs and organizations convey the message that they support going big over going local.
School activities turn to large food chains when fundraising for a variety of reasons, including the easy navigation systems that are already set in place. Many long-established businesses with far reaches have easily accessible applications that people can use to set up fundraising nights. Thus, the process of creating a fundraiser may be more straightforward and streamlined than at a local business. For a large number of people who are attempting to fundraise for their respective activities, they are on a tight schedule and lack time to research other options. Consequently, they turn to the well-known, common fundraisers that many others utilize. However, in the process, although they are able to quickly organize a fundraising event, they also sacrifice some amount of uniqueness in their fundraiser.
In addition to the ease of access, people also turn to larger corporations because they have the view that they will be able to fundraise more money. Although more people may know about MOD Pizza or Chipotle compared to a local restaurant, they may be tired of always attending fundraising events and buying food at the same two places. Many people would likely be willing to embrace change and support not only the activity running the fundraiser but also the local business it is located at. Therefore, it is possible that a fundraiser at a new business could attract better event turnout and ultimately create more funds. Still, fundraising event organizers may also believe that small businesses will reject their fundraisers or will not be able to carry them out. Nevertheless, it does no harm to simply ask and act according to their decision: if they are willing to host a fundraiser, then it works out, and if not, the fundraiser can be held somewhere else.
Fundraising at a local business offers a multitude of benefits. It establishes a stronger connection with the community and can help sales at the business that provides the products sold during the fundraiser, whether on-site or upon delivery to the school. Because many fundraisers work by returning a certain portion of the profits made from selling items at the business back to the fundraising activity, fundraisers contribute to more sales. As opposed to large corporations, for whom the increase in sales is negligible when compared to their usual sales, small businesses may see significant profit increases from hosting fundraisers.
Therefore, although seeking out a local business to fundraise at is more difficult and likely involves slightly more effort, it provides advantages over conforming to a mold of fundraising only at certain businesses. The increase in time spent organizing a fundraiser at a small business can be negated by the undeniable feeling of connection to the community. As a result, although society touts the message to “Go big or go home,” in some instances, such as fundraising, shrugging off society’s burdens is freeing. Thus, with fundraising, instead of going big, try going home and going local.
