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Spring 2012

Creative Fundraising Ideas and Tips for Local Middle Schools

Spring is usually a good time to get a head start on school fundraising for next year. While there are many traditional ways to fundraise, there are plenty of creative fundraisers to make it more enjoyable for everyone. If you are looking for unique fundraising ideas and tips on raising money for local middle schools, here are some suggestions and tips to get you started.

  • Car wash. Car wash fundraisers are a great way to provide a useful service and raise cash. With very little setup and low overhead, you could raise a lot of money while having the opportunity to get outside. Try to find a central location, preferably where there’s a facility that will allow you to use the water for free.
  • Healthy fundraisers. Instead of bake sales and candy sales, choose fun runs, walkathons, and health food sales. Fruit, granola bars, nuts, and even flowers can raise as much money as candy and sugary baked goods.  
  • Gardening fundraiser. Spring is an excellent time for a gardening fundraiser, plus, you have lots of options. You can stick to selling seeds, gardening supplies and tools, or you can focus on plants and flowers. Depending on your budget, the best approach is to offer as many options as you can. Just make sure that you optimize the products you choose to sell. Gardening events are a great place to set up a sales tent.

General Fundraising Tips

  • Offer an alternative product for sales fundraisers. Always offer an alternative to sales–based fundraisers. If your customer doesn’t want your initial product, be sure that you have a sales pitch prepared for an additional item.
  • Use sales incentives. Offering prizes for top sellers is one way to ensure that you help motivate your fundraiser participants. Even if the supplier provides prize packages, you can always add to that with an extra prize. Gift cards and discount cards are always appreciated.
  • Expand your audience. Be sure to pitch your sales to as many people as possible. While neighbors, friends, and family members are typically a sure sale, you can limit your potential by sticking with one audience. Try setting up sales tables at in shopping malls or other places that receive high pedestrian traffic. Special local events and Farmer’s Markets are also excellent places to set up shop. Make sure you use signs that are large enough to read, and be concise while including important information, such as your cause and how much you need to raise.

When to Schedule Your Annual Maintenance Exam for your AC Unit

With routine maintenance tasks, such as regularly changing air filters, you can help keep your AC unit at optimal performance levels throughout the cooling season. However, before the summer months arrive, you should also schedule your annual maintenance exam. Spring is the perfect time to schedule your yearly tune–up for many reasons.

Having a professional HVAC contractor inspect your air conditioner and catch any problems before the season starts is one of the top benefits of the spring annual exam. In addition, it’s best to have your AC system tested on a warm day to get more accurate results. The technician cannot properly test pressure controls on colder days, which is why it is not as practical to have your system tested in the fall when you are getting your heating system checked.

Scheduling your inspection before the summer starts will help you save energy and lower your bills as soon as you start using air conditioner again. If you don’t have your AC unit tuned up by a professional annually, your air conditioning system can lose up to 5% of its overall efficiency each year. Depending on the type of system you have in your home, an AC system that is performing at its highest efficiency level can reduce your monthly energy bills in half. You can also recover the lost efficiency through regular maintenance if you start now. Air conditioners that are working more efficiently will also last longer and improve indoor air quality by controlling humidity levels within the home.

Don’t wait until it gets hot to schedule your annual AC maintenance exam. If you need a repair, or your air conditioner breaks down, you don’t want to be left without air conditioning for any length of time during the summer.
Take advantage of the first signs of warm weather, and be sure to schedule your appointment in the spring. A good way to remember is to schedule around the major spring holidays, usually around Easter or Passover. If you haven’t already scheduled your AC maintenance inspection, call today!

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