Putting the ‘fun’ back in cheerleading fundraisers!
In a perfect world, all youth sports organizations would have enough money to provide new equipment for all team members and pay for trips and competitions in other cities. However, we don’t live in a perfect world, so all cheerleading teams must participate in some fundraising activities in order to continue cheering.
Cheerleading fundraisers have come a long way since car washes and bake sales, though they’re still two perfectly decent ways to earn a little extra cash for a cheerleading squad. However, these days many squads are getting a little more creative with their cheerleading fundraising ideas by getting help from friendly local business owners.
Some teams like to hold an annual fashion show, with clothing donated by local stores and raffled off at the end of the show. By charging a dollar for admission, in addition to selling baked goods and drinks, a cheerleading squad can raise hundreds of dollars in an evening and have fun doing it!
Another great fundraising idea for cheerleaders is to hold a bottle drive. Bottle drives generate the most money when they take place after a long weekend like Memorial Day. A week before the drive, send out fliers to area residents letting them know when the cheerleaders will be coming to pick up the bottles. It is best to hold the bottle drive on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, as this is when most people are at home. In lieu of bottles, people can also give small cash donations.
Here comes the pudding!
When it comes to cheerleading fundraisers, sometimes the craziest ideas are the best because they grab people’s attention. While baseball teams are famous for their dunks and pie tosses, some cheerleading teams like to hold puddings. For a small cash donation, people can throw handfuls of chocolate, caramel, vanilla, or pistachio pudding at their favorite (or least favorite) member of the cheerleading squad. This fundraising activity works well in conjunction with another larger scale activity like a Spring Carnival or cash laundering.
Spirit stars and balloons
Many cheerleading teams like to do fundraisers that involve everyone in the school. An easy and inexpensive fundraiser is to make a large number of stars out of construction paper in school colors. Decorate the stars with glitter or stickers for a special touch, and sell the stars for a dollar or two each to decorate the gym before a big game. When a person buys a star, they can write her name on it as a sign of her school spirit.
Here’s another fun and easy high school cheerleading fundraising activity that gets everyone involved called “Balloon Tag.” This activity requires a large number of helium-filled balloons to make them float. The cheerleaders set up a table in a common area and sell the balloons for a dollar each. When a person buys a balloon, they tag someone, and that person must wear the balloon tied to their clothing for the rest of the day. If they want, they can pay a dollar to label the balloon for someone else. Don’t forget to include the teachers in this one!
