ok so DH has been bugging me to get involved with his spouses group on base ,

Well tonight i went , and for some reason when they were asking for volunteers for people to collect items for raffels for the christmas parties NO ONE raised their hand so what happens?

.... MY ARM WENT UP!!!! im serious it has a mind of its own and it got my but in deep this time!!! I have less than a month to gather up donations from local businesses for our childrens party and the adult party im mean WTF am i thinking !!!!!

i have NEVER done this before...


this can go OH SO BAD for me ....


BAH FREAKING HUMBUG

You go gal I know that you can do it!! You will feel good to.

SILLY GIRL!!! . Any time you go to any function remember that you MUST duct tape your arms down to your sides. Whatever will you do? I KNOW! Don't collect anything and they will never let you volunteer for anything again! YAY! Feel better now?

Just kidding. Keep your mind set on the reason for it. That'll do it. Most businesses are willing to do something for such a cause and besides, you get to shop EVERYWHERE while you make your rounds!

Been there jeeping, oh I've been there! When my ex and I lived in this megacomplex apartments, where there was uber affordable apartments all the way up to really nice town houses with spacious backyards. We had a lovely townhouse that had been the cornerstone of my medium scale drug dealing. I was bringing in a couple thousand a week, and had quite a bit of suspicious activity going on. So when this community enrichment group started a chapter in our apartments, I had to just aboard enthusiastically. Every nosey gossiper was there so I had to be there, and present us as the wholesome young couple next door. Every meeting we showed up with rich desserts and healthy alternatives. We volunteered to organize events, and do anything we could. When we would need to get items for raffles, I found out quickly that restaurants are quick to toss out gift cards, and free appetizers. Some places wouldn't even say 2 words to us without a letter stating the organization's non-profit status, but a lot of them just wanted to get us out the door. The trick isn't getting the items, but to practice your speech about how you're going to soon be doing an online bible study with missionaries in south africa and won't be able to be as involved with the group after you're done with the raffle. I might be sneaky, but I've learned that when you take on a big task people are going to expect you to always step up to the plate, and continue.

Ex Military wife here- You can do it, and prolly do a better job then any one that has done it in the past which will mean you will be doing it for the entire stay at your base.

My Daughter volunteers for so much stuff on base it's not funny. She too is a DW. (Dependent wife-wives aren't yet partners in the military as much as they are property.) Her husband I hear is going to Iraq or Afganistan sometime next year for six months. That is my sons biggest fear, so he opted not to join at this point.

Anyway....We all have faith in you have some in yourself dear.

You can do it.....

You will be fine.
once you ask a few times, it becomes 2nd nature.

I was the junior co-ordinator at a football club for 5 years.
I was always wanting things donated.

My trick...........................................
Ask for a bigger thing and you will get a smaller thing given to you.
eg: ask for a $50 voucher, let them think that the $20 voucher they want to give you is fantastic
ask for a barbie and new outfit, let them give you the barbie or the outfit
You can always make a great gift from 2 or more things.

Always pop in and say 'thanx again for the ........".
They usually ask 'how is it going".
I tell them I just need 5 more items and I am done.
They often would throw in a little something else while I was there.

Sneaky
YES
Easy
YES
Benificial
YES

Good luck.
keep us posted.

Tricia

Obviously your DH has never taught you the basics of militarism ... NEVER VOLUNTEER FOR ANYTHING

You can do it .... I've had to do that before for raffle prizes for a banquet I was putting together and had to cold call businesses for donations ... it's scary, but think about it, what is the worst they can do to you?? tell you no! then it's on to the next one ... no one will KILL you for asking ... but the rejection is hard to take sometimes ... the YESes are sooooooo rewarding tho, it makes up for it ....

Good luck!

I collected raffle/door prize donations for our company christmas party last year. It's not as scary as you'd think... in fact I was a bit TOO good at it which is why I wound up wrapping 50-something door prizes along with all my own and my (now ex) boyfriend's presents too. We wound up with enough door prizes that every employee who went to the party walked away with a door prize. Every. Single. One.

My entire house looked like a grand canyon made of presents

You'll do great

cool , there will be over 100 kids at the childrens party and at least 100 adlts up to 200 adults


i think i can
i think i can
i think i can