‘Drummed Out’; Selling Candy

With eight grandchildren ages 6 to 22, money-raising schemes are not foreign. Soccer league, swim team, school band, you name it--all have candy bar sales. They are demeaning to the kids and the parents. Even the 6 year old knows it is a rip-off and is reluctant to sell. Think of the number of candy bars children have been required to sell by the time they are 17 years old, as is Lisa Ortiz!

There are better ways--car washes or other endeavors for which a fee is paid for services. There are can drives, well publicized, in which people save something that most would ordinarily discard--thus helping out the local kids, and the recycling program as well.

To cite a specific use of raising funds--in most communities the high school band gives a sense of pride. Our grandson is a member. He wrote a letter to the editor of the local paper with the information that the band uniforms were 15 years old. Calls and contributions came rushing in--people stating they hadn’t realized the need for new uniforms. The point is people would much rather contribute voluntarily, when a need is known, than to feel forced into buying candy bars.

JOY KING

Borrego Springs