It’s summer, it’s hot, and the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye! Sounds like perfect weather for a Corn & Doggy Roast Fundraiser. This event can be held right on the grounds of your school, church or in your town or city park.
This fundraiser is a perfect fit for dads. They can use their manly talents digging the pits to roast the un-husked corn. Then turn them loose over the grills roasting all the doggies (pork, beef and turkey dogs, of course!)
Kids can help doing both which turns your fundraiser into some quality bonding time with dad. Also put the dads in charge of table and chair pick-up and set-up. Maybe they can even barter a deal with a local business or beg, borrow and steal as many as they can find in your community.
The moms will have their hands full too. They can turn their creative juices loose in all sorts of ways:
* Table Decorations – fresh flowers from summer gardens in natural arrangements.
* Raffles – find some local businesses willing to donate nice gifts and then sell tickets.
* Games – for the kids who attend to keep them happy and out of trouble
* Advertising – hit all the radio stations around your county and local publications. Get the kids involved making posters and distributing them to local businesses.
* Canvassing for Donations – ask local businesses to donate the dogs and farmers to donate corn – if you don’t have a farmers market hit up a whole foods or superstore that will have corn to donate.
Start your roast early so you will be ready for the lunch crowd and stop when all your food is gone after dinner. People can be invited to eat under tables with umbrellas, under shady trees, or they can even grab a take-out box. The important thing is that you have enough volunteers so that during meal rush hour, you’ve got enough hands working so that the lines don’t get too long. This is one event where good assembly line skills are a must.
Donated homemade cookies, brownies or any type of pick-up-with-your-fingers dessert can top off your menu. Drinks can be purchased extra at an on-site stand. Offer homemade fresh iced tea and lemonade for a slightly higher price than soda.
Another draw and publicity angle is to hold a contest for the best hot dog relish. It’s the time of year when produce is fresh and finding ways to use it all is on every gardener’s mind. Offer a big blue ribbon to the winner with their name and photo in the local paper.
Find a balanced ‘all you can eat’ price that will attract as well as replenish your coffer. Let your volunteers begin to sell tickets well ahead of the date at a reduced price than the actual day. Naturally, there should be a reduced rate for children under age 12.
An annual Corn & Doggy Roast Fundraiser is a perfect fit for small communities, especially if farming and gardening is a way of life. You will have no trouble getting volunteers willing to work, and no shortage of kids excited to see how many ears of corn and hot dogs they can eat. Suppose a red ear even makes an appearance – you can auction it off for a lucky guy to get to kiss his gal!
