Our primary fundraiser each year is can redemption, netting between $9,000 & $10,000 annually. Are we in danger of losing this income? Read more to find out.
Each year, our club raises funds by collecting the cans and bottles donated at the shed in the Fareway parking lot and turning them in for their redemption value. We share this fundraiser with the Optimists, alternating months; Rotary takes the odd-numbered months. On average, our club receives between $2,000 and $2,500 each month.
We pay someone each month we have cans to empty the shed, separate the cans and plastic bottles from the glass, and to bag and box everything up, putting it in the trailer for weekly delivery. Each Saturday of our can months, several Rotary volunteers help unload the trailer. After we pay Larry each month, our net income from cans is between $9,000 and $10,000 a year. That's a lot of money for a fundraiser WE as a collective club put very little effort into.
Larry is getting older and is starting to struggle keeping up, especially as the months are getting colder. During the months we have cans, he empties the can shed at least twice a day.
We, as a club, need to take ownership of our can fundraiser. I know no one WANTS to sort cans, especially in the really cold months. But also, no one really wants to take on an additional fundraiser (or three) that could replace the income we receive from cans. Additional fundraisers would require more time and effort from club members.
There have been many discussions about how best to continue with the cans. At some point, possibly sooner than later, Larry will stop doing cans for us and we need a plan in place for when that happens. One proposal has been to find someone to replace Larry and continue as we have been. If you have any recommendations as to who would be interested is Larry's job, please let me or Curtis know.
Another proposal is that club members start helping with cans more. Five members would help each month we have cans (January, March, May, July, September & November). They would be "on call" to assist Larry throughout the week and would help unload the trailer each Saturday of that month. Given the number of members we have, once you help for a month, you wouldn't need to help for another 12-14 months. Everyone takes a turn contributing to our fundraising, but no one is overburdened.
The third proposal is to stop doing cans when Larry retires. In that case, we would need to find another way to raise $10,000 each year. And we would need members to help with that, too. We welcome your input on this.