Annual fundraiser hosts fourth year

by Bridget Cooke
Editor

The fourth annual Ladies’ Night Out was hosted in the Fall Creek Elementary School gymnasium Friday night, with a number of local vendors on hand to make connections with interested shoppers from 5-8 p.m. just before the kickoff of the Crickets girls’ season opener that evening.

A fundraiser, the night of Jamberry and Avon makes money for the Fall Creek music program. Hosted by parents who wish to help their children travel to a variety of cities throughout the country with their musical peers, the night of browsing just before the holidays is an opportunity for wives of hunters who do not wander off into the woods in search of a deer themselves to make a purchase or two while enjoying a snack or two at the chocolate fountain dessert table. 

As it has continued, trips to states like Florida or cities like New York occur every other year and the night of lady-oriented shopping relieves some of the fundraising burden from the students’ shoulders.

Kris Berg, one of the organizers and a music parent, said the night out of shopping, which includes tables of products such as Avon, Scentsy and Wild Tree, hosted a fun night out for the casual browser or even a local man wanting to pick out something special for a holiday gift.

“It’s been a very good fundraiser for us every year,” Berg said. “We offset most of [the music department] trips. It’s through events like this that help us raise money for them. It’s important to us.”

Kim Schmid, a parent of a child formerly in the music program who has since graduated, was a central planner at the beginning of the event and worked with Berg to organize the gathering once again in 2014.

“I have no problems getting people to sign up,” Schmid said. “Next year will be our fifth year and we are already into planning.”

In keeping with their ideals of a community which cares for its residents, the hosts did not charge an admission fee this year as they have in the past with a discount to those who brought a food donation for for the Fall Creek Community Cupboard, and instead just required a donation from interested shoppers in exchange for entry to the gathering of vendors.

Students who are a part of the music program even help with the event, volunteering their time to bring in and set up tables as well as coming in after the three hour event to take down and put away those same displays. They also take time to prepare dinner for the sellers of the products by taking the sandwich preference of diners and creating a meal to deliver to them in the school kitchen.

Both Schmid and Berg said the traffic had been slow but steady, citing the game as both an attractor but also a possible hindrance for those who would not have time to squeeze in a bit of browsing for the evening.

As parents, the planning duo shared their happiness at being able to provide for students who wish to broaden their experiences through the music plan. They host other fundraisers throughout the year, including manning the concession stand during certain sporting events and occasionally hosting a spring raffle.

Monetary funds raised from some of the other efforts go toward scholarships for student as well.

The fundraiser should continue, Berg said, due to the commitment of parents who want to see their musically-inclined children succeed and participate by performing at different types of venues.

“We have some vendors mostly wanting to get there name out there, it always does their business good,” Berg said. “They like supporting the music department.”