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What would you do?

  1. Foodnerd81

    wonderful cherry / 21504 posts

    I would not buy raffle tickets or donate money, because I could not support raffling off any gun- but particularly an AR-15. However, i live in MA so this is far from normal around here. I would not support anything to do with linking kids and guns. And I would tell SIL if she asked. (This is one of only a few areas I’d be willing to make waves though).

  2. Mrs. Lemon-Lime

    wonderful pea / 17279 posts

    @kiddosc: I wouldn’t participate in the raffle or donate to the travel team. If you are so inclined you could give your nephew spending money for his one of his trips if you see him before he goes.

    @Jennibenni: @looch: I feel the same way. If I sign my kid up for something then I am obliging myself to all the costs not friends, coworkers, or family. Unless you have a spunky kid it’s the parent that gets stuck raising funds.

    I will say when friends FB post about causes I am more likely to support them.

  3. josina

    pomegranate / 3973 posts

    I wouldn't buy the raffle ticket because I have no desire to win an AR-15; my DH though would probably buy a couple.

    In general I despise fundraising, with my step-daughter (15) we very rarely did/do any because it's such a nuisance. I very rarely buy anything from anyone else either, unless it's something we actually want. Gourmet cupcakes, christmas wreaths, fresh fruit, sure; overpriced magazines, wrapping paper, candles, no thanks.
    Our nieces/nephews rarely ask, and I don't think they'd be offended if we said no, because we're not interested in the 'prize' or product they're selling.

  4. kiddosc

    grapefruit / 4278 posts

    @Foodnerd81: We live in WI, and I've never heard of anything like this anywhere near here. But DH was born and raised in TX and doesn't get as ruffled about this sort of thing. I remember a news story about a raffle like this not long ago and I felt the same way about linking kids and guns... just, why?

    @Jennibenni: @looch: @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @josina: In general I'm not a fan of fundraising campaigns... but I sort of get it. I was on a swim team in high school that traveled a few times a year for competition. We were a family that lived paycheck to paycheck and my Mom made me participate in any and all fundraisers. Without them, we never would have been able to afford for me to participate and the club was a huge part of my life. I don't necessarily think that children whose parents can't afford it should be automatically excluded from that type of experience. That's not really what's going on in this specific fundraiser scenario though.

  5. looch

    wonderful pear / 26210 posts

    @kiddosc: You're right, and that's really important to consider!

    When I was in high school, we had a fundraiser for a trip to California for the band, and we sold dollar raffle tickets. I wouldn't have been able to go on that trip without the fundraiser.

  6. josina

    pomegranate / 3973 posts

    @kiddosc: That's true, she did a fundraiser (the gourmet cupcakes) this year and 40% of sales went directly to her, for her band trip. Anything she hadn't raised we had to pay, so in that instance it was great.

  7. Ms.Mermaid

    kiwi / 745 posts

    @Anagram: can you offer to buy your niece luggage or outdoor gear for the trip, rather than donating to the fundraiser?

    FYI, at least in my state, raffle tickets are not tax deductible. So if you want to avoid the uncomfortable convo just say, “we wouldn’t use an AR and want our donation to be tax deductible.” But I just wouldn’t donate and wouldn’t say anything.

  8. Calibee

    apricot / 286 posts

    Buy tickets. Enter the raffle. Win the gun. Dismantle/destroy it and throw it away. One less gun out there!

  9. Iced Tea

    persimmon / 1310 posts

    I would not buy tickets. If selling these tickets makes them a lot of money, then they are likely to pursue this kind of fundraiser again.

    If I was close to the relative, then I would directly give the child spending money (my grandma always did this for our band trips; it was great). I would not donate money to the organization because I would not support an organization with such bad judgement.

    If I wasn’t close to that relative, then I would skip supporting the trip altogether.

  10. Ms. RV

    pear / 1930 posts

    Just politely decline. If he were selling those sausage and cheese things and you were vegan no one would say anything for not participating in that fundraiser. Just say you have no interest in an AR-15 and ask if there are any other fundraisers.

  11. MsMini

    grapefruit / 4056 posts

    @Anagram: If I was you I would buy my niece a nice piece of luggage etc. Just explain you are supporting travel but aren’t comfortable with the religious aspect of this particular trip 😉

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