Relay for Life Fundraiser

Our local Relay for Life event will be held in May. Preparations begin early. Our local Library spearheads a fundraiser that caused quite a stir in our small community a couple of years ago and certainly raised some eyebrows. We had an art-bra contest. Community members and organizations decorated bras. We had around 22 entries all together. The community voted on their favorites by adding money to collection cans and the top 12 vote-getters received a coveted spot in a calendar for the following year. The bras were auctioned off during the event. All proceeds went to the American Cancer Society. It was a lot of fun! I am posting two of the bras.

This first one, was the one I submitted, entitled "Nobody in here but us Chickens"....my tribute to small-breasted farm girls. Call me crazy, but it is proudly perched atop my refrigerator. How many people do you know have bras displayed in the kitchen?

We love to use our local resources, so the business class in the high school took the bras around town and photographed them for the calendar. My chicken bra was photographed surrounded by bales of straw with live baby chicks! The kids really got into this project!

I believe I have mentioned my oldest daughter, Sarah, has special needs. She graduated in 2005, but we still volunteer daily in her high school transition class. The kids in this class learn daily living skills as well as skills to use post-high school in the work force. Two years ago, the transition class opened a coffee shop in the school. This student-run business serves Starbucks coffee, hot chocolate, tea and occasionally smoothies to the student body in the morning before school and make deliveries to teachers, etc. throughout the day. I will post more on this coffee shop soon. Anyway, this class entered a bra entitled "Tea for Two". The students strung beads and one of the aides in the classroom sewed them onto a bra. The beads resemble teacups. This was a community favorite and earned the January spot on the calendar.

This bra was purchased at the auction and then donated back to the classroom. You can't tell from the picture, but the stand is covered in coffee beans and there are two spirals arising from the cups of tea to resemble steam. It is proudly displayed in the coffee shop/classroom.

This year, the Library relay team is going to do another auction and calendar. We're decorating hats displayed with hat boxes. Our fundraiser is called "Every Hat has a Story". I have in mind what I'm going to enter, and will let you see the finished product soon.

Does anyone else have fun/crazy/eyebrow-raising fundraisers in your communities?