Fund-raiser nets $5,000 for school

Many students dream about being "Principal for a Day." For most the dream never comes true. But for Sisters Elementary School third grader Andrew Stevens, it did, last Thursday.

Andrew raised more money than any other student in the school's recent fund-raiser, sponsored by the SPTC (Sisters Parent Teacher Community) and organized by Sisters-based Buckboard Provisioning Co. The SPTC is sponsoring a series of fund-raisers throughout the school year with the goal of accumulating necessary monies to purchase new playground structures for the school.

According to Buckboard Provisioning Co. president Merry Ann Moore, Andrew raised $192 that will go directly for the purchase of the playground equipment. To do this he sold $529 worth of Buckboard Provisioning products.

As a reward for his efforts, Andrew was given the privilege of choosing his own prize. That decision was easy: to be the school's principal and to be given a whistle so he could tell other students what to do at recess.

Throughout the day when acting as principal, Andrew did not attend class. Instead, he accompanied elementary school principal Jan Silberman as she carried out her duties. He also transmitted announcements over the school's PA (public address) system.

In addition to his day in the limelight as principal, Andrew was honored with a surprise horse-drawn carriage ride, pulled by a matched pair of Belgium draft horses, from the Hood Avenue offices of Buckboard Provisioning Co. to the elementary school and a lap around the playground in front of his schoolmates.

Andrew was not the only student recognized for fund-raising efforts. Clara Hughes' second graders were also recognized as the class with the highest gross sales. These students received a pizza party as their reward, and all students were thanked for their efforts with a special magic show (see related story, page 13).

The SPTC set a lofty goal of raising $20,000 in gross sales during the three-week fund-raiser.

When sales were tallied approximately $13,000 was grossed. "We were able to net directly to our pocket $5,000 roughly," said elementary school parent Winter Lewis, who is SPTC's liaison with Buckboard Provisioning Co.

According to Lewis, the SPTC aligned with Buckboard Provisioning for this event because of the nutritional products the company offers and their new online approach to fund-raising.

"It really streamlined everything. People were able to e-mail their family members, and they were able to purchase things online at a secure site. Stuff was drop-shipped directly to family all over the country, and we could also do it locally just going door-to-door and collecting cash the old-fashioned way," Lewis said.

In past years the SPTC has sold cookie dough for its fund-raiser.

"They got $10,000 for cookie dough last year, so we superseded that this year," Lewis said. "Cookie dough was successful in the years past, but certainly given that this (Buckboard Provisioning) is a local business and it's just a wonderfully put together project, it was very successful."

One of Buckboard Provisioning's innovative fund-raising approaches is residual sales.

"Since we have a Web site for each customer, they can continue to order throughout the year, and the school will continue to get a revenue stream," said Moore.

"During the actual fund-raising event, the three weeks, we get a higher percentage of monies brought in. If you continue to buy thereafter, we get a lower percentage. I believe it's 25 percent," said Lewis. Part of the appeal for this fund-raiser was healthier products than cookie dough and beef sticks.

"Wellness in the schools is a big issue, so all schools are thinking about what we serve in the cafeteria, and there has been sort of an issue that we're selling candy bars and cookie dough after school," said Buckboard Provisioning Co. CEO Rob Corrigan.

The company's wholesome products, all of which are named after "colorful characters, places or incidents from American history," remove the questions about the quality of products offered by a school fund-raiser.

For more information about the elementary school's fund-raiser visit the Buckboard Provisioning Co. Web site at http://www.buckboard-provisioning.com. Information about other SPTC fund-raisers planned for this year, including an auction dinner this spring, is available by contacting the school at 549-8981.