Am I part of the Establishment? Am I THE MAN?

[carrie_leigh]

I've been out of town for nearly a week; (did anyone miss me?) we went to San Antonio on business/pleasure.  The in-laws went, too and brought the boys back early so that we could spend our anniversary sans children.  It was very nice and romantic, and I even got to see my college roommate, all of which was SO FUN and I'll post pics about another

Comments

[kristibisci]

It is a predicament. I've been to a few fundraisers like that and you always wonder if the money could be better spent. I guess they just feel that if they don't have the best freebies, the best food, the best entertainment etc. the people who have all the money to donate won't come at all. As perverse as it is, you have to spend money to make money, even when it comes to charity. At some events, though, the gifts are donated by companies/individuals rather than being paid for by the charity organisers, so that's some consolation at least.

[mugglechump]

That does seem excessive, but maybe they were only so elaborate in order to generate interest since it is a charity that's just starting up. The real test is how they conduct drives in the future. A big event like this, if it really brings in substantial amounts of cash, is okay once in awhile so long as it's not the only way - or even the main way they fundraise.

On another note, my husband and I decided a long time ago that if we ever started a company we'd call it The Man, Inc. Then all our employees would work for The Man!

[sue_bridehead]

I'm with mugglechump. Excessive is the word. This is how charities get a bad reputation, which makes the average person NOT want to donate to them. And there are a lot more average people than rich people

[orpheus_samhain]

I also come from a poor family so I don't have a first hand experience but I think that people who give (i.e. have) money want also something in return. Of course the knowledge that they gave money to a cause is the most important but also possibility to gather, meet people, eat and drink something nice. It's true that they could have raised more money but what if they don't want to? What if they want to give 1,3 mln and the rest spend on themselves? It's their right to do so, I think.

I think I wouldn't attend such meetings but I have no illusions as to why. Simply I would consider it a waste of money, as you did. But I know perfectly well, that had I been raised in a wealthy family, without worries about food and clothes and anything else I would attend those parties and I wouldn't consider them inappropriate at all. Perspective.

So... ;) 'wise Orpheus' says: "attend if you want to, if not - you can contribute in other ways, if you feel like it (as you already said you do)"

[dragonsangel68]

The fact that it seems excessive prompts me to ask if those things were in fact donated.

We do fundraisers all the time at the football club (we're not a charity, but we are a sporting club) and the last one we held (just last weekend) raised somewhere in the vicinity of $11,500 - the club didn't have to outlay a cent to gain this cash, because everything from the meals to the table settings to some of the best wine that's ever been passed over that particular bar was donated :)