A strong fund-raiser is passionate about the cause she represents and makes an attempt to reach out to as many people as possible. When raising money for your French club, express why the club is important and why others should contribute to the cause. Be creative in your fund-raising efforts, and work to express your club's appreciation for the French culture through these events.
Movie Night
Host a movie night featuring French films. A movie night is an inexpensive way to raise money, and the event can appeal to a range of ages and community members. Films for a French movie night could include “Amélie,” “Chocolat” or “Julie and Julia.” Search for a venue that has a TV and a large recreational room available, such as a church, school or community center. You can also ask a local movie theater manager if he could donate a theater for the night. Post fliers around your community and school to advertise the event, and sell tickets prior to the event and at the door. Plan to sell snacks at the event to generate additional money; ask local grocers or bakeries if they could donate food, or purchase popcorn and soda in bulk.
Bake Sale
Host a bake sale and sell French desserts. Ask the members of your French club to participate by baking goodies to sell at the event. French desserts include crepes filled with fruit and sprinkled with powdered sugar, meringues or Madeleines. Schedule your event at a time when there will be a number of people passing by and in a place that is highly visible, such as a cafeteria at lunchtime. Offer sample portions of your tastiest items to encourage people to buy the dessert. Be sure to include ingredient cards next to each item to prevent buyers from eating a food they’re allergic to.
Cooking Class
Offer a French cooking class and sell tickets to the event. If you or a member of your French club is an expert in French cooking, he could serve as the teacher. Otherwise, ask local French restaurants or chefs to donate their time to lead the class. Also ask the restaurants or a local grocer to donate the food to be cooked during the event. Plan a full menu for the participants to cook; a menu could include French onion soup, roast chicken and éclairs for dessert. Set an appropriate ticket price that will not only cover any costs you incur but will also provide additional proceeds for your club. Post fliers around your community and school to promote the event, and ask local newspapers, magazines or radio stations if they could help to spread the word. In your promotional efforts, be sure to outline the menu items the students will learn to cook.
Language Lessons
Offer a crash course in French language lessons that students can participate in for a fee. You or a member of your French club can lead the class, or you can ask a French teacher or professor to donate her time for the cause. The course can be one-hour-long sessions and last three to four weeks. It should be designed to give students knowledge of common vocabulary words and grammatical structures. Advertise the course as a good way for students to get a taste of French culture; the course would also be beneficial for those planning to travel to France in the near future.
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Katherine Hartman started writing professionally in 2008, covering topics such as film, theater architecture and environmental issues. She has contributed to "Cleveland Magazine," "Southeast Ohio Magazine" and "Building Design and Construction" magazine, among other publications. Hartman graduated from Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in journalism.