Holiday Concert Becomes an Impromptu Fundraiser

Last night, we attended our first holiday concert at my daughter’s new arts focused public middle school. While we were all waiting for the set change and the accompanist to arrange her small electric keyboard, the band leader casually  mentioned that hopefully by next year we would have a new acceptable piano. She mentioned that the PTO had already started fund raising. From the audience someone yelled back, “How can we donate?” The teacher answered that the office would gladly take our checks or we could give them to the principal that evening. Someone else said, “Pass a Hat”. From the back of the room, a third person held up two buckets and said he would place one by each door. He went on for another minute  thanking  the school and the principal for the amazing opportunities this school has provided his child.  One of the buckets passed around the room and later in the night, before the end of the concert, he announced that we had raised $650 from the approximately 200 people in the room. I had thrown in our five bucks and there were literally chills up my spine when he announced what we had collectively and organically collected.  Heartfelt and impromptu solicitations may work as well as anything planned.

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