For this fundraiser you’ll need hula hoops, string lights, and volunteers to help assemble your peace signs – or any other signs you think are appropriate and supporters would love to buy.
We chose the peace sign because of its popularity, but, as with any other type of sign or symbol, it can mean different things to different people. So we recommend you get lots of input before deciding on a specific sign for your fundraiser.
Whichever sign you choose, with these simple instructions you’ll be able to assemble your own custom designed decorative pieces that have great earnings potential and that are special to you and your supporters!
Light up peace sign!
Getting your supplies:
Even if you had to buy all the supplies for this fundraiser, you can get a pretty good deal if you caught a sale at a local party supply shop, or went online. But before you do that, why not take a look at your garage? Do you have hula hoops that haven’t been used much? What about some extra holiday string lights? Between you and your volunteers you might already have enough of these supplies to get your fundraising project started!
For the peace sign in the picture you’ll need a 30″ hoop and six 50-light light strings. You can of course use three 100-light strings as well, but it’s a lot easier to wrap a string that has 50 lights than one that has more. The light strings can get heavy.
– Hula hoops: It works best if the hula hoops are sturdy; if they feel very flimsy (and bend easily) they might not hold up well under the weight of the lights when hung. If you have a choice, get the darker colors, or a color that matches the lights or theme you’re trying to create. It’s hard to see the color of the hoops at night when the lights are on, but the signs will look better (and thus will be easier to sell) if the color of the hoops blends in more with the lights and theme.
We’ve used a 30″ hoop, but they’re available in different sizes. The larger the hoop, the more lights you’ll need to cover it and the heavier it will be.
(We’ve bought a box of hula hoops
– Holiday light strings, Christmas light strings: Many stores sell decorative light strings during the summer to college students who love to decorate their dorm rooms with them. Also, home improvement stores sell string lights for backyard decoration and often display their leftover holiday wares from the previous year at a steep discount for quick sale before the new merchandise arrives.
It’s best to buy lights that stay on when one bulb burns out. Some stores still sell the cheap ones that won’t work at all when just one bulb goes out.
– You’ll also need duct tape and some wire to make a hanger with, or to construct lines through the hula hoop circle if you’re planning on more complicated designs including letters and such.
How to make peace signs out of hula hoops and holiday light strings
Make sure each light strand works before using it. Plug each one in and jiggle it a little bit to make sure the lights stay on.
1. First, mark the 4 points of where the lines within the peace-sign hit the circle with a sharpie, so you’ll have a bit of a guideline.
2. Wrap the seam of the hoop with some duct tape for extra stability.
3. Take a light string (50 lights) and wrap a quarter of the circle, avoiding wrapping the male end of the plug which will be used to plug in the peace-sign when it’s done. Plug a second string into the first (test it again to make sure it works) and wrap the next quarter of the circle.
Repeat with a third and fourth string until the whole hoop is wrapped with 200 lights. This is not an exact science, just try to get the lights kind of spaced evenly. For these instructions, place the lose end of the first light string at the bottom of the hoop. You can then plug in an extension cord into this end to light the sign.
4. Take the fifth string of lights, plug it into the last (fourth) string, wrap the leader cable (the part that has no lights) a few times around the very top of the hoop and then straight down the center (dividing the circle in half), wrapping the light string a couple of times around the hoop on the other end. Use duct tape to fasten these lights into position if needed.
Go back and fourth like this to tie the whole string of lights through the center of the hoop maybe about four or five times (depending on the length of the string), each time wrapping the string around the hoop and around the center strings themselves for stability. End near the middle of the circle.
5. Take the last string, plug it into the fifth string you just used, wrap it a couple of times around the center divider string for stability, and then start wrapping it from the center to the left, then back to the center, then to the right to create the lines in the center of the peace-sign. Each time wrapping it around the hoop and the center line of lights for stability.
6. Place a wire loop for hanging at the very top of the hoop.
Periodically test the sign by plugging it in to make sure all the lights work. Once you’re done assembling it, test it by hanging it up and plugging it in – beautiful!
Finished peace sign
How can you make money with a peace-sign fundraiser?
– Consider auctioning them off at one of your Fall fundraising events, or even selling them on eBay.
– Make special signs that have been sponsored by a local business: use specific colored lights or create themed versions in different sizes, colors and designs.
– Raffle them off at one of your fundraising events
This is a perfect fundraiser if you have a few volunteers who are willing to spend some time putting together these wonderful and versatile signs for the holidays!