Putting fun into a fundraiser is a great way to rejuvenate a stale campaign and draw in a whole new crowd. Anything crazy and off the wall goes…like this duct tape the principal fundraiser! With a few modifications, this crazy fundraiser could easily bring in some fast and easy money!
A Duct Taping Fundraiser Is Born
The idea for the “Duct-Tape-The-Principal Fundraiser” supposedly originates with a creative middle school principal in Kansas. Principal Mark Buck, of Medicine Lodge Middle School in Medicine Lodge, Kansas, challenged his students to collectively read 400,000 pages during the school year. He agreed that if the school could read that much, he’d let the students duct tape him to the gym wall.
Each student was allowed to use one yard of duct tape to help cocoon the principal to the gym wall for every 1000 pages read. It was an act in hilarity that really got the attention of the kids, and really motivated them to read!
For lots of photos of fundraising and non-fundraising related duct tapings – and a good laugh – visit the Wall Taping Gallery of the Duck Tape Guys.
Running a Duct-Tape-The-Principal Fundraiser
Originally, the idea of duct taping the principal didn’t start as a fundraiser, just as a motivator to get the kids to read. With a little ingenuity and a few adaptations, this crazy fundraiser could easily become a good money-maker.
• First, start with a subject person whom the target audience will really enjoy sticking it to! Obviously, students will love the idea of sticking it the principal, but other administrators, department heads or public officials might have it coming, too!
• Decide how you can charge to raise funds with the taping. You might sell lengths of duct tape for a set price – maybe one to five dollars or more depending on your group, level of participation, etc.
• Set an amount of time for how long the subject will stay taped; subject willing, set a donation goal to “buy” more wall time, but don’t overdo it. (See “Caution” warnings below.)
• Make an event of it and couple the duct-taping with product and refreshment sales, raffles, and so on.
• Raffle the privilege to place the first piece of tape on, and sell raffle tickets at a set price for a chance to win the right.
• Charge a small admission to the event; this would be especially useful combined with a motivational event such as the reading challenge. The “winning” kids could tape the principal for free, but admission, raffles, and refreshments could be used for fundraising.
Caution!
Depending on how much duct tape is being used, it can get mighty hot underneath the tape! Make sure there are plenty of openings between the tape strips for ventilation and that the time a person is taped to the wall is limited. Don’t leave them hanging! It’s also a good idea (according to the Duct Tape Guys) to have the person standing on chairs or similar, so the body is well supported during the taping. This fundraiser is fun, but it can be dangerous – do this at your own risk!
Once you’ve decided the who and the how of the fundraiser, get the word out! Advertise your crazy and fun fundraiser and get as many people as possible to participate. No doubt scores of participants will enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime chance to see that deserving person get their due in a fun and productive way!