Tim Munnerlyn challenged his colleagues at the American Community School of Abu Dhabi to give up alcohol for the month of February. Borrowing the idea from an initiative he learned about while visiting Australia he pledged to have a healthy start to 2011 by abstaining from consuming any booze for 28 days and invited anyone who was interested to join him.
The most interesting aspect of the challenge was that people could buy their way out of the fast if they had plans for a big night out or fell off the wagon. Participants could purchase a 24-hour “timeout” for about 10 bucks and could pay a drinking penalty of 3 dollars if they broke-down and had a drink. The entire event was based on the honour system and individuals were responsible for keeping track of their transgressions.
So how did it go? Well due to confidentiality clauses we can’t really report on who drank what but we can reveal that the initiative was a HUGE success. Tim and a handful of his colleagues rose over $1000 dollars during the month of February for Building Walls of Wisdom’s Ghana project! This contribution will go a long way in supporting the construction of a new classroom for the Tua primary school.
At Building Walls of Wisdom we love to hear about unique ways that our contributors approach raising awareness and fundraising. If you have any unique ideas feel free to share them in the comments below. Alternatively, if you are looking for some ideas feel free to send us an email and we would be happy to provide some idea starters.
Thanks again to Tim and the ACS FebFasters for hosting, and participating in, such a great initiative!
My experience with Feb Fast was a great one. There is no doubt that I will continue this tradition for the rest of my life. I am so please to have had a helping hand in support the school in Ghana. I know that my fellow Feb Fasters are proud of the contributions that they have made as well.
Fundraising Idea: Moving or Spring Cleaning DVD and Book Sale
Kim and I are moving this year and while we were sorting through what to ship and what to get rid of we built a sizeable stack of books and DVDs that we had no intention of using again.
Originally, we planned to pile them in the staff room and have people take them for free. Then our friend, Emily Roth-Bolanos, suggested selling them and giving the money to a charity. The response has been overwhelming. One morning we were in the staff room to pick up any money left in the can and there was a friend putting movies back. “I watched them and figured if I returned them someone else would donate money for them as well.”
What you consider junk headed for the curb could turn into a couple hundred dollars for a new school. All you need is an empty coffee can and a sign.
[…] a single project. In the last four months we received proceeds from an Ultimate Frisbee tournament, Feb Fast campaign, high school student talent show, euchre tournament and of course our tremendously successful […]
[…] Abu Dhabi to kick the year off with a healthy start by giving up alcohol for the month of February. The campaign was so successful that we have decided to extend an invitation to participate in this year’s event to anyone who […]