# Soliciting your childrens fundraisers, at work. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 23, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167 "2005-01-23T00:09:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/41 "2005-01-23T22:45:41Z")
Thank heavens the Ivykids don’t have to do this anymore. But back when they did, the quickest way Ivyboy got rid of his chocolate was hitting a strip mall and selling _to the businesses_. He was cute, he did the selling, and the clerks fell for it. Then, he got rid of another box in a hospital waiting room. Again, cute, did the selling himself, while Ivylad and I watched from across the room. I’ll buy Girl Scout cookies, but that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/42 "2005-01-24T13:55:44Z")
I was a GS for 7 years, and only after we had gone door-to-door in pairs around our neighborhood (theoretically) were we allowed to send the order sheet to work or bowling or whatever. Mom didn’t follow us, but there was always two of us and we’d split the territory by streets to keep it fair (streets by her house, her order sheet, streets by my house - you get it.) On top of it all, we did the ‘outside-the-grocery-store-table’ selling of just the three favorite cookies. That was in April, I think, not the warmest Michigan month. I think my mom (the Troop Leader) knew the % we got was small, but between 25 scouts and three leaders, we earned enough to go to Toronto for a day on the train. I will only buy GS cookies, and then only when solicited by the Scout herself. And don’t come around my cube at work w/ a **photocopied** sheet, Grandma, you can keep right on stepping. Don’t look so bewildered, I know you’re only trying to get into your ex-daughter-in-law’s good graces again… Our company has a policy against the fundraising, by the way, and the first time I saw it at my new job, one of the head supervisors was doing it. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/43 "2005-01-24T16:22:24Z")
We solved the problem at my place of work by making “No Soliciting” official policy. It’s a work environment, not a place to pawn off cookies, wrapping paper, candy, raffle tickets, candles, lace doilies (what the hell was that all about!) etc. It got so bad it had to be stopped. When that memo went out, there was much weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth by the parents who hawked their kiddies’ wares and many loud shouts of laughter and joy amongst the rest of us. When **every** school, little league team, scouting organization, church youth group, daycare center, ballet school, band and on and on started to sell something every damn day of every year it got too much. Now we are fund raising free and all is bliss. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/44 "2005-01-24T16:53:00Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > We solved the problem at my place of work by making “No Soliciting” official policy. Amen, sister! I _hate_ being solicited at work for _anything_. I don’t want your cookies, I don’t want your candles, I don’t want your jewelry, I don’t want your candy bars, I don’t want your Avon, I don’t want your Pampered Chef garbage, just get it away from me! You steal my time when you sell that shit to the people who are supposed to be working and forcing me to pick up their slack, you steal more of my time when you distribute it and even more of my time when you sit and yap about the new product line. Ban it. Ban all of it, and ban United Way right along with it. (of course I say this as I sit here typing this post on company time, with a poster for ticket sales for my friends’ upcoming [roller derby](http://www.madrollindolls.com/) hanging up in my cube, but I’m not going from desk to desk flogging tickets) ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/45 "2005-01-24T18:00:12Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > And each time they were told that the troop HAD to sell the cookies. You see, the vast majority of the cookie profits stayed with the Council and was used to pay the salaries of the upper echelons and other such managment costs, while only some piddly amount – it used to be 10 cents a box, honest! – was keep for the troop activities. The last troop I talked to said it’s up to a whopping 23 cents per box now. I won’t buy Girl Scout cookies anymore, and this comes from a former Girl Scout who LOVED my scouting years. The last few times I’ve been asked to buy cookies outside of the grocery store, I’ve written the troop a check, and told them that I’m donating to THAT particular troop, not to the administrative salaries. Not that the people who run Scouts aren’t entitled to a salary, but I figure that enough others buy the cookies to pay their salaries - I’d rather donate directly to the troop and know that every penny I donate goes straight to the girls. I really want my own daughter to join Scouts when the time comes, but somehow, I don’t think the girls get the same experience out of it as we did. We used to sell door-to-door, and it was a great experience of learning how to handle orders, following up to deliver, and a huge responsibility that we all took very seriously. As far as the OP, I’m lucky in that no one in my office has brought in fundraisers for their kids - we’re a pretty small, close office, though, so even if they do and I say no, I don’t think it’s going to be an issue. E. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/46 "2005-01-24T18:45:07Z")
Well, my kids may grow up to be social outcasts, but we really, really try not to participate in any fundraising event that doesn’t provide 100% to the school. Bakesales, jogathon, penny drive, Halloween Carnival—all fine. But no candy, no wrapping paper, none of that stuff. It’s a borderline pyramid scheme, IMO. The only exceptions we make are the occasional Scholatic Book order and some of the school night dinners that local restaurants do. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/47 "2005-01-24T18:52:39Z")
Sometimes you forget the benifits of working where food isn’t allowed and kids are illegal. Ahhhh, now I’ll apreciate my jumble of beaurocratic restrictions. ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/48 "2005-01-24T19:58:58Z")
I don’t mind when people sell their kids crap at work. Mainly because everyone here is pretty low-keyed about it and I don’t feel pressured to buy anything I don’t want. Besides - I want GS Cookies! A newer co-worker just today was talking about how his niece is shilling GS cookies. I about knocked him over telling him to bring me the sheet - I need my yearly fix. I told him to send out an e-mail (we’re a smaller group and that is the preferred way of communicating with everyone) that says if anyone is looking to buy GS cookies this year, he’s got the hook up. That way if one isn’t interested, they don’t even have to say no to anyone, they just don’t reply. ---
**Author:** ![PaperBlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@PaperBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaperBlob)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/49 "2005-01-24T20:38:03Z")
Selling Girl Scout Cookies is about **both the money and the experience** of selling them. Troop leaders need money in order to provide a program for the girls. And the local council needs money to (among other things) provide insurance, recruit, train and support the troop leaders, and maintain and operate camps. So the more boxes sold, the more you can do. In participating in booth sales with her troop and selling door-to-door with me, my daughter is learning to interact with people in different situations, to deal with rejection, and to set a goal and work towards it. She’s learning to overcome her natural shyness, if only temporarily. She also gets to see that hard work can pay off, when her troop does something cool with the money they earned. Given that the sale is going to take place anyway, **it’s important for the scout to do as much of the selling as possible.** **Note to certain posters:** the fact that Mom or Dad sells cookies at work **does not imply** that the scout isn’t involved. My daughter (7) sells at the supermarket, goes door-to-door in our neighborhood (with me standing right behind her), and sells to family members over the phone. She does the talking, and gets her share of rejections. She also sells way more cookies than I sell for her at work. I don’t think people should **actively** solicit donations or sales at work. Putting the product outside your office (as I do) or in a common area, with a money envelope or maybe an order form, is perfectly OK. This puts no pressure on anyone, no time is wasted soliciting office-to-office, and transactions take only a few seconds. ---
**Author:** ![herownself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8baadc/32.png) [@herownself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herownself)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/50 "2005-01-25T05:05:23Z")
We hit what I think is a new low in my work space. I work for the Federal Government, in a Health-realted agency. (as a side note: one benefit of working for the Feds in the South is that it is VERBOTN to try to convert someone to your religion at work. Yay!!) Scene - Girl Scout Cookie Time has arrived. memo, via email: Girl Scout Cookies, with an Obesity Prevention Twist! me: huh? memo: sign up for girl scout cookies over by so-and-so’s office … me: oookaay … memo: but, here’s a nifty idea: donate the cookies you buy to the troops! me: The Fuck you Say!! memo: yes - spend money you don’t really have, for tastey little cookies, and then, so you don’t get fat, you don’t get to eat them! Instead, you send them to the troops in IRAQ as little homey treat packages!! Isn’t that a great Idea!!! me: The Fuck you Say!! \ ---
**Author:** ![teleute12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@teleute12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teleute12)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/51 "2005-01-25T05:48:09Z")
I wouldn’t have gotten nearly as many Girl Scout cookie orders if I was forced to just pounding the pavement around our small subdivision. There are only so many little old ladies, you know, and a bunch of other kids were out selling stuff at the same time. My parents both took order forms into work for me, and left them in the kitchen/staff room/wherever. That was the best method for momma’s work, since people usually were off treating patients or whatever. It was the only method for dad’s work, since he’s a night-shift nurse at a hospital a good hour away. Not everyone’s folks have traditional office jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/52 "2005-01-25T06:27:18Z")
While we’re on the subject, I have to admit that I just don’t think GS cookies are all that. Not bad; just blah. But at least in my day, we had the order forms and didn’t get stuck with what we couldn’t sell. Then I’d really despise them. ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/53 "2005-01-25T15:33:53Z")
I’d _almost_ forgotten why I hated selling crap like this when I was a kid. This thread has certainly reminded me. And I didn’t do much selling at my dad’s workplace, either. I assure you, the reaction that some have displayed at being approached at work was predominantly the same reaction I got when I “pounded the pavement.” The lesson _I_ learned about dealing with people is that a good percentage of them do not mind behaving like assholes toward kids who are simply trying to help their school/youth group, whatever. Like all kids, I learned that “no thanks” is disappointing, but bearable. What made me dread sales was the “HELL, no, get outta my face!” and the slammed doors that I got so much of. You’d think I was selling fried cat shit on a stick or Tobasco enemas instead of candy bars or fruit, the way some people responded. Yeah, I buy when approached. I remember being the seller. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/54 "2005-01-26T03:11:40Z")
> [@Chanteuse](#): > > You’d think I was selling fried cat shit on a stick… OUCH! Inhaled my banana right up the nose, thank you VERY much!! I’m choking, but laughing, well worth it. Harrumph. I just pictured myself on Mrs. Larsen’s snowy side doorstep, hopeful little face of mine upturned to her big moon face, with a handful of FCSOAS. “Support the Scouts this year, ma’am?” ---
**Author:** ![Cynical\_Optimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Cynical\_Optimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cynical_Optimist)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/55 "2005-01-26T14:55:25Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Amen, sister! I _hate_ being solicited at work for _anything_. I don’t want your cookies, I don’t want your candles, I don’t want your jewelry, I don’t want your candy bars, I don’t want your Avon, I don’t want your Pampered Chef garbage, just get it away from me! You steal my time when you sell that shit to the people who are supposed to be working and forcing me to pick up their slack, you steal more of my time when you distribute it and even more of my time when you sit and yap about the new product line. **Ban it. Ban all of it, and ban United Way right along with it.** Question: Do you have to be a believer to shout “Amen and Hallejula!”? Until you’ve experienced middle management’s “Habitat for Humanity” sales pitch you haven’t seen anything. Over the years I’ve had no pushy coworkers regarding selling stuff, and I’ve even dodged the United Way bullet a few times, but wait until you get the “It’s such a good cause” speech for HfH followed by a “we might have a reorganization next year” off-hand remark. No, it isn’t blackmail, it’s community spirit. :rolleyes: Mind you, a HfH home was built down the street from me. Simple little ranch, maybe two bedrooms on a tiny plot. Sure is nice that a struggling family can get a no-interest mortage to help them build equity instead of pissing it away in rent. But when the occupants buy a brand new Acura within a few weeks of closing I just have to wonder… ---
**Author:** ![Mint\_Julep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc79bd/32.png) [@Mint\_Julep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mint_Julep)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/56 "2005-01-26T19:10:38Z")
Quoting my parents: _“I’ll be damned if I am going to help you sell that garbage. You can get a back bone and go knock on our neighbors doors if you want to sell that crap!”_ I was a painfully shy child and usually knocked too quietly for anyone to even know I was at their door, but I went alone door to door to sell my nutrition less goodies ---
**Author:** ![Mint\_Julep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc79bd/32.png) [@Mint\_Julep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mint_Julep)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/57 "2005-01-26T19:15:38Z")
Adding: I HATED all the little rich kids whose Mommies and Daddies had “big” jobs and sold all of thier little snot-nosed-spoiled-brat’s candy for them. They were already rich…My poor ass family deserved that Hello Kitty AM/FM Radio a hell of alot more!!! ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/58 "2005-01-27T01:32:19Z")
Y’know, I want to buy a box of the shortbread girl scout cookies shaped like the logo, but I can’t find a damn Girl Scout. My coworkers are all either childless or have infants. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/59 "2005-01-27T11:47:54Z")
{Snotty little white-bread Girl Scout brats} Is that lemonade made from _real_ lemons? {Wednesday Addams} Are those cookies made from _real_ Girl Scouts? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167/60 "2005-01-27T13:15:29Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > While we’re on the subject, I have to admit that I just don’t think GS cookies are all that. Not bad; just blah. But at least in my day, we had the order forms and didn’t get stuck with what we couldn’t sell. Then I’d really despise them. Tell me about it. Keebler’s Grasshopper cookies are pretty close to Thin Mints, and I can get them year-round for less money. I’m thinking about having a taste-test this year. Robin [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-childrens-fundraisers-at-work/286167.md?page=4)