South’s Associated Student Body [ASB] Leadership and the Class of ‘21 Graduation Party Planning Committee are collaborating on a variety of fun, socially-distanced fundraisers to raise money for the Class of 2021’s graduation party.
The ASB team is leading the effort with South’s first-ever “Flock Your Friends” fundraiser. With a donation of at least $20, a “flock” of pink yard flamingos can be sent to a friend or family member’s yard for 24 hours.
“It’s a fun way to get this year back on track,” Nathan Schmidt ’21, ASB President and participant in the fundraiser, said.
The more money donated, the larger the flock. A donation of $20 equates to 12 flamingos, $40 for 18, $60 for 24, $80 for 30 and $100 for 36 flamingos. All of the donation levels also include a “You’ve Been Flocked!” sign.
All proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards the Class of ‘21 Graduation Party, which will be at Bullwinkle’s Fun Center on Saturday, June 12, from 7 to 11 p.m. A website with all of the details about the graduation party has been created at saxongradparty.com and “SaxonGradParty” accounts have been set up on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Bullwinkle’s was the first choice of the seniors who responded to a survey about the graduation party last month. The venue offers go-karts, bumper boats, zip lines, bowling, miniature golf, a ropes course, arcade games, laser tag, and “all-you-can-eat” food and drink.
The cost of $50 per student may not be affordable to many students and so the Planning Committee is subsidizing the tickets with a massive fundraising effort to ensure that every graduate who would like to attend will have a free or affordable ticket.
The goal is to reduce the ticket price to $20 or $25 per student and to allocate at least 100 free tickets. Free tickets can be requested confidentially through South’s counselors. A limited number of buses may also be arranged for free roundtrip transportation depending on the amount of money raised.
In addition to the pink flamingo flocking fundraiser, which has raised nearly $400 thus far, there is a cash campaign on GoFundMe and an online fundraiser running through April 11. Almost $8,000 has been raised thus far. There is also a “Class of ‘21” t-shirt sale planned for later this spring and a few restaurant fundraisers.
Committee members have been collecting dozens of donated door prizes to give out to graduates at the party.
“I’ve been really proud of the work ASB and the Senior Grad Party Planning group have been doing. We’re very dedicated to making sure we end this year right,” Elias Hunter, ASB Vice President, said.
Access the graduation party website here, the “Flock Your Friends” donation page here, the online auction here, and the GoFundMe campaign here.
Eddy Binford-Ross, Editor-in-Chief, contributed to this report.
