Arrr there, matey! The best fundraisers aren't the ones that are serious and boring, and if you're after a fun and hearty change, why not host something on National Talk Like a Pirate Day? September 19 is the designated day on which we can all stretch our swashbuckling vocal skills. Get your office or school involved and you can hone your dramatic talents and have a whale of a time as well.
To raise money on a small scale you might consider charging your class or workmates a certain amount to be allowed to dress up like a Friday. Much like the idea of casual Fridays, everyone would pay $1-2 and then arrive dressed as a salty seadog. The same idea can work for uniformed schools or public schools where the kids want to dress up. To add to the fun, have a costume contest and offer prizes for the employees or students who make the most effort. The kids in particular will have fun with this one, but most of us young and old enjoy being creative.
Another idea is to introduce a sea shanty singing contest to add to the piratical theme. Anyone who wants to get involved can collect pledges from friends, relatives and parents and then take on other swashbucklers to see who can sing the longest or the best. You might want to encourage audience participation too (this site has some great songs if you want to implement this idea). You could set up a small booth and record the best pirate speeches in return for a small fee — the money can go to charity and the pirate with the best silver tongue wins their very own buried treasure!
If you happen to be affiliated with a yacht or boat club, you might want to consider setting up a Pirate Fair or Carnival to help raise money. Live interactive pirate shows, face painting, costume contests and boat contests are all ideas to consider. Certain marinas and yacht clubs may make tall ships available for tours, and you can always host a buried treasure dig for the kids. To do this bury a prize in a sanded area and give out treasure maps to children and their parents.
Talking like a pirate for a whole day takes a lot of effort, and some people may grow tired. If this happens, why not raise money by seeing how much it will take to get your honorary pirates to return to normal?!
