Imagine your reaction if you woke up one day to a yard full of plastic pink flamingos or spinning daisies. The idea of an overnight zoo or garden in honor of a birthday or anniversary is one that's growing in popularity and you can use it for your next fundraiser.
To begin with you'll need to make some calls to local businesses to get an idea of the prices they charge — this will in turn give you an idea of the prices you need to set to your own customers. You're going to need a reliable source of plastic lawn ornaments, and you can check local garden centers (particularly during the off-season) and dollar stores for ideas. You might find some online retailers who are able to help too. If you have access to a not-for-profit tax ID, you can go the wholesale route as well.
However you obtain your supplies, make sure you have assortment of animals and flowers to call upon. Place adverts around the local area explaining how your overnight zoo and garden business works. People will love to surprise family and friends, and they can help you raise money for a good cause at the same time.
Let your group practice their skills in the dark, and supply flashlights to prevent people from tripping over things. You'll also need to learn how to keep the noise to a minimum to avoid waking up the “targets” or anyone else.
