Okay, there’s an idea rolling around in my head, and it’s gonna keep rolling around until I finally give in to it. When I was working at the Educational Annex, a couple of my co-workers would ask me if I’d make an extra loaf or two next time I was baking bread, and they would buy them from me. When they did, I would put the money in the Troop Support account. I’ve moved back to the Board Office, and don’t see those folks at the Annex building every day, so I hadn’t even thought about selling any of my bread lately.
One day last week, Linda came over to the Board office to check the inter-office mail, and she stopped by my desk and said “Next time you’re baking bread, make me a couple of loaves of that oatmeal-honey bread and I’ll pay you $5 a loaf for it. You can use the money for your troops.” Well, shoot, it doesn’t cost anywhere near $5 to make one loaf of bread, so even if you add up the ingredients and time involved, I’m coming out ahead. Today is bread baking day, so I just mixed up one extra batch of dough and tomorrow Linda will have her bread, and I’ll have some cash to add to my Troop Support account.
So, that got me thinking…everybody at the office has had my homemade bread, whether it was cinnamon swirl, or oatmeal honey, or multi-grain, or even plain old white bread, and they all raved about how good it was. (I generally bake everyone in the office some bread for Christmas.) I bet if I put up a notice on the bulletin board in the kitchen offering bread for sale and titled it “Raising Dough for the Troops,” I would get a lot more people involved in supporting the troops. Asking for donations of items for Christmas care packages didn’t get any noticeable results last year, and I’m just not any good at hounding people for help. But who could resist making a donation if they got a loaf of homemade bread in return? Hmmmmm…what do y’all think? Am I all wet, or could this work?
I’m gonna keep mulling this over, and if anyone has any input, please, by all means, leave a comment! I’ve even pictured in my head maybe getting the gals at the office involved in doing a bake sale, with “Raising Dough for the Troops” as a theme…maybe…
September 14th, 2009 - 4:41 am
I think that is a wonderful idea! I was watching a news story about someone who was having mud derby’s for four wheel drive pick up trucks to raise money for the troops, and the thought went through my head that it would be neat if you could come up with a way to have a fundraiser. I busy Saturday morning set up a Wal-Mart front door might bring in some “dough”. Love & hugs!
September 14th, 2009 - 9:01 am
Linda came and got three loaves of oatmeal honey bread, and gave me $20 for it. I had written on the top of each bread bag “Thanks for helping me Raise Dough for the Troops.” She thought that was cool. :~D
September 14th, 2009 - 4:54 pm
Sounds like a winner to me—long as I still get some of that marvelous bread once in a while;)
September 14th, 2009 - 5:16 pm
Always; first and foremost!! I couldn’t do this without you!
September 14th, 2009 - 10:05 pm
This is a great idea! Everyone loves your homemade bread. I would be glad to post a flyer for it at my school, if you like.
September 14th, 2009 - 10:11 pm
Gimme a chance to see what kind of reaction it gets at the board office (I put a sign up on the refrigerator today, but I waited until it was time for me to go home before I put it up.) I don’t want to get swamped right off the bat, but maybe nobody will be interested. My sign says “Help Me Raise Some Dough for Our Troops” and goes on to say that for a $5 donation, a person can get a loaf of homemade bread (oatmeal-honey, white, wheat, cinnamon swirl, or multi-grain) or two dozen dinner rolls (white, wheat, herb, or herb & onion) Nobody seems to be willing to just flat-out donate to help, but if they’re getting something for their donation maybe that will make a difference.