Fundraisers

[Phil]

I do a hand wash at my self serve car wash every Sat. I spoke with the councelers at my old high school and offered a way to raise some money for SADD.
All I have to provide is my place, soap, buckets, etc. Almost no cost at all.
The kids will advertise for me with posters and fliers. And best of all they will do all the washing. Ill split the money with SADD.

I think its a good way to get my name engraved in the community.
Has anyone else done this? Anything would help

[rhillstr]

If you pocket half the proceeds, is it really a charity event?
It might make you look like a local hero to let them have full proceeds. People like to come to businesses that SHOW they care about the welfare of their community.
Just my opinion...

[The Fuzz]

I`ve organized charity events and even funded a scholarship program in my youth. Keeping some money of the top to pay for expenses is allowed. As long as you aren`t actually profiting from it then it is alright to do that. Actually, as long as you make it known that a percentage of the proceeds will go to SADD then you can keep as much as you want. You get more participants when you give all the proceeds (minus expenses) to the charity. Just have some business cards made up that you give each patron and maybe you`ll get return business out of it. Doing pro bono work is what I call part of my costs of doing business. Do one free car and that person may give you 5 referals. Its worth it in the long run.

oh, one more thing.... Charity car washes are typically a donation based thing. Unless you are an established business with a business license and all that then you more than likely will need to make it a donation based service. If someone pays you 5 bucks then its 5 bucks. If they give you 20 then all the better. You can`t really put a price on it though. That`s the way fund raiser car washes go.

[Phil]

What area are you from? Ive seen $5 and $10 chrity washes around Pittsburgh. Thanks for the info. As far as half the money goes, I will be dressing tires, using my shopvac, window cleaner etc.
Mabe Ill go with 7/3 in their favor instead of 5/5
Ill ask the counceler and see what he thinks

[Phil]

Oh, by the way my business is 100% lagit (taxwise) I have my Employer id# and all
The carwash was established 17 years ago

[The Fuzz]

The last time I organized a charity event on the lines of a car wash I was in east Texas. Probably the reason that most of them are donation car washes is because its the cheer leaders doing it or something. I think you get more people to come through when they know that what they have in their wallet at the time is fine. Setting it at 5 or 10 bucks probably wouldn`t hurt business too much.

Do you do the charity wash often? What kind of tax break do you think you`d get for that? You could probably actually MAKE money doing those kinds of events on a regular basis. Write off a gallon of tire dressing... use half of it for the event.... charge for the other half. Or would that be too unethical?

[Ferrarislave]

hmm those charity washs give me the chills people useing dirty rags and bath towels to clean your car.

[Phil]

Fuzz, You and me are two of a kind! I think like that way more than I should!
Honestly, Its more of a personal thing with SADD. I lost two good friends to drinking and driving two years ago. I had to bury one of them. The car actually split into two pieces.
This is my first charity event, but every year I go to the High school and do a presentation on drinking and driving so I dont have to go through that ever again. No one deserves to die at 19.

[Ferrarislave]

Sad Story There seems to be alot of charity car wash events at Highschools mostly.

[Poorboy]

Originally posted by Phil
Fuzz, You and me are two of a kind!

Now that`s scary

I know how you feel ...i lost a friend in college by a drunk driver who fell asleep at the wheel....my buddy was on his way home from a 24 hr. gym....he didn`t drink or party ..so he never came out to bars with everyone...

I quit drinking shortly after that...over 23 years now

edit: oh man I went on a tangent...

yes... I do a charity waterless wash at a Street Rod show every father`s day..i donate all the proceeds and set up a booth next to the cleaning area to sell the products i use on the vehicles...