Fast fundraising: Heads or Tails

One of the associations we manage had an interesting, fast and easy fundraising activity at their recent holiday party: "Heads or Tails." Here's how it works:

Purpose: a charitable fundraiser

Prize: in this case, a "night out" basket - $100 gift certificate to local restaurant (donated), movie tickets (donated) and one-night stay at a local hotel (donated) ... but could be anything

Needed: A coin and a stack of plastic leis (purchased from local dollar store)

Game:

1. Attendees pay a fixed amount (like $5 or $10) to buy a lei (and that sentence alone makes some people buy) - and they can buy more than one. They wear them during the event so the number of people showing support is obvious.

2. Those with leis are asked to stand - and they put (and keep) their hand on either their HEAD or their TAIL. A coin is flipped. If it's HEADS, then those with tails must give up their lei and sit down. If it's TAILS, then those with heads must give up their lei and sit down. If they bought more than one, they can give up one lei and remain in the game.

3. Those remaining with leis again put their hand on either their HEAD or their TAIL - and a coin is flipped. Those who lose give up their lei and sit down.

4. This continues until there is only person left standing - who wins the prize.

Keep the leis to re-use at the next year's holiday party! Isn't that easy? They raised several hundred dollars for a local charity.