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Carelinks | “Go into all the world, proclaim the gospel...” Mark16:15
A
dear sister, who raises funds for Carelinks
through market stalls, shares some ideas:
“If you are like me, you read each Carelinks
newsletter and get really excited about all
the valuable work being done. Perhaps you
want to share in these efforts by contributing
financially, but maybe you are on a budget
and funds are tight, or maybe you, like me,
think “I really should help out with this
effort....but I'll do it later”. We all have good
intentions, but unfortunately too many of us
procrastinate and think “when I get a raise,
I'll make more and then I can give more”, or
“when I retire and downsize, I won't have so
many expenses and THEN I'll give more” (I'm
speaking from personal experience here!).
Giving more can always be out there in the
future somewhere never NOW when it is
needed.
There is something very interesting in Exodus
36 regarding those Israelites who were asked
to donate materials to build the tabernacle.
Many gave willingly again and again, but no
doubt there were some who had good inten-
tions and planned to do it, but it was put off
until tomorrow or next week. Eventually the
time came when there was no more need for
donations. Moses announced one day, “Don't
bring any more”. There had been a window of
opportunity to be generous and give, but
there was also a day when the opportunity to
give no longer existed. Just imagine the
procrastinators who finally got around to
digging out their pieces of bronze, scarlet
cloth or gold jewelry and showed up only to
be told, “We have enough, but thank you
anyway” and they took their treasures back to
their tents. Every time they saw the Taber-
nacle they would know in their hearts they
had not contributed anything at all to its
building! I found that terribly sad and a stark
warning to myself that I’d best get busy and
do my donating NOW while it is needed. A day
will come when I will no longer be here or
Jesus will have returned and the opportunity
will be gone.
Not everyone may have a lot of cash on hand
especially in these difficult economic times,
but there ARE ways to raise funds. Here are a
few ideas for fundraising which you can do
individually or as an ecclesia:
1| Have an individual or group “garage sale”,
“yard sale” or “rummage sale”, whatever it
is called in your area, with all proceeds going
to Carelinks. The more people who donate
items, the bigger the sale and the more
money you are likely to raise. Pick a good
weekend (near the first of the month is
usually considered best), put up lots of signs
and, of course, PRAY for the effort, I bet
you’ll get good results!
2| Have a bake sale “auction” or “silent
auction” at the hall with proceeds going to
Carelinks ...you just might get someone to
pay $25 for a batch of delicious homemade
cookies if they know it is for a good cause.
Even ten or fifteen donated items COULD
possibly raise a couple of hundred dollars! A
similar “auction” could be held for all sorts
of donated merchandise. I’ll bet almost
everyone has at least one or two nice things
sitting around the house or yard that you
don’t really need or use - a lamp, a framed
print, jewelry, a piece of furniture, a beau-
tiful potted plant, etc. Make it into a fun
event with refreshments. If it is organized and
given with prayers it will be profitable.
3| Sell items on Ebay or Craigslist (or by
putting ads in your local paper). I know
someone who paid for 2 years of college for
her child by selling items she picked up at
garage sales on Ebay! Vow to donate a portion
or all of your sales to Carelinks.
4| Setting up a booth at a local flea market is
a great option. Almost every community has
one or more markets, some weekly and some
once a month. Normally you will have to pay
booth rent and possibly table rental which
cuts into the profits, but the flea market
provides the advertising and you get a larger
crowd. This could be an even better option if
several went together and set up a booth
(selling plants, or crafts or collectibles or just
nice “junque”) with all proceeds going to
Carelinks.