I must recommend the auction as a fund raiser for family reunions. It's not costly and you can pick up nice items throughb out the year for the auction.
RULES;
1. You need 5000 dollars, in multiple denominations, made from monopoly money. It cost each buyer $5 per 5ooo dollar envelope of auction money.
2. Board members DONATE items to be auctioned off. No one is to know what it will be until you show up at the reunion site, not even board members.
3. Set everything out in the open, where everyone has to pass buy and ooow and ahhh.
4. DO NOT GET HOUSEHOLD OR COOKING ITEMS FOR THE AUCTION. Concentrate on children's wants as well as the adult needs. The adults will buy an auction envelope for their children. Make it personal items.
5. Everyone is eliglble to bid.
6. There are always closeout items in the stores 50% and 75% off during the year
7. Suggested items, footcare spa's, romantic candle fragrances, $20 in $1 dollar lottery scratch off's, school shoes, bed sheets, perfumes, luggage, etc
There is so much to choose from. Listen to what members in the family like and capitalize on that greed.
What we did was everytime we had a good item to auction we allowed anyone to buy more auction money before bids started. It became a frenzy of borrowing money and teaming up to get certain items. We did better on this one than other fun raisers. It got everybody to start laughing ang joking with each other.
Oh Yeh! I also gave everyone a raffle ticket and had items as a giveaway. So everybody got something.