I will keep my vocabulary to myself and let the illiterate poor starve

Let them get their own vocabulary!

I think that linking some sort of fundraising to some external event is good and may give people an opportunity to donate to a cause they were not aware of. If you make them aware of something and link it to something they are involved with, it can get funds for worthy causes.

For example....this season of basketball (practice starts Monday - boo ya!), the school I coach at was made aware of an organization called "Nothing But Nets". There is a huge problem with malaria in Africa and having simple mosquito netting on sleeping areas or on doors and windows into homes reduces the number of infections exponentially. So we have a thing going on so fans pledge a certain money value for each "swish" (nothing but net - get it?) we make in each game. The money donated goes to the charity.

There are lots of fundraising activities that I just don't get. The biggie - walks. I know there are plenty of people here who walk for charity, and I don't mean to offend anyone. I myself did the MS walk in the valley 2 years in a row. I've given money for walks in the past and will do it again. But deep down, I just don't get it. What does walking have to do with fundraising?

There used to be walks where they would tie the distance the person would walk to how much money they would raise. You'd plege a certain amount per mile that your friend would walk or run, and they would do as many laps as possible. That makes some sense, I guess. But "give me 20 bucks because I'm walking"? Why not just give 20 bucks, period?

I know, I know, you have to make a big deal out of things to get attention and money, it's just that someone walking doesn't seem like a big deal to me. I did it, it was fun, a nice day to be out, but what my walk had to do with money or Multiple Sclerosis I'll never understand. Human nature is odd to me sometimes...

Not to downplay the charity part but walking seems to have everything to do with building a community, even if it's just for the duration of the walk.

And, as far as the charity part, a big group of people walking does raise awareness. Awareness is the first step in a cause. Before October became pink-for-breast-cancer month, my awareness was raised about breast cancer by the various walks/marathons/etc. in which my friend participated. Not that I didn't know about it before, but that it was a growing concern with rising rates - I didn't give it much heed before that (and by the time my mom got breast cancer, what awareness of mine was raised beforehand did seem to help me parse the situation, odd as that mayy seem.)

Also, taking action - that is, doing something physical and tangible - is satisfying. Calling people to ask for donations - that's not particuarly satisfying. (At least, my short stint of telemarketing for donations wasn't for me.) But expending energy, as in the case of a charity walk, would have a psychological effect on the people who were walking. As in, "my steps bring attention and support for a cause." While I admit the two acts (walking and fundraising) are separate, the feeling of purpose is related, so it doesn't seem weird to me.

Good points, both of you, and LSPE, I think the idea that it's more satisfying is the best case to make for it.

I think it also has something to do with "earning" the donation - at least in the case of walks. If you just give donation, that's charity, and we (as a nation) hate the idea of people getting something for nothing. If someone walks for the donation, then it's more about rewarding that person for their accomplishment and less about someone sponging off the system.

Not to mention the walk will be helping the fundraising individual as well. They benefit from enhanced health in return for raising money.

I think we should have pie eating contests for world hunger