This is always a good idea

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

In the course of bumming around today, I stopped at the local Wally World Inbred Carnival, where I purchased a package of light bulbs and a roast beef sandwich I intend to slather in Baconnaise and take to work for lunch tomorrow.

I had set my bag on the floor and was preparing to close the car door when somebody called out to me:

"Excuse me? Hi...."

I looked up to see a girl, high-school aged, standing next to my car. Specifically, a high school-aged girl with a terrible case of acne and carrying a large, old-looking book.

"I'm with (some church or youth group I forgot the name of)...."

Me: <_>

"...and I'm doing some fundraising. So I was wondering if you could make a small donation, or (opens book to reveal some handmade bookmarks or stickers inside, possibly with vague religious themes)

taa-daa! you could purchase one of these....

Me: Thank you, but I'm not interested.

"Okay! Have a nice day!"

And off she went and off I went.

Because I want to assume the best out of people, I will take the girl at her word that she was in a youth group and doing some fundraising activities. But who could possibly think approaching people getting in and out of cars in a busy parking lot is an effective, and safe, fundraising tactic?

[MadMike]

But who could possibly think approaching people getting in and out of cars in a busy parking lot is an effective, and safe, fundraising tactic?

I think I can beat that one. One time, my wife and I went out to dinner, and some woman came to our table, while we were eating, to try to get us to buy something for her fundraiser. I think we were both too shocked to go off on her, so we told her we didn't have any cash on us.

I don't remember seeing her after that, so I'm thinking maybe the manager told her to knock it off and/or kicked her out.

[MoonCat]

I've seen kids hanging out at supermarkets selling candy bars. One time there were kids waiting at the train stop selling candy. I didn't see any adults around keeping an eye on them, which strikes me as really stupid. They'd be prime targets for robbery, if not worse things.

[AnaKhouri]

This happened at my work today! Two kids with these book/boxes that appeared to have stationary or something in them. They asked my co-worker if she wanted to donate (because I guess they think people who are at work keep money on them while on the floor...I certainly don't at least). They were super-nice when she declined to help. I didn't hear what organization they represented.

[An Haddock]

I think I can beat that one. One time, my wife and I went out to dinner, and some woman came to our table, while we were eating, to try to get us to buy something for her fundraiser. I think we were both too shocked to go off on her, so we told her we didn't have any cash on us.

I don't remember seeing her after that, so I'm thinking maybe the manager told her to knock it off and/or kicked her out.

Oh man, we had something like that happen in town.

This is a couple of years ago. We sometimes get people selling shit walking up and down the street... coupons for Tire Place, cheap Sixers tickets, sometimes carrying satchels of cheap Chinese toys or horrible perfume. We have a No Solicitors sign on our door, not that these people pay attention to it half the time.

Well, these two people (can't remember if it was a guy and a girl or two guys) were sleezing their way up the street and stopped at the Mexican restaurant my friend owns about a half block away. (I got the story from him later that day) - it seems they originally asked for a table like they were going to have lunch but ended up going to every person seated trying to hawk their crappy wares onto the diners!

Needless to say my friend was furious and kicked them out. A little while later I saw them across the street from my shop and a cop was giving them an earful for I swear a solid twenty minutes. Probably because they didn't have peddlers licenses or whatever the hell, not to mention harassing people while eating and such.

They hightailed it out of there and it does seem like we've had less people selling their crap since then.


Although... there's a black guy who seems to come in once every six months trying to sell badly-photocopied prayer cards or something. I've tried being polite in the past but he doesn't seem to want to take no for an answer. He reeked a bit, too. I think he was claiming he was with a church, but it was probably a homeless guy.

[cindybubbles]

I have bought an apple from a VERY CUTE 4-year-old Boy Scout!

He was with his mother, too, selling apples inside a multi-storey car park attached to a mall. I wish I had taken a picture so that I could show you how cute he was!

[thatcrazyredhead]

I've been eating outside on a restaurant's patio and had people come up with a note saying that they were deaf and needed money and could you please buy whatever little homemade craft they were selling.

[Headset Hellion]

I was approached on the street this summer by a woman with one of those fabric rolling carts, asking if I would buy a candy buy for her church fundraiser. I'd seen her on the bus and she's not all there, so I said yes...until she told me that each candy bar was $10!

[Trixie]

We had some kids awhile back set up shop right outside the door of our store trying to sell candy bars. A few people fell for the pity story before the manager told them to hit the road. Right around this time there was a story on the news about kids "fundraising" in parking lots and what a scam it was.

[raudf]

I have bought an apple from a VERY CUTE 4-year-old Boy Scout!

*blink* 4 year old? In the Cub Scouts? Huh. American branch doesn't start until 6 years old at the rank of Tiger. Still think the Tigers are adorbs in their uniforms, though!

Yep, the BSA has some very strict rules about soliciting. It must be done with a parent or two leaders, door to door sales is not actively encouraged, no pushy sales tactics and must be respectful of all laws, rules, etc. Which ticks me off when I see one doing all the things they aren't supposed to.. because I spent the better part of three years trying to pound those rules into their parents' heads! Do you know how thick those skulls are?!

I mean, it's not that hard! The kids are freaking CUTE when in uniform! Sales and donations practically give themselves to the boys! We'd buddy an Webelo with a Tiger and you have a power team for selling stuff. Plus it teaches the older boy to be more responsible and the younger one to listen to the older one.