How do you feel about a road block for donations?
By Barb42
@Barb42 (4214)
United States
June 29, 2008 2:28pm CST
In my area, hardly a Saturday goes by in the summer or around Spring break that some group is not having a road block some place to take up money. They will have four or five people standing at the stop sign with signs.It is hard to see the signs most of the time to be able to read them.It can be a church group or maybe a baseball or softball team.They want to go to some place they can't afford to go unless we give them our money.Some times, they want money to take a team to a big game or maybe just to take a vacation to Six Flags, or some other place.
There is one place they usually have a road block is on my way to my Mother's or to the stores. I can go two ways, but they both end up at the same stop sign on the way. And,it irritates me to go on a Saturday morning and have to say, "no", or just stop and then keep going and then have to come back through there in the afternoon and them still be taking up money. I often wonder how many people give to these kids. I know there are usually parents standing around with them.
My take on this situation is this: I never asked anyone for money to send my kids any place and I don't think a child needs to be going anywhere you can't afford for them to go. If a church wants to send a group of children to some place,then that church should have the resources or take the money up within the church. If it's a school team, then the same thing should be done at the school level. I have nothing against these kids going to any place. But I always paid for my children to go on field trips or any other place they went when they were home. How do you feel about these situations?
3 people like this
7 responses
@ch88ss (2271)
• United States
1 Jul 08
I agree with you. It is also hazardous for drivers, with these huge signs you cannot see the traffic signs and oncoming traffic too. It is a distraction with so many people on the streets and sidewalks.
I always had to pay for my kids trip and school lunches that I feel embarrassed to ask anybody for money . I don’t even bring the school catalog to work to sell items too, I just buy a few items to help the school only. But I never let my kids ask our friends or families for them to donate money without getting something in return.
1 person likes this
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
2 Jul 08
What really bothers me about the signs is that they are made with such light colors and on poster board that you can't read them until you are right on them. And you are right; it is dangerous to have all those kids out in the road. Someone could lose control and run over them.
@lifeistrulyshort (73)
•
13 Aug 08
I would be very distracted by the signs, and the possibility of one of the kids getting distracted and coming too close to the street. If that were happening in my neighborhood, I'd take it up with the police, as it is definitely a driving hazard, and then city council or whatever government representation you have in your community. Sometimes a grass-roots group of people who become vocal can change! I'm not against donations, but to go to an amusement park or something? It seems a little greedy to me not to do something to earn it. If they can run around at an amusement park, they can wash a car, at least.
@academic2 (7000)
• Uganda
9 Aug 08
I think this is a community service which every member of the community must endeavour to comply with-so long as the money donated is for a good cause, I have no problem with these kinds of donations!
1 person likes this
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
9 Aug 08
Thing about it is that it isn't just the community that is doing this. People come from lots of different areas to these places where they know they might get a good donation. And it's not right. I personally think that, if a church or school can't afford something, then they shouldn't be doing it/offering the service. We had this come up in our church other night and I just said I am not for road blocks. I never stop and give. I think it's begging. Why not go amongst the families involved and take up the money?
1 person likes this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
5 Jul 08
The only ones that do that in my neighbor hood are the firefighters and they let the public know ahead of time that they will be out asking for donations for equipment or for a children's cause. The kids need to work for their money not expect to have it handed to them. When I and my children were in school we had to work to get any money. Bake sales, car washes, garage sales, lawn services and so forth. There are no free lunches and they need to learn that. If our church wants to get extra money for the kids we have the kids work for it, With the things already mentioned.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
6 Jul 08
I'm afraid this sort of thing annoys me as well. If we couldn't afford something we went without. I'm sure there are many members of the community who can afford to give money to anything and don't mind doing it. But there are probably more who can't afford it and maybe wouldn't even if they could. I'm really surprised that these people are allowed to block traffic this way.
On the other hand, I think it's a bit different if the local volunteer fire service or rescue service is fundraising. But...I still don't think blocking traffic is the way to go about it.
I've been thinking and I think as far as schools and individuals are concerned, there is not enough organisation. There are better ways to fund raise and if it's planned properly, little bits can be put aside each week towards the activity or the fund raising can be used as a tool to educate the children...what a great lesson to learn!.
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
9 Aug 08
We have volunteer fire departments all around us and I've never heard of them having road blocks. If they want to raise money, they do something at their respective fire halls. And they usually do very good. People come out for something like that. But, like you said, there should be better organization in the schools if there is to be a function they can't afford. I remember when our kids were in school, and they never did any road blocks. They either paid their own way or worked to get the money by car washes or dinners - things like that.
1 person likes this
@teison2 (5921)
• Norway
29 Jun 08
here there are never road blocks like that. I would dislike it a lot. I think it is fine to ask donations by leaflets or in church, but not in this way where you do have to stop and have to decline to help. It should be the other way around - that you have to volunteer. Could they not sell something, do raffles, or otherwise work for the money? I really do not like it when they just ask for something without doing something in return or some work.
Here we have a nationwide benefit thing once a year where collectors come to every household in the country. It is better than road blocks but I do not like it much either. Even if you do not want to or have the opportunity to give you feel obliged just like I would at a road block.
1 person likes this
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
30 Jun 08
I know we used to sell dinners, have car washes and such to make money. My grandchildren are always doing something at school for them to make money to go places. The kids work for the money. They don't go out and have road blocks. When they are finished they feel like they've earned the trip. In this day and time,so many people are having financial problems, and they don't have the money to give. And,it makes it hard to be met with these things every time you turn around.
I wouldn't like anyone coming to my house to take up a collection, either.
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
29 Jun 08
I don't mind when it is going for a charity. We have the firefighters collecting around labor day and i don't mind that because it is going to ill children, but i would greatly dislike children standing in the street begging for money to go on a vaction that i can't afford to take my own children on. These parents should teach their kids that to get a special trip they have to put an effort and God forbid actually may have to lift a hand and work for the money because nobody gets a free ride. They are not doing these children any favors!
@alindahaw (1219)
• Philippines
30 Jun 08
I always believe that donations are voluntary. That is why they are called donations in the first place. Setting up roadblocks to get donations is really not cool. Yes, you may have a really valid cause but you do not have to impose yourself upon others just to further your cause.
