Increase your budget for your Rome VBS by doing one of these four fundraisers: Bakery Sale, Taxes for the Emperor, Give it a Shot Put, or Emperor for a Day. Have you got your own idea for a way to raise some money for Rome VBS? Share it on the Fundraising thread of the forum!
Bakery Sale
There’s nothing as tempting as the smell of baking bread. So capitalize on the tantalizing scent and bring in some additional dollars for your Rome VBS! Let your congregation know you’ll be having a Bakery Sale—not a bake sale—on a specified Sunday morning. State your prices and location. Then purchase loaves of frozen bread dough (or utilize the talents of any master bread bakers in your church). Bake the bread during your Sunday morning service, so the aroma makes tummies growl during the service. (You may even want to have a few bread machines running in your meeting area!) Sell slices of warm, soft bread and provide butter, jam, honey, or other tasty toppings. Yum!
Taxes for the Emperor
Ask a hammy volunteer or two to dress in togas, laurel wreaths, and sandals. (Or, if you’ve got some great costumes, have volunteers dress as Roman centurions.) Give each volunteer a basket or bag to gather donations. Station your “Romans” in the church parking lot, near the exits. As cars leave, your volunteers will ask for “taxes for the Emperor.” Most folks are more than happy to get rid of spare change from their car cupholders…and all that change can really add up.
Give it a Shot Put
Host a simple version of the ancient Olympics (but this time, your VBS gets the prize!). Set out a few soft, weighted exercise balls and mark a starting line with a rope (if you’re outside) or a piece of tape (if you’re inside). Charge a small fee for congregation members to use an exercise ball as a shot put, and to see how far people can throw it. (Check out Day 1 of your Apprenticeship Games manual to learn more about how to shot put.) You may offer a simple prize such as an Extollo Music CD, an iron-on transfer, or a handful of “Roman” chocolate coins to the person who can throw the shot put the farthest. (This is a great fundraiser to have during youth group, since teenagers will love a little friendly competition.)
Emperor For a Day
If your church staff is willing, this is an easy and low-cost way to bring in money (and attention) for your Rome VBS. A month before your fundraiser, find a high-traffic area and set out a jar labeled with each church staff member’s name. (Be sure to use Roman lettering!) Let church members know that they’ll choose one staff member who will dress in a toga, sandals, and laurel wreath for a designated Sunday morning. Explain that people can vote with their spare change, simply by dropping it into the jars. The staff member with the most change in his or her jar will be crowned Emperor for a Day, and will wear the costume on a given Sunday.