Ha! You though I was going to post a workout, didn’t you? Well, not today, but it still was hot and sweaty for the cross country team (and the coaches). We had our first ever Cross Country Car Wash!
The Running Girl (yes, my car has a name) was the first to get a bath. That’s a cross country mom wiping her down!
We were busy! The team probably washed about 150 vehicles this morning, a steady line that started at 7:00 and didn’t taper off until right near the end at 11:00. The key to our success was pre-selling the tickets. That and enthusiastic teenagers and one coach waving in the cars from the street.
Seriously, if you ever have a group for which you are going to do a car wash fundraiser, sell those tickets in advance. Each member of our team was responsible for selling a certain amount of tickets at $10 each, so we knew we had a successful event before we even started.
The money we raise, by the way, goes toward paying for our entry fees into the invitational races that we attend. Over the next two months we will travel from San Diego to Huntington Beach (those are our favorites because we get to go to the beach), to Cal Poly and Mt. SAC (the biggest cross country meet in the country). All on an (un-airconditioned) yellow school bus.
Special thanks to the kind folks at the Palm Desert 76 gas station, who let us use their property, power, and water. And extra special appreciation to George Suarez, Sr., the father of one of our athletes, who just happens to own a mobile car wash company. He was out there with his equipment, keeping everything moving, making sure the job was done right, and working his own butt off right along with the team. That’s him in the “Large & in Charge” shirt.
In addition to George, his wife, and brother, other team family members were there to help, some washing and vacuuming right along with the team. One mom got Starbucks to donate some coffee and condiments, another (who owns a bakery!) donated some baked goods, yet another brought water, snacks, and bought pizza at the end of the event. We’ve got great team parents. Thank you so much!
Just as special were a few former team members, who have graduated and moved on to college, who stopped by to stay hi, then stuck around to help out.
We had a great event and we raised about $2,500! Well worth baking in the sun for a few hours (it was around 102 degrees when we finished). Go Aztecs!
Coach Alan after about five hours in the sun.
Do you stop for high school or church car washes? Do you work with an organization that does car washes to raise funds. Will you pre-sell from now on?
it’s so awesome that your wash was so successful! what a fun time! when i was young we did a car wash for my softball team. i dont remember the amount we made, but im sure it wasnt even close to yours!! LOL!! it always makes me happy to see people out working for a good cause, and i try to support whenever possible. im a sucker for the little ones selling candy bars or girl scout cookies especially! even though i dont eat the stuff, you’ve always gotta support the cause!!
)
Mmmm, girl scout cookies. We found out after our car wash that there were 2 others within a mile stretch. A whole lot of fundraising going on!
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash
That’s so great! Love the idea of preselling the tickets-genius
TriGirl recently posted..I’ve Never Had the Best Sense of Direction: ChelanMan Sprint Tri (the swim)
Credit where it’s do. It was my husband’s idea.
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash
Wow – it looks like you had a fantastic morning! We don’t do car washes like that here (and we have a complex about water usage…bugger all is quite a dry, deserty like place after all!). I’m so glad you raised lots of money. What a great team and a great result
Kate recently posted..Salt, Stretch, Sleep
Yeah, we have regs. about water too, which is why our dad with the power sprayer was so great. Very litte water waste.
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash
Looks like are really fun team and what an awesome reason to raise money, too!
Yes, they worked really hard but everyone had fun (including the coaches!). And we’re thrilled with how much money we raised, too.
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash
I’ve done many a car wash fundraiser in my athletic career…why had we never thought to presell the tickets? Great idea…awesome turn out!!
I tell ya, the pre-selling was huge! My hubby’s idea.
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash
i miss these days! we use to get “sponsored” by people per car, and offer a free car wash to the public, we got a lot of cars that way, and our family and friends would pay $1 or even a penny per car.
It was always such a great team building day!!! what a great success you had!!
fizzgig recently posted..A Non-Conventional Family Album…
I never did one myself when I was young. Actually this was my first (and I didn’t wash a single car, I was the official photographer). Good point about the team building. It was that.
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash
Wow, $2500 is impressive! Your team has some awesome trips to look forward to. I don’t remember our cross country team doing that much (I wasn’t on it- but I think it was pretty low-budget). Love that the parents also got bakery and Starbucks goodies donated- yum!
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast recently posted..Purposeful running- Mandy’s story
For better or worse, no one pays much attention to cross country, unless they have a championship level team. It’s not a great spectator sport, our practices are in the morning when everyone is still asleep, most of our meets are away from home (we only host every few years or so). We are low budget too, but those meets are pretty expensive, $200-$250 or more to enter, plus transportation costs.
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash
What a great idea to sell tickets in advance! Looks like a fun day surrounded by a supportive community.
Kareen recently posted..Top 3 Tips for Staying on Track When You’re Cray Cray Busy
I definitely recommend the pre-sell. Like I said, you start your event already successful. Any day-of sales are just cream (or soy creamer
).
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash
Sounds like a successful fundraiser! What a smart idea to pre-sell tickets and it looks like the weather was perfect!
Sandra Laflamme recently posted..Run*Recycle*Repeat at the VT 100 on 100 Relay with Athletes for a Fit Planet
Well, the weather looks perfect, but it was actually pretty hot, about 102 by the end of the car wash. At least they could get wet when they wanted.
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash
Id say the car wash TOTALLY COUNTS as cardio
MizFit recently posted..Living not blogging: back to the second wave edition.
You got that right. Too bad I was taking pictures and not washing cars!
Debbie recently posted..Sweaty Saturday: Cross Country Car Wash