This may qualify as an “Andy Rooney rant.” Regular visitors to this Saturday morning space may recall that I am increasingly worried that I am evolving into the personage of the crusty curmudgeon who, after an illustrious career as a TV journalist, wrapped up the weekly “60 Minutes” show on CBS, mostly complaining about how one thing or another was changing and not for the better. A grumpy old man.
Back-to-school time brings fundraisers for school programs. This particular fundraiser that makes me grumble has been going on for years — likely close to or exceeding 20 now, I bet. I’ve shared my concerns with at least one school board member sometime in there. Never got a response.
I am referring to the annual “Mattress Fundraisers.” They usually benefit the band and/or show choirs.
What’s my beef?
I have to believe that these events take a significant amount of money out of the local economy. Unnecessarily. Although it does not have a direct impact on me, if I were the owners of The Mattress + Furniture Store or Gerber Furniture, I would at least be having a quiet chat with a school board member or the superintendent.
Buying a mattress is not something you do very often. According to an industry group called the Better Sleep Council, it is recommended you replace yours every seven years. Obviously, they’d like to see people do that, but other sources suggest people hang on to this purchase for at least 10 years, which more closely matches our home’s practice.
So buying a mattress is a big deal. It’s not like most fundraisers that involve food or maybe a piece of clothing. I am happy to support those when we can. Sure, those events compete with local restaurants or places that sell t-shirts and polo shirts, but the degree of impact has no comparison.
It’s a double-whammy: Selling such a major item takes a not-so-insignificant amount of money out of the community and has what I would suspect a not-so-insignificant impact on at least two local stores whose property and income taxes support these programs. Chances are, these stores have been approached by the schools seeking a donation or selling advertising in their programs or yearbook. I know what my answer would be: Go talk to that company you brought in to compete against me.
Personally, I cannot imagine making such a purchase from a business that is not local. The chamber of commerce and a local bank have been touting “Shop Local” for several years. It is a concept I think pretty important, particularly when it comes to the major purchases we make.
The events are held in more than one of the county’s school systems and in other counties as well. Best I can recall, they first popped up in the late 1990s, about the time I came to Bluffton. It was in the North Adams school system to benefit the Bellmont High School band. A friend who owned and operated a furniture store in Decatur had a chat with the school superintendent, who told him he had no say in such a matter (talk about passing the buck) and was referred to the band director who passed the buck to the parents’ “booster” group. He asked how much they got from each purchase (they declined to share that) and offered to partner with them, guaranteeing they get at least an equal amount, so that these purchases could stay local. He was ignored. That raises a few questions, at least in this inquisitive (but apparently unconventional) mind.
I understand there is more than one company that works with schools across the country — reportedly several thousand such fundraising events take place each year. I am puzzled that so many people will make a major purchase in this way — obviously enough to keep them coming back — and that I may be the only one to voice any concerns or questions. But then, I’m just a grumpy old man.
That’s my beef. That’s my rant. Just call me Andy.
miller@news-banner.com
