Location.
Location will be key for your event's success. You will need to get a permit for the bake sale and obtain permission from the location you choose. Make sure it is a high traffic area with patrons who are likely to support your organization- and purchase baked goods. (Standing in front of a workout gym probably won't get you a lot of patrons, but trying the grocery store, mall, library, or sitting inside a senior citizens' home should attract plenty of supporters.) Be prepared to ask for permission from the site's management, or even possibly get a permit.

A few weeks before your bake sale contact your friends, family and volunteers to ask for donations in the form of baked goods or money. (Gluten-free is all the rage now. Know of anyone who can bake without using gluten?) Ask them to donate baked goods or money. You might even contact bakeries, bagel stores, coffee shops, and grocery stores in the area to see if they would donate some of their "day-old" goods. Let your volunteers know exactly what you want to sell. Ask them to supply a list of ingredients for each of the baked goods they donate. This will help those with allergies make a safe purchase.

Let your volunteers know a date and place to drop of their goods. You can have some of the volunteers stay and help package the goods in uniform quantities and packaging. Be sure to put labels on the packages and include and ingredients list with each. It's okay to have the goods dropped off for packaging the day before the sale, but you should have it all packaged several hours beforehand. You will need at least three volunteers to run the actual sale.

Remember that that bake sale items are usually taken somewhere else to eat, such as home or the office. Please see that the items you are selling are self-contained so that they do not spill in the customer's car. It also is more sanitary, so people are more likely to buy. You will want to package all your goods for display at the bake sale.

Pricing.
It's a good idea to keep everything under $2.00. For example; 3 small cookies-$1, 1 large cookie-$1, cupcakes - $2 ea or 3 for $5, popcorn balls- $1.00, brownies- $1, popcorn-$1. You might want to run the sale for two days to ensure that all your items sell.

Publicity.
It's important to publicize the bake sale as much as possible. You will want to check the local school and community calendars to make sure no other big events are going on at the time of your sale. At the event location on the day of the event you'll want to advertise with signs that have BIG, clear writing. But it's not enough to just have signs up the day of the event. You will need to put it in community papers, bulletin boards, flyers, posters, email chains, and the like. Popular places for families include libraries, churches, school boards, day care centers, and play grounds. Make sure your ads run effectively over the week.

And don't forget to have a cash box on hand with plenty of quarters, $1's, and $5's.

Also, check the weather. If it's a rainy day, you might think about rescheduling for the next day or two.

Ideas for Food
Cookies, cupcakes, popcorn, popcorn balls, brownies, trail mix, bagels, donuts. You can always have a variety of cupcakes or cookies as well. Finally, "dress up" your goods with attractive ribbon for tying up the baggies, stickers to adorn the bags, and pretty signs. "Marketing" is important, too.

Supply list
Cash box and $ change for customers
Various baked goods with ingredient lists
Knives
Spoons
Spatulas (if cake, pie)
Hand sanitizer
Signs directing people in the area to your event
Posters advertising the organization and cause (SOT)
Ziploc/cellophane bags
Ribbon & twisty ties (for tying packaging)
Plastic wrap
Any packaging supplies to dress up the sale items
Lists of ingredients
Tables
Tablecloths (optional)
Baskets
Napkins
Trashcan
Poster with price list or prices on each basket for each item
Supply utensils if needed
Chairs

Money Handling.
Have two people track and watch the money. Make sure to lock up your donations and put someone in charge of the key. Have two people sign off on the money raised before you leave the scene.

In summary:

• High traffic area- LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
• Supportive patrons
• Contact volunteers
• Package goods
• Cash box w/ change
• Check the weather
• Signs w/ big, clear writing
• Logistics (tables, utensils, etc.)

Legal
This event outline is provided for informational purposes only. Its use and implementation are subject to application of your own personal judgment skills and attributes. Given today's predatory legal environment wherein everyone is taught to look to others rather than themselves, it is necessary that say we offer this outline for informational purposes without representation or warranty that it is fit for use for the specific purposes indicated or use to which you may put it. In any use and implementation of the matters contained this outline, you are acting as an individual volunteer pursuing your own cause, and not as an agent of the entity offering this outline. Its downloading and use is subject to the terms and venue stated in the terms of use posted aSupportOurTroops.Org.

Mail a check for the funds raised to and payable to:
Support Our Troops^®
PO Box 70
Daytona Beach, FL 32115
Tel. 877-879-8882

Email us photos and a story for posting!