Safety is a big concern when kids are having car wash fundraisers on busy corners with the traffic buzzing by in 6000 Lb. SUVs. You need to think safety and there of course other factors too. When people think about car wash fundraisers, they think of fun, water fights, etc. A few water fights are ok but remember you are there to make money. I'm not saying ‘Absolutely no water fights.' If you take away all the fun you won't get hard work out of anyone. If you run your car wash like a drill sergeant you will:

Break momentum

Find workers taking breaks

Wash less cars

Have no volunteers next year

Be hated for ruining a perfect Saturday

The easiest way to control a group is to assign tasks that must be done for each person. Since we recommend that your car wash be from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm you should divide your washers and sign holders in half. In other words, if you have twenty-five people in your group, have thirteen work from 10:00 am to noon and twelve people work from noon to 2:00 pm. If you've done well at marketing, you will have so many cars to wash that you will never finish. You will be busy and that will cut down on the horse play. If the horse play gets out of hand, start switching people around to do different jobs. Send the culprit to hold a sign on the corner to draw more cars in. Use that high energy in a positive way so your group makes more money. Send the other person to talk to people while holding a donation can. A good person for this would be whoever was the instigator. This manipulative personality trait is exactly what you will need to get more tips. The third water fighter, if there is a third, might now become a dryer.

If you have a new group of water fighters right away have the parent do the spraying. Maybe you are so slow that everyone is bored so they are playing around. Send the next two wildest kids to a local grocery store to sell left over tickets.

I believe you need one parent in the drying area, one in the washing area and one on the donation can. If you have a bake sale, sell hot dogs, etc. you will need another parent in charge of that area. They should expect to work all four hours. Their kids should also work four hours. That makes four to five kids that will remain in check. If you have too many chiefs this could cause a small problem. So be careful.

ORGANIZING WASHERS

You should think in advance about who should do which car washing jobs. Taller kids should be dryers rather than washers. Usually cars are dirty on the bottom. Tall people tend to skip behind the wheels down low when they get tired, but you need them to dry on top of mini-vans and utility vehicles. The most outgoing people you should use to hold signs for one hour and switch them to soapers later. They will bring in energy half way through the shift. High energy out going people won't get tired holding a sign and yelling at cars to stop in to the car wash fundraiser. They will increase everyone's energy levels.

PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM

If you have a really strong energy auctioneer/comedian/radio type in your group you can keep everyone hyped during your car wash. When they are not talking, play music such as "At the car wash." It makes for a fun time and customers just love this type of stuff. If you don't have a P.A. system, get a megaphone and use that. If a customer compliments you on a nice job tell them to say this into the P.A. system so all can hear. It is also good as you have command of the situation and can call kids quickly into check if they start doing something dangerous or get too out of hand with horse play.

DONATION CANS

Get a medium size coffee can and wrap it with bright yellow paper. Write ‘DONATIONS' on the can in blue magic marker. Cut a hole in the top of the plastic lid one-half inch wide by two inches long for people to stuff money in. Also write on the can in smaller letters, but not too small either, ‘THANK YOU' or ‘PLEASE'.

Every parent should be concerned with safety and supervision at a car wash fundraiser, perhaps you might make a quick phone call to the coordinator of the event to make sure on this and also perhaps volunteer to make sure everything is fine, no body gets hurt and everything is under control. Do you job as a parent, I knew you would, thanks again.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs