How does your department do fund raising?

[FireChief21]

We all know the spagetti dinners, bbq's, and open houses.  Does your department have any unique ways of fundraising?  Maybe something fun.

[Engine33Truck]

Bingo.

[daysleeper47]

Letter campaigns twice a year and birthday parties at the firehouse.

[START WATER]

around the philly area  there are a fire tax and  mail out fund drive ,and of course some  do the bingo , pancake breakfast and run a social hall they run . ,  Some  have  a  socailhall but is run by a private company to relieve   the fire fighters  form the extar work and  important  also  not to be involved  bad events  driunk drivers
etc .    all firefighters  must have at least 180 hrs  to be ff 1 qualified , many runs , and work details   we have  very busy vol fire co's  some respond  to 600 or more calls a year  with out ems .   

[johnmocha]

I think Chincoteague VFD on the Eastern Shore of Virginia has one of the most unusual fundraisers - they auction wild ponies.  This story has been told in a children's book as well as a movie.  Full story here:
http://www.chincoteague.com/ponies.html

[dep75]

Bingo.

Bingo is not fun though, quite the pain. But if bingo is big in your area, try a midnight bingo once a month, that used to be a crowwd pleaser, to the point we had to move the trucks out and use the engine room.

[brucobuff]

My hometown of Frostburg,MD. had an annual crab feast at the end of August for over 40 yrs.
The VFD would team up with the local town band and run the whole show, which was for adults only.
A suitable piece of farmland/woods on the outskirts of town would be made into a picnic grove.
A truckload of crabs would be brought up from the Chesapeake Bay, the local beer distributor would set up a draft beer truck, crabs would be steamed on site. There was also kettle corn on the cob, grilled hot dogs and other fare.
It would turn into a town party lasting all day, there are many legends and tales about misadventures, a fire call during one of these was really challenging, the rigs on standby would have sober drivers appointed, the same could not be said for the riders!
Here is the souvenir shirt from the 1985 event.
Too bad the fun and freedom of the 1960's thru the 1980's could not last, this country now is unrecognizable some 25 yrs. later...

[dep75]

We used to have a member who ahd a brother that was a Maine lobsterman and we would take advance orders for the lobster, pound and a quarter to a pund and a half. He would bring the catch down fresh, couple hours out of the water, made some good bucks.

[START WATER]

  i found one lst night thatwas different  a christmas  train show

  There was a fire co in nj  that had a  annual hawaii meal with the hulu dancer sand  they brough in sand for the event , and of course rise a lot of  money.    now they are a fire district and  have  a fire tax .     
       The way a fire ditrict was explained to me  in NJ  the people
elect a fire commission  the chief presents his budget and ther commission can raise taxes  to meet the needed  budget
or  just say no resubmit .   I have been told it works pretty good and or pretty bad.   

[Farmingfirefighter]

A lot of fire depts using gofundme now days