Fundraisers: An Overview

There’s a delicate balance between raising the funds we need to sustain the excellent programs at KMES and not over-taxing our parent volunteers and generous donors. KMAP has been working towards a goal of minimizing and distributing the number of fundraisers we have. Mark your calendars for the following and click on each one for more details:

Kings Mountain Art Fair & Cookie Sales (September) Labor Day Weekend (and the Saturday before it) is a Big Deal for KMES. Not only do we sell our famous cookies (that we bake at a commercial bakery the week before) and host a face-painting booth, but also count on a generous grant from the Kings Mountain Art Fair Board. Almost 70% of our income each year comes from this weekend.
Voluntary Tuition Drive (October) Our Voluntary Tuition Drive gives families a chance to directly donate to the school in order to cut down on the number of fundraisers we hold. It’s very straightforward: for one week in October, we ask families to give what they can with a suggested donation per student, and the possibility to “Buy Out” of the rest of our fundraisers by donating the total amount that we spend per child each year.
Spring Auction/Raffle (Spring) For ten years, this event was held in November and known as the “Autumn Affair.” We decided to try something new in 2017 and it became the Sweetheart Social in February, a slower time of year and a time most of us could use a night out to connect with community and celebrate good food, friends, and music. These days it’s a flexible event held sometime in the Spring that we adjust to meet the needs of our school. Sometimes an auction, other times a raffle, and sometimes both. Either way you’ll often find us dusting off our dancing shoes and planning to eat, drink, and mingle, while raising funds for our beloved school.
Mountain House Dinner (April) Another example of the generous support KMES receives from the community, the beloved neighborhood establishment Mountain House donates 50% of its proceeds for the evening to KMES. On a Thursday evening in April, all we have to do is simply show up and eat! It’s a great way to take a night off from making dinner, catch up with other families outside of school, and raise money for our kids!
Coastside Gives (May) An annual day of local giving that supports many non profits organizations on the Coastside. This is a great opportunity to have your donation to KMAP multiplied by donations from local businesses and community partners, with matching funds, prize awards, and social media contents.
Fund Run (May/June) Like a lap-a-thon without the pressure, in the weeks leading up to the event students collect donations from neighbors and family and run laps for a set amount of time during the annual end-of-year picnic. This takes place on a Friday during the school day and includes an all-school picnic and field day.