Holiday Store

Summary:

The Holiday Store team is 2 or 3 people who organize this annual event.  Each year in early December, the children bring $1.00 to “buy” two presents for loved ones for the holidays.  The sale is set up in the gym.  The children arrive class by class, choose their gifts, have them wrapped, and get a cookie.  We include the Twin Cities Preschool.

Responsibilities include:
Double-check the gym reservation for the day of- and evening before the sale
Advertise in the Pink for several weeks in advance to get donations of gifts and wrapping supplies.  Families donate new or gently used items.  Suggestions are jewelry, stationary, belts, CDs, DVDs, frames, scarves, etc.
Advertise in the Pink for volunteers
Reminder to kindergarten teachers to put info in their newsletters
Prepare signup sheets for teacher to schedule their classrooms on Holiday Store day
Put up signup sheets for volunteers in the main office
Put up a note on the sign board
Transfer donations from the volunteer office to the gym as required
Contact all volunteers to confirm a few days before the sale
Order 800 cookies
Set up in the gym the night before the sale:  decorations are limited, but Christmas music is nice.
Clean Up!

Calendar of Sales:
Every Month:  September to June on the first Friday before school
August:  Opening Day Coffee
September: Back-to-School Night
October:  Hoedown (including setting up a tie-dye station)
January:  Science Night
February: Kindergarten Registration
April:  Earth Day
May: Open House Night

Responsibilities:
June:

• Decide what items will be offered. Look through catalogs and consult with vendor. Make sure to have samples for sizes.
• Check through inventory and order items as needed for opening day sale
• Prepare budget for PTA (estimated revenue - costs)

For Every Order Thoughout the Year
 
Place order with vendor. Orders must meet vendor minimums (72 of each screen logo design and 36 of embroidered logo). Order additional items to meet minimums. Order warm clothing items to have in stock for cooler weather sales

• Sort inventory and prepare setup for sales

For Every Sale throughout Year:

• Prepare cash box with about $100 in small bills and quarters.
• Recruit volunteers for sale:  usually two (except the Hoedown) will do it
• Prepare deposit and keep $100 for next sale. Summarize cash and checks and give to PTA Treasurer. Keep copy.
•  
• Our team consisted of three people:
• One took care of entering orders into the computer using Quick Books and keeping track of inventory;
• One took care of double checking the orders, accepting the deliveries, doing "PR" (ie pink sections fliers, etc) and arranging for the volunteer help;
• One took care of making posters, the cash box, getting the deposits ready, and getting the money to the PTA secretary.
• All three helped with the sales, sorting  merchandise, etc.
• Email, fax, knowledge of Excel, knowledge of Quick Books are all helpful for this job.
• Our vendor is Dan Ahern, Neil Cummins parent. We determine our order and compile them in Quickbooks, then transfer the info into an Excel spreadsheet in a format that he has requested. The orders come in about 6 weeks.
• Keeping inventory has been a bit challenging, but we have found by tallying during sales,we come close to accounting for our inventory. 
• Raffle drawings helped with sales, people will buy something extra to be entered in the raffle.
• Advertise in the Pink Section before each sale, hang banners on fences at school before/during each sale. Make posters and backpack mail fliers for raffles and special events.
• Be sure to get approval from Mrs. Clark before sending out any fliers or order forms in backpack mail.
• All inventory and supplies can be stored in the PTA storage container. 
• Keep track of buying trends and order popular items and sizes.
• Introduce new items each year to keep people interested in merchandise.
  
  
  
• Questions? Email us at holidaystore@nc-pta.org