Youth Inaction

Ha. Just kidding. The name of Andy's Japan group is Youth In Action. I am checking in here to complain briefly about a dad in the group. We have been trying to raise money for 20 months. Each participant needs $3,000.00. For the first time in the group's history, NO ONE has enough money. We sell pastry, deliver papers, rake leaves, offer babysitting, make crafts, send out solicitations, write grants, and basically work our asses off. The expectation, right up front (that would be two years ago) was that each family was responsible for setting up and managing at least one complete fund raiser. Of course, all of the families and kids can- and sometimes MUST- participate in every fund-raiser, selling tickets, filling shifts, etc.

I did Butter Braids two years in a row. I also wrote 6 grants. A couple of moms have offered Parents Night Out in their neighborhood EVERY SINGLE MONTH. One of those same two moms also put on a spaghetti dinner. Now I am scanning to figure out what the other parents did- I'm sure I'm missing something, but...

I can think of AT LEAST three families who never, ever did their fund raising. And now, the money we did raise is all allocated, because it ALL went to airfare, so it doesn't matter who has how many credits, because for them all to go, we had to use all the money. Pro-rating it was a moot point.

Our own family still owes about 1200.00. I assume we're about 3rd or 4th from the BEST outcome.

So, here's my beef:
This dad shows up to the parent meeting FOR THE FIRST TIME tonight, and says, "Have 'you' tried writing any grants?" "Aren't you going to run any emergency trainings in case there's a crisis while you are there?" "Someone should set up a Bowl-a-thon."

Did he volunteer for ONE SINGLE THING? No. He was sure full of ideas, but as soon as the group director asked for volunteers to run babysitting nights, be contact people for other fund-raisers, or be the point person for phone calls coming in from Japan, he shut his trap. Then during the lulls, he questioned the preparation and security provided by the group.

And he KEPT bringing stuff up. If I had been his TWO daughters (who get to go, in spite of no fund-raising initiative), I would have wanted to drop into a hole. PLEASE DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND ME. The girls and their mother (Mr. Mouth's EX, and understandably) have worked hard, and are sweet. But I really resent this guy showing up less than two months before departure and suddenly having all kinds of advice and criticism.

I do hope never to see him again...