This last weekend we hosted a dinner/silent auction/reverse raffle, which is the primary fundraiser for our Project Graduation event. To give a bit of background, tickets were $25 each. Event was 6-10 on a Sunday evening. (Adults only). We sold about 225 tickets. We had the following "games" as additional revenue activities, both inherited from last year's group. Some of you may find a use for them sometime.
1) Jewelry Box Game - A piece of jewelry was the prize. (Last year's group had a necklace/earring set worth about $700 donated. We couldn't get a donation, but found a diamond tennis bracelet valued $595 on a clearance sale which we got for about $70). Get 100 small boxes and decorate nicely with pretty ribbon. Stack around the jewelry and sell boxes for $5 each with instructions not to open until announcer says. The boxes have a piece of paper or other indicator of who the winner is. Until "unveiling" attendees leave them sitting on their (dinner) table so others see and hopefully buy a chance. Ours was a Mardi Gras theme, so we had a set of beads and gold plastic coin in each of the "loser" boxes. Winner had beads plus a baby (like in the cakes). Door prize winners (3) had beads plus a colored plastic coin.
It's a fun game. Our costs were less than $100. Reveune was $500. For the boxes, look in wedding supplies for "favor" boxes. They run about $20 for 100, but at many stores (Michael's, Joann's) they have coupons.
Note - you need a backup plan in case all boxes not sold. (i.e., what if winning box not sold when you unveil.) For us, we numbered the boxes in small print on the bottom and the committee stuffed all the boxes as "losers". Later - one person went back and re-stuffed the grand prize winner box and 3 doorprizes, noting the box numbers. She was the only one who knew. If we hadn't sold them all, she could have checked what was left. Our backup would have been that we drew numbers from a hat.
2) Heads or Tails - interactive, fun. First time, we did it for free (lunch certificate). Later, sold chances for $5 (colored card to indicate you are "in" the game). Pick one of your better silent auction items to use for this instead. We gave a hotel stay plus 2 theatre tickets. Value about $150-$200. Leader tells everyone to pick heads or tails. Heads - put both hands on head; Tails-both hands on rear. Warn them (half fun/half serious) to monitor neighbors so no one switches. Leader flips a coin. If "heads" all who chose that stay standing, others sit down. Last one standing, wins. This could be adapted to be a free activity, $1 chances, $5 chances, whatever.
