All About the Raise Craze Fundraiser

THE LINK FOR MERTON SCHOOL: https://my.raisecraze.com/app2/join/AMRV9FM

If you still need help, reach out to us: fundraising@mertonpto.org and we'll get you squared away!

What are Acts of Kindness (AOK)?

An Act of Kindness (AOK) is an action that is performed for another person - that could be a family member, a friend, or a stranger - to bring that person happiness. An AOK should be completed without expecting anything in return. Often, the person completing an AOK may not even see the reaction of a person who receives the kindness.

We have a list of AOK to inspire you on your Raise Craze dashboard, or you can get creative and come up with your own AOKs. There's no limit to the number of AOK you can earn.

NOTE: Acts of Kindness are different than simply "being nice". A person is "nice" when you are polite to people and treat people well; hopefully you're doing this everyday, all day anyhow. Being kind is when you care about people and show you care.

Join us to get a jumpstart on completing some fun AOK at our Family Service Night on Friday, February 9.

The Bingo Card + Tracking AOK

In addition to using your Raise Craze dashboard to send out your emails, you'll also use your dashboard to track your AOK. You will work to complete your Bingo card to earn incentives.

Your Dashboard will automatically record your progress.

Individual Prizes

As an individual student, you can work to earn prizes based on how you fill your Bingo card.

The Prize/Snack Cart will visit the classrooms on Tuesdays & Thursdays to deliver the prizes for the students, when applicable.

Top Individual Prizes

The top AOK earner + the top $$ earner from each grade level will each win a KINDNESS PRIZE PACK!

PRIZE LIST
CENTER SQUARE
Water Bottle Sticker

3-IN-A-ROW (up to 3 rows, any direction)
Pick from the Prize/Snack Cart

FULL CARD
Coupon for a FREE Chocolate Chip Cookie from Crumbl Delafield
+ Entry into the School-wide drawing for a Prize Valued at $300!

KINDNESS ON THE SPOT
If a teacher catches you being kind, you could earn a "Caught Being Kind" Sticker!

Classroom Prizes

Work together with your classmates to earn classroom prizes!

The AOK and dollars earned and recorded individually will feed into each classroom's efforts. No additional record-keeping is needed; everything will calculate automatically.

If a class is eligible for a classroom prize, the teacher will be notified and will select (and announce to parents & students) what day that prize will be awarded. This allows for the teacher to best accommodate their class's schedule.

Be on the look-out for the Traveling Trophy. This will move around the school and spend the day at a classroom based on which class logs the MOST AOK each day! (This is a daily count, NOT cumulative total count.)

CLASSROOM AWARDS
50 AOK PER CLASS
Hats Off to Kindness! Wear your Favorite Hat

$1,000 PER CLASS
Take Comfort in Kindness: Super PJ Day! Wear PJ's and Bring a Blanket or Stuffy

TOP AOK CLASSROOM
Pizza Party + $100 Teacher Gift Card for Supplies

TOP $$ CLASSROOM
Pizza Party + $100 Teacher Gift Card for Supplies

School-Wide Acts of Kindness

During the week of February 12, our students will work together to make our schools a better place.

Celebration Ceremony

To celebrate the success and see how many AOK our community completes in these few short weeks, we'll have a Celebration Ceremony!
Date will be announced soon; stay tuned!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I lost my access code and cannot log in. What do I do?

No worries! You can reach out to us here to request login information. Also, if you're using a phone or tablet, make sure auto-correct is turned off.

How many emails do you send to each supporter that I enter?

The Raise Craze system will automatically send up to three personalized emails. The first one will inform supporters of your fundraiser and will go out the minute you press "send email". The second will go out halfway through, reminding them to donate. The final will go out toward the end of your fundraiser as a "last chance to give". Every supporter who donates will also receive a "thank you" email. Each supporter has the option to unsubscribe, in which case they will not receive any additional emails.

Can I create my own Acts of Kindness?

Absolutely! During set up, you can add your own Acts of Kindness at the bottom of the suggested Acts of Kindness list. After set up, just login and click the "Edit" tab to add more.

What is my personal website donation link?

Your personal website donation link is the place that your supporters will be directed to make a donation. Each participant in the fundraiser has their own personal fundraising page. Supporters will see your picture (if you uploaded one!), a description of your fundraiser as well as your selections for How You are Giving Back. Your link can be found on the top of your Dashboard. Text it to friends and share it on social media!

We have family & friends asking if there's a way to make a donation outside of the electronic option on the website. Is that allowed?

Yes! Absolutely! They can make a donation via cash or check. Please address the payment to Merton PTO.

Drop off at the Primary School OR mail to:
Merton Schools
N68W24860 Sussex Road
Merton, WI 53029

Be sure to include the name of the student in the memo so we can give proper credit.

I have multiple kids at school; how does Raise Craze work for my family?

If you have multiple children at school, you’ll create a page for your family and list each student within that.

When the system sends an email out to request donations, it will send one email on behalf of your family as a whole. Any donation received will be split evenly among your kids.

Each kid has the opportunity to create and track their own AOK and earn incentives individually and as part of their classroom effort.

Who receives replies to emails sent from the Raise Craze system?

You do! Responses will will go directly back to you at the email address you used to set up your account. We don't want you to miss any important messages!

What are the school's fundraiser goals?

We've set some goals that we think will are totally achievable. Everything is a group effort!

EACH GRADE LEVEL:
Complete 500 Acts of Kindness
Raise $4,500

WHOLE SCHOOL:
Complete 5,000 Acts of Kindness
Raise $45,000

What are we raising money for?

The money raised will go to the Merton PTO. Money will potentially be used for:
- Future School Enhancements
- Staff Support / Appreciation Events
- Ongoing PTO Efforts / Activities / Projects

Join us at the monthly PTO meeting to learn more about how we plan to use the funds!

What has PTO fundraising supported in the past?

The PTO has used fundraising funds for a wide variety of things, from a specific, focused project, to more general and overarching. In the end, everything we do directly supports the students and staff at Merton.

2023-2024 (current): Future School Enhancements, Staff Support/Appreciation Events, Ongoing PTO Efforts/Activities/Projects

2022-2023: Enhancements to Outdoor Play Areas

2021-2022: Support PTO sponsored projects (some highlights are....teacher appreciation events, college scholarships for Merton graduates, family events, student and staff grants, and large improvements to both schools).

2020-2021: There was no fundraiser, this was the year of COVID-19

2019-2020: {Intermediate} PE facility expansion + {Primary} in + outdoor play enhancements

2018-2019: Phase 2 Intermediate Playground (surfacing +)

2016-2017: Primary School Library renovation, giving a % back to each classroom, and exploring a school theater production

Are there any browser requirements to use the Raise Craze website?

We recommend Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari.

My question is not listed and I still need help.

Please contact fundraising@mertonpto.org and we'll be happy to help you and answer your questions!

Questions, Comments, Concerns? Get in touch with us: fundraising@mertonpto.org

Volunteer to Help with Raise Craze

Make a Donation to Raise Craze

Thank you to our Sponsors & Donors!