Summer is the lazy season, right?  School’s out, vacation is the order of the day, and if nothing else it’s usually too hot to get much done.  The fun(draising) doesn’t have to stop, though, just because the temperature’s up and your friends are focused primarily on cold lemonade (or cold beer).  Here are just a few ideas of seasonally appropriate ways to keep your fundraising going right through the dog days until the leaves being to change:

Barbecue for charity: throw a barbecue and instead of asking guests to bring dishes, potluck style, ask them to bring canned food (or money) that you can take to a local soup kitchen or shelter.  Make a Firstgiving page at the same time for anyone who wants to give more and so anyone who can’t make it to the party can still help out.

Sponsor an ice cream eating contest: it’s about as easy as it sounds.  Get some people, get some ice cream, eat really fast.  Make a Firstgiving page leading up to the big event as a way to raise money and get people hyped up.  You can take offline donations on the day of, and add them for a grander total.

Build the biggest, best sandcastle: what says "summer" more than the beach, and what says "beach" better than a sandcastle?  Make a Firstgiving page to "sponsor" your biggest, best ever building effort.  Take photos of your feat of disposable engineering and post them on your page once you’ve finished.  (Be sure to keep the page active so you can go on collecting donations after the fact — when people are so awed and inspired by your skyscraper of sand that they decide to give just a little bit extra.)

You could also….
make the world’s largest ice cream sundae
have a watermelon seed spitting contest
throw a frozen daiquiri party (which might get the donations flowing really well!)
try a new water sport for the first time (would your friends donate just to see you on a jet ski?)
choreograph a water ballet
….or almost anything! 

Let us know if you try out any of these ideas, or if you have any great summer fundraising ideas of your own that you want to share!  Email blog[at]firstgiving.com.