About That Tricky Tray.. I Just Want To Say_Chapter 12 (Closed)
Use This Post To "Speak Your Mind" About A Tricky Tray or Anything Related To A Tricky Tray. Tell us about the Grand Prize You Just Won or How You Haven't Won A Thing 10 Tricky Trays Straight. Just Click On The comment link below and start typing away. However..no personal attacks will be tolerated.
Comments
The Fall Tricky Tray Season is under way in full swing. I have been so busy with regular work, I didn't realize how full the last chapter(11)had become. So now we start Chapter 12. Next weekend there are a huge amount of Tricky Trays. In fact this year is definately a record for the most number of postings.
A quote..
"Who ever becomes President on election day, will have to embrace that the Tricky Tray fundraiser is here to stay!"
It's also almost that time of year to vote for "Best TRicky TRay of 2008" Look for the voting link after the last tricky tray in December...currently Dec 12th.
Have fun everyone and come home a winner!
Mr. Tricky Tray
personally I find it boring just to hear number after number called--an OCCASSIONAL short comment is appropriate-3-5 seconds----as long as it it not with every prize--maybe every 5-10 prizes
I ran a TT about 6 years ago--apparently before this site was created--so it was not mine anyone has commented about---
and frankly--if people said some of these self centered, rude comments that i read here--i would have thrown you out--and kicked in the amount you would have spent from my own pocket---its not worth having spoil sports who make the event unpleasant for others who are have the human ability of empathy...and realize a TT is not to benefit the attendee and entitle then to prizes and a quick in and out...the TT is to benefit the organization...
illegal and unethical things are one thing--but there are too many petty complaints--if you don't like it--don't go..
for instance--the food offered at the last TT I went to wasn't good--but so what---if you want good food--bring it with you or eat before hand.....
people think they should be treated like a bloomingdales shopper--when they are in JCPenney..
if you want to be treated like royalty--go to a black tie dinner--not a tricky tray....
Correct info is:
11/13 East Hanover Co-op Nursey is at Hanover Manor in East Hanover
11/13 Oak View School is at Valley Regency in Clifton
You are the rude, self centered one!
You are the kind of organizer referred to on this blog as arrogant and thinks TT's are beneath her and treats the attendees as such.
I don't care what a TT is for, I have no connection to it and don't care how great you think the cause is.....to me it means nada! I am just there for entertainment. I don't even care if I win. The money I spend at the tt...do whatever you want with it, again I don't care one iota about your cause.
If the food is lousy, I'll let everyone know about it on this blog. If the food is good I'll let everyone know that too.
You are the exception, thank goodness most organizers are not like you.
Tricky Tray Sponsored By
Butler High School
Doors Open: 6:00 pm
HOW much is your admission price?
What is the price of your tickets?
Admission price includes 1 sheet of tickets & refreshments).
Please post here....I don't want to make a phone call.
Lazy is not posting all the details of the event!
I'm interested in hearing what others thought.
The regular baskests were so so. Although they did have longaburger and some wonderful scrapbooking baskets.
The second level, great prizes for the money.
Third level, could have done without.
Raffle had great prizes, but was NOT happy to see the person who was running it win.
Lets see she had control of all the tickets, both paid for and not. Because these were being sold for a long time before the night of the TT, she had piles of unsold ones in her possesion. I wonder how many people where overseeing the number of tickets sold and cash coming in. Also heard, I didnt see it, that she pulled the ticket. Just doesnt seem right.
I really had a wonderful time. Won baskets, hung out with some good friends.
One other thing, the food being sold went to help pay for the 8th grade trip to washington. Good idea, but the prices were just out of line. 1$ for a tiny little canolli (spelling?).
They had the food donated, so it didnt cost them anything, why not make the prices more reasonable.
Caller was great.
Persons directly involved in the organization of the raffle are ineligible to receive prizes. Ticket sellers are exempt from this rule, PROVIDED their only involvement in the raffle is the sale of tickets.
Sounds to me if you are the person who applies for the application, orders the raffle tickes, purchases the items for said raffle, controls the sale of tickets, another words, the person DIRECTLY INVOLVED in the raffle, IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO WIN!
Sounds like they did a big no no at the Hackettstown TT.
Food prices, you have got to be kidding me.
Raffle prize going to the person in charge, you have to be kidding me.
Door prize tickets in with regular tickets, when they are a different size, you have to be kidding me.
LOUSEY 3rd level prizes.
MANY repetitive 1st level prizes.
Nope I will find somewhere else to spend my money next year.
The caller eventually had an assistant who took the ticket container from the runner and held it while the caller drew and announced the runner. Just a suggestion, but couldn't the runners be shaking those tickets while they wait in line? and couldn't that assistant be specifically charged with officially shaking them before the caller draws the number? The drawer did respond to calls of shake/stir them up and usually gave a halfhearted stir before drawing but there was plenty of time for the assistant to do it proper before every draw and it wouldn't of taken additional time.
Thank you for making our biggest fundraiser a success at a time when the economy is down and there were so many other events in the area.
We appreciate your support of our group.
The second and first tiers were ok, nothing great. The refreshments were sparse and bland. Not much thought went into the selection of treats.
I saw many bent and crumbled tickets in the bags. Announcement was made that none would be pulled. I saw someone put such tickets in and she did not win anything so I assume no bent tickets were pulled.
It was a nicely run TT and I will attend again.
re Mount Olive Proj Grad event ... it's on the school calendar for Nov 22 and has been rescheduled to Feb timeframe.
and from the Strauscalendar.com, the High Point Booster Club and Competition Cheerleaders are having a Basket Bingo event Friday, November 21st. Doors open at 6:00pm, calling begins at 7:30pm at High Point Reg HS. Phone: 862-485-2254
I think last year we did have a lot of pet related baskets, whereas this year we did not. Although PAL does have a following, I think mainly people come to a TT to win a prize - at least that is what I read a lot on these blogs - that the attendees don't really care what organization the event is for, whereas I am sure many do.
Anyway, we had some great baskets on Friday - very diverse. We have received many compliments on our baskets.
I think we had the right mix at our TT, truly something for everyone.
It was a successful night for us and we are happy that people came to our event becuase there were so many others in the area that night.
Hope to see all of you, or some of you next year !
Good -
Regular prizes were really nice. Lots of gift certificates and Christmas type trays. Prices for regulars valued up to $50 were fair. 5 sheets for $15 or $4 for 1 sheet. Specials and Supers were just OK. Refreshments were free and plentiful. No bent ticket signs were posted.
Bad -
Many tickets had names written on them by teachers/parents who weren't even there. I'm sorry but changing a ticket so it's in any way different than any other is cheating. Some of these written on tickets were even bent (signs were posted not to do this). Guess the staff/helpers are above that rule.
Two different color sheets for regulars. Not a huge deal but a bit annoying if all you have is the one color!
Advice for next time - don't let staff or anyone else write their names all over tickets.
Overall, it was a good Tricky Tray. Nice job on the regular prizes..and we won!
I also was very annoyed to see names written on the back of the tickets! To boot they were bent! How do I know this? I looked down into the bags and you could see this as plain as day. (I look for bent tickets at every TT I attend) .They were the teachers' who couldn't attend. So teachers bend their tickets? Nice message to send their students...cheating it's called. Yes, bent ticket signs were posted, but didn't apply to teachers!
Sat with a very nice group of women who told me that teachers who couldn't attend wrote their names on back of tickets. Perfectly OK they said. No, it's not OK.
The caller was efficient. The container used to pull the tickets from was too small.
The prizes were nice including many gift certificates.
Refreshments were good, even bottled water was free. The students were very friendly.
In conclusion....
I will always remember Jefferson HS as the school where the teachers cheat!
Never said I lost! As a matter of fact I did win. Not that that matters. So did one of the ladies I was with win.
Who cares what Michael Jackson said!
I stand behind everything I said!
It is not acceptable to mark tickets and or bend tickets. Especially by teachers.....I expect better from them.
There were more than two bad apples in those bags!
Other than that, Centenary was fun! They had better prizes this year too. Good to see a TT improving as they go along.
Museum of Agriculture tricky tray. It was very cold and windy outside being in the open like that. When we called to see if we could just wait in the foyer we were told to leave our bags in line and wait in the car. Fine. But once other people were there waiting in the cold without totes it didn't seem fair. We called again and were told rudely --"Absolutely Not"!! Normally I would not take it out and spend less money on a good cause but in this case I felt jusified. I won't complain about the prizes because we knew from experience what to expect. We won a lot and the prices were reasonable. EVERYONE ELSE WAS PLEASANT! Good job. But just have a heart next time. We wouldn't have been able to even see the prizes or been anywhere near them.
Museum of Agriculture tricky tray and they really should have let us in that hallway. They were very rude and didn't care that we were outside freezing. If they recall we are the ones with the money to spend at the event. Another thing was they had so many less prizes this year. They were missing at least 2 tables on each section. My thoughts are your making money off of us and if you don't get enough donations then you should go shopping and buy stuff. You will make your money back. Make it worth it for us to come back year to year. This was the third one I have gone to here and I'm not so sure I would go next year if there is a better one offered. Oh one more thing those hotdogs were not even edible and 1.50 you can go out and buy a name brand or something. I mean they were even gross to look at. Other then that the prizes they did have were fine and we all won so in the end we were happy.
What do you guys see as the average dollar amount that separates levels at most tricky trays? I was recently at one that had like 6 or 7 levels, I thought that was crazy. I was at one that had up to $75, then $75 to $150 for specials, and over $150 were super specials and that seemed fair to me, thoughts?
You "win" by supporting the school/organization and socializing with people. Life is full of stuff -- and ain't nobody hooking up a hitch to their casket to take it with them.
"live simply, so others may simply live."
Anyway Happy holidays all. And Merry Christmas!
$10 admission, 3 sheets/$10 for first level, 5 tkts/$10 for medium, 4 tkts/$10 for large, 3 tkts/$10 for grand, and 10 tkts/$10 for 50/50…players may not even be able to buy tickets for everything. The medium level had about 25 prizes. You’d have to spend $50 on that level alone just to put one ticket in each prize.
3 sheets for 10.00 = 75 tickets for ten dollars for a basket worth 25-49.00.
To jump up to 5 tickets for ten dollars for a basket worth 50.00 is quite a leap.
You want to be able to be in the game and have a chance to win.
A friend of mine who’s run a couple of tricky trays was talking with me about ticket prices. Too high ticket prices keep people from going back to some events. I’d been trying to figure out the best way to put a theory on pricing and she explained it best:
A player comes to a TT with a certain amount of money, say $50.00 (I know a lot of attendees come with more, but I’m going with an average of what I hear people bringing, especially some of the older players). Your pricing has to make him or her feel as though they have a chance to win. Each prize HAS to be given away and only ONE ticket can be pulled for that prize. It doesn’t matter how many tickets you sell for a set price. It costs you very little to sell a few more tickets for the price you’re charging. But, it does make your players feel they got a good bargain and they’ll be back.
I've had organizers say, "but that prize is worth so much, we have to charge a lot for the ticket." I'll buy, maybe, one or two tickets for that level and go spend my money on the lower priced baskets. That's why you see higher level prize buckets with only 10 or 20 tickets. It doesn't make people spend more.
Players will spend what they came with. Pricing is a game of illusion and customer service. $50.00 could take care of a Tricky Tray with no admission, 3 sheets/$10 first level, 25 tkts/$10 medium, 20 tkts/$10 large, 10 tkts/$10 grand prize, 15 tkts/$10 50/50. This is just an example of course. I’ve been to some awesome events that even did 40 tkts/$10 on some of their higher levels. The players get to play every level and get a large number of tickets…this really helps bring back customers if the prizes are good.
Just a theory…but the paper the tickets are on doesn't cost that much. Keeping prices in line with expecting people to bring a reasonable amount of money creates repeat customers.
Anyone have any comments?
They need to move to a bigger location. Not that I'll be there next year since I don't want to take out a second mortgage on my home in order to attend - but if you have to put people in the pews and have a sign saying they should whisper, you need a bigger space for your Tricky Tray.
I'm new to the Tricky Tray scene and I have what may be a dumb question, but I'll go ahead and ask it anyway...
I was skimming through some of these posts and I see that it's considered cheating to write your name on the back of your ticket. I'm just wondering - Why?
Also - why is everyone anonymous here? (I'll be too, in case it's some sort of rule that you have!)
Thanks! Liz
As for the anonymous, I use it because Tricky Traying is a relatively small world. If I post under an ID about events I've attended, I think it would be pretty easy for regulars to identify me over time. Good or Bad - I'd rather remain unknown. I am the person who posted about St. Theos (both posts recently). Anyone who talked to me there knew how I felt about the prices. If they went to Anyname School in BigTown and saw me post that I'd been there; they'd who I was. I just like remaining anonymous.
Welcome to the World of Tricky Trays!!
signed,
The Masked Winner
Re name on back: Since you are a newbie, tt's tickets are drawn and the number is announced. You need to recognize and claim the prize before the 3rd call or they redraw and announce a new winning number. There is no purpose to putting your name on the back unless you have a cheating thing going with whoever is drawing the tickets. Ticket draw is supposed to be random and anything .. a bend, ragged tear, stickers on the back, even the indentations from writing a name can be used to mark tickets. The person drawing can be feeling for any of the above when they are stirring the tickets around and supposedly randomly selecting the winner. Sadly its a way that the sponsoring group tries to give their members the edge in winning the prizes they collected. It's also a way for random cheaters to win more.
Next year what about selling regular tickets at 5/$20 and skip the whole entrance fee thing and petty stamping of the hand?
And go back to $1 tickets for your small level of big prizes. Many were barely better than regular table prizes. You'll get way more tickets in the bags.
It was very well run. Nice baskets for all 3 levels including the Wii, gps, disney, tv.
Prices were very good and fair.
Bent ticket signs posted where you bought tickets. Comfortable seating.
Lasted too long for the number of baskets. Not home by around 10pm as was posted on the event page here.
Not out until 1015pm. Caller was very pleasant but much too long winded. Tickets were shaken in a big bucket.
Refreshments were nice but coffee and tea were $1.00 much too high for such an event. They had too many goodies left over. I think they were charging too much.
Had a good time, won a big prize, no luck with the regular trays.
No big egos from any of the organizers at this TT.
1 - The friend who turned me onto TT.com. I honestly cannot be grateful enough to her. I absolutely rely on the site and the listed events as a way to relax. I know where to go when I don't want to do anymore work or take care of my everyday responsibilities for a few hours. I come back refreshed,usually a winner, and at peace.
2- Mr. Tricky Tray - what a great idea you had to put this site together.
3- TT attendees - my husband can't understand how I prefer to go to TTs alone. I tell him that TTers are very easy going and happy people...for the most part(!). I make new acquaintances every time I go, and we all feel happy together no matter who wins.
Resolutions -
1) Go to more Tricky Trays!
2) For those who are stuck on not smiling - I hope you will begin to smile, and know that you could be lots of fun, if you'd let yourself be open to all the fun around you.
3) For the bloggers: if everyone knew who you were, would you still write to this blog with the same aggression that seemed to show up quite a bit this year? Honestly,would you? Like now - try restraining yourself from sending a tart reply asserting your God given rights! LOL
I wish everyone a great holiday, and a wonderful New Year. Keep smiling! As long as we have our health, the love of our friends and family, and a little luck(!), all is merry and bright!
We appreciate tt's all the more after the seasonal break. With luck mother nature will get the bad driving weather out of her system before the brave winter-scheduled events come along.
Just a note to organizers about taking down your signs after the event is held. A friend was complaining about 2 'old' signs that caused her to U-turn to get the details just this past week. Organizations should be responsible and remove old signs done the same thing.rather than litter the roadway and torment tt-ers who are in withdrawal. Been there and I'm betting most of us have done that.
The last 2 events of the year for me were situations where wide-eyed innocent organizers were content to reach into the bag and grab a ticket. They didn't appreciate the reaction from the crowd though they did respond by coming up with containers.
This is probably the most consistent complaint/thought/new years wish posted here by longtime tt goers.
The tickets are layered and if they dig to the bottom to pull a ticket, the workers and first people in have an overwhelming advantage. If they grabbed a ticket off the top, then the two people who arrived late that we waited after the stated drawing time to slowly drop their tickets would win more than their share.
Get a big enough container to actually mix those tickets up to make it a random draw. And then stir the tickets with your hand before actually picking. The one drawing is in charge and needs to disqualify tickets that are marked by bends, curls, or ragged tears. Doesn't matter if you put it in the program, announce it every 15 minutes and have posters on the wall. The one drawing has to actually DQ bent tickets. There's always someone who does not tear the tickets apart thinking 2 tickets together are twice as big and twice as likely to get grabbed. They do it because it worked for them in the past, just like those who bend their tickets. It's not an accident nor is it innocent, its cheating. Don't tear them apart and drop them back in, don't straighten out bent tickets - pick one of the many normal honest tickets to award the tray to. Any announcer/drawer who announces that a ticket drawn has been disqualified, does more for the honesty and prestige of an event than you can imagine. This has drawn a round of applause at some events. This post isn't snippy about organizers, it relates to sad experiences at a great many events. Just like shoplifting is up in a bad economy, cheating at tt's is up also. Organizers take charge and be responsible to make your event fair.
Glad to see some winter events getting posted. Here's to fair events and wins for all in the New Year!
Happy 2009.
Keep ticket prices in $5 increments, give price breaks for multiple tickets, don't overcharge! If your high level prize tickets are too expensive (or can become that way by having too many prizes at that level), you'll get less people to buy tickets.
regulars: $5 per sheet for prizes valued around $50
specials: 6 tickets for $5 for prizes valued around $100
super specials: 2 or 3 tickets for $5 (gas grill, Wii, Xbox, etc.)
grand: $5 per ticket (think large flat screen tv, computer, etc. - these are the really big prizes)
Hope you had a Great Holiday!
It's the New Year and that means time to vote for
BEST TRICKY TRAY of 2008 !
I have posted the vote link
on home page and events page.
www.trickytray.com
Let your voice be heard!
Mr. Tricky Tray
Any ideas where people order their road signs to advertise tricky trays? We are having ours in March and want to order signs soon, I am in Long Valley, thanks!
www.signoutfitters.com
1-800-513-1695
has been rescheduled to 1/24
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/nutley_school_mothers_club_tre.html
I heard they were just going to give her "a slap on the wrist" until they heard she was calling bent tickets too!!! :)
Next Saturday (1/24) New Spirit Booster Club is sponsoring its first Tricky Tray and we hope you all will support. We are a newly formed Parents Club supporting the Northern Elite Wildcats Cheerleaders in Flanders. We have been reviewing comments on this blog; hoping to avoid alot of the problems experienced at other Tricky Trays. Thanks!!
"Wharton mom indicted in $75K PTA theft"
http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200901150405/COMMUNITIES48/901150326
Just wanted to give you some infor on a TT at Radix Elementary School in Williamstown, NJ (Gloucester County).
The event is on Friday, Feb 27 - doors open at 6:30 (we were at capacity by 7:10 last year!!)
Admission is free and all tickets must be purchased that night. $30 for 64 tickets (25 up to $50, 25 $50-$100, 12 $100-$200 and 2 $200-$500 - these can all also be purchased individually) Grand Prize tickets are $5 and last year our 50/50 split was $1670!!
Our Grand Prize is a 7 day/6 night vacation package to Myrtle Beach.
Our goal for 2009 is to exceed the 197 prizes we had last year!
We do not accept bent tickets, refreshments are complimentary, we think our emcee keeps things fun and moving quickly. We even distribute programs to people waiting in line so they have a chance to look it over even before the doors open - if the weather is nice we even sell the ticket packages to people in line!
We had a wonderful turnout last year and hope to have a great event this year as well.
Our event posting should be up soon - hope to see you there!
We don't want to wait until the last minute to put them together (since it takes FOREVAH) so I was wondering what other groups have done.
I can't even THINK about getting them to the hall the day of the event! :)
we are lucky - our principal gives us a locked room at the school (since all the money goes to the school anyway). When that wasn't possible, we used to keep them at someone's house (basement or garage) and then move them to the school the week of the event and store all but the big ticket items on the stage. Not perfect, but they were hidden behind the curtain and it would be pretty obvious if someone walked out with a big basket
What are your higher level ticket prices and how many gifts do you have at the various levels? Unfortunately people cheat. Just be tough and disqualify those bent tickets because cheaters do not deserve to win. The last two events had a couple of people licking their tickets so they would stick together and be more likely to be drawn. yuck The real double yuck was how effective it was since they won many of the larger gifts.
thanks and g'luck
ADDITIONAL TICKETS
Regular (blue sheets)
$5.00 each 5/$20
Special (yellow ticket) - approx 19
baskets
$2.00 each 3/$5 or 7/$10
Super Special(grey ticket)- approx 12 baskets
$5.00 each 5/$20
Mega Prize (green ticket) - 1
$10.00 each 3/$25
Thanks for the tips...
$20.00 admission is too expensive.
Tea, coffee, soda, water and cookies do not add up to anywhere near $20.00. Nor do I want junk food. There is no justification for this admission fee. After all there are many TT's that do not charge admission.
Thanks for giving us the ticket prices. How may regular prizes will you have and what is the value of those prizes?
We have 110 regular prizes valued at $25-$50.
I made only three base levels of baskets with one super prize level. I've been to many TT's and felt that the 6 different levels of prizes and the cost of those tickets sometimes are not worth it. All our gift cards, regardless if they are $25 in value or $100 in value are going to be the base ticket value. I think it is nice for those who do not purchase the higher tiered tickets to have the opportunity to win a prize higher in value.
The suggestions I took that I think are going to work are: Painting the LIds of EACH ticket container, so NOBODY could mess up by mistaking the wrong color prize with the ticket color. There are going to be signs posted about BENT TICKETS and Tickets with Writing on them NOT BEING PULLED. I have ONE caller who will be calling numbers to hopefully speed the night along, several Runners, Conatiners will also be taped down so people can not switch, steal or move them away from the basket, and there will be complimentary bottles of water and Bakery Cookies that the local Bakery is going to make for each table.
I really hope that I didn't miss anything, but if I did, please share your thoughts so I can address these issues before our event. Any other POSITIVE feedback would be appreciated. THANKS! :-)
I think I'll cross this one off my list for next year - it's just too pricey.
Thanks for the update. Approximately how many prizes do you have in each level?
Also our ticket prices are bottom sheets $6, middle level sheets $8, or top sheets $10. Buy one of each together and pay $20 instead of $24. The only higher level tickets are for super prizes, those over $200, these are 2 for $5 or 5 for $10. Other than this those are our prices. Of course we are going to have a 50/50, but our committee feels we'll raise more money and be memorable with nice prizes and inexpensive prices. Hope this was helpful.
OK - maybe you shouldn't have to be able to put a ticket in everything; but at least give us a chance. Like the last poster pointed out, some items only had one or two tickets so it's not as though the CYO recouped the value of the gift (as I've heard some other organizers use as a reason for high priced tickets).
But then again, St. Elizabeth's had really awesome prizes and ALOT of them.
I'll have to think more on the cost before I go next year.
Now my question: I would like to hear opinions from vetran tricky trayers - organizers and attendees - about what you think the optimal ratio of baskets/prizes to attendees shoul be...thanks in advance.
You will not be able to please everyone. We have a table of tricky tray devotees going and we are looking forward to your event. We don't mind the $20 admission as long as the prizes are nice and it sounds like you have some great prizes.
We would rather pay the $20 than attend a tt that has nothing but junk from someone's basement.
I will not be going to your TT after all. Have a fun night!
We're going to have three levels of prizes + Grand Prize level. Here's where we're stumped - how many tickets to order?!?!
Obviously, our worst nightmare would be to run out of tickets. And we're hoping to do this again next year, so if there are leftovers, no big deal.
We've got a bunch of baskets put together and, if I do say so myself, they're pretty awesome baskets! Definitely no "basement junk" as referred to upthread. Nice stuff, full baskets - just really nice in comparison to some I've seen. So I'm thinking people are going to be buying lots of extra tix once they see them.
So...any advice? Thoughts? Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Just updated the F-K PTA's info on trickytray.com and thought I would let you all know! Friday 3/6 at St. Marks in Long Valley -you can pre-order tickets by clicking on the link, seating is limited so please reserve early! $10 admission includes coffee, tea and tons of desserts, also chances for door prizes. We will sell bottled water, and you can BYO if you like. If you want a table you can reserve for 8, if you don't reserve a table you may just be seated in chairs, depending on table availability. We have tons of great prizes and beautiful baskets, and we have priced our tickets fairly I think.
Up to $75 - 1 sheet for $5 or 5 for $20.
75 - 150 - 10 tickets for $5
above 150 3 tickets for $5 (includes several $300 and greater baskets)
3 grand prizes so far (hopper passes, club seats for rangers for 4, bathroom vanity) $4 each or 3 for $10.
I have been to several TT's recently and the tickets were more expensive for lesser value prizes, also got charged for tea, cookies, etc, I was mad! This won't happen here.
We have a lovely array and still over a month to go and prizes still coming in! I have been reading these blogs and want to thank everyone for all their helpful suggestions. We will post no bent ticket signs, get large containers to shake up tickets, not charge for coffee, tea or desserts, keep admission reasonable, and hopefully have a fun night for all - please join us! We will only sell tickets at the door if they are available.
Everyone is free to share their opinion, but some of us may be getting tired of the same few people repeatedly complaining about admission prices. Don't go if you don't want to.
I personally do express myself regarding a tricky tray event. I give praise where it is due and where it isn't due.
here is even a link to their flyer
http://www.hackensackschools.org/hackensack/Parker/Announcements/tricky%20tray%2009%20NKP.pdf
Print ad on trickytray.com and ask for Nancy to receive gift for inconvenience.
Tip..to print just that ad..highlight with mouse...hit print like normal but choose the option "selection"
All the baskets & super prizes were great and there were a lot of them. The caller was clear and kept it moving. Everyone at our table won something. Great Job!
We can't wait to the next one.
All in all, a really nice event and we'll be sure to go back next year. Hats off to the organizers - job well done!
How about a Netbook (mini-laptop) valued at around $300?
Thanks for any input.
It's on Friday, Feb 27.
They have great prizes, more free food than you can eat. They also have NO ADMISSION charge.
I have been going to this one for at least the last 5 years. My friends and I will be attending again this year. Get there early, they sell out.
I have no association with this event.
TJMS Tricky Tray Committee
Robert Frost in East Brunswick and
Hooper Elementary in Lakewood. I can not decide which to go to.
Has anyone been to either of them and where they nice?
If you have won one did you put alot of tickets in?
The calling started 45 minutes late, and then after the first level tickets were finished being called, the caller said he wanted to take a 15 minute break. When he was booed, he reduced it to 10 minutes (booed again); then 5 minutes(more booing). Finally,he said there'd be 'a short' break, and inspite of more booing and the fact that it was now very late, he shut the microphone off,and that was that. Here is a tip for organizers...We don't care how important your caller thinks he or she is...switch off between callers, and get on with it. Surely, he was tired from calling over 280 gifts, and we watched him rest up and have a beverage, but... there were lots of other very articulate volunteers there, who, I am sure, could have called out the next set of gifts without more delays.
Lastly, I was at a front side table, and saw what an inadequate situation the 50/50 became. At stake was over $1,000.00 to the winner. Early in the night they sold blue 50/50 tickets which the early arrivers bought. The runners told us they then ran out of blue tickets and proceeded to start selling green ones. Just prior to picking the winner, they heaped all the green tickets on top of the blues into a too-small punch bowl. The tickets were literally piled over the top by at least 4-5 inches (no joke). You simply cannot assure adequate mixing of the tickets this way. Then they had a young man reach into the container placed well over his head to pick the ticket. He was only able to reach in by the measure of the length of his fingers (3-4 inches) (yes, I was that close to see it myself). There was no way he ever had a chance to touch the blue tickets buried underneath. As their 13th time running this event, you would think they could have gotten a giant garbage bag (at the very least)or one of the empty beverage containers on the floor next to the table to mix the abundance of tickets, when they saw the volume outstripping the size of the container.
It was a nice enough event, and they have lots of supporters. The organizers were very nice, and I did win, too, but the great events are the ones where organizers don't miss the basic details.
GO FIGURE. WE EVEN SPENT APPROXIMATELY 150. EACH. SO TELL US,THOSE OF YOU WHO WIN ALOT. DO YOU THROW ALOT OF TICKETS IN AT ONCE? THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT CHEATING ESPECIALLY THAT WE ARE BUYING THAT AMOUNT OF TICKETS. THE PEOPLE ALL AROUND US WERE WINNING 5 AND SIX TIMES EACH. MOST PEOPLE IT SEEMED, WON AT LEAST 2 TIMES. I GUESS IT'S LUCK? OR DO WE BUY MORE TICKETS? BUT ANYWAY, OUR GROUP OF 4 GIVES YOU TWO THUMBS UP FOR A GREAT NIGHT. BEST ONE THIS YEAR SO FAR......
Replies/comments can be made here or sent to stmarystrickytray@comcast.net.
An SMS TT Parent Organizer
You have a section for the best tricky trays for the year. you should really have one also for the worst. I just left the sacred heart school in bath PA tricky tray. They did not mix, shake, stir any of the tickets except for the big prize for the gym equipment. She said "the need to be mixed". What the heck for the rest of the prizes? It took 3 1/2 hours to draw the tickets for the regulars the the yellows. In description on TT.com there was no mention of not needing to be present to win. As numbers are being drawn even if you had your hand up if you won that prize they still check the book announced the name and the gave it to you. Will not go back next year. waste of money and time.
Many attendees applauded when it was announced that all bent and mangled tickets were disqualified. One number was half read then rejected and apologies were made that calling numbers were slowed at times because they were removing bent tickets. Hope that other TT committees realize you can say it, you can post signs but you have to actually mean it by disqualifying the cheaters.
Still tickets available!!
More Prizes just added
Sounds like a good one.
Please post no bent/mangled tickets will be called. Then when you pull such a ticket announce that it will not be called and rip it up. Show us that you mean NO BENT TICKETS WILL BE PULLED. No lip service please.
Look for advertising in the papers, on the radio, flyers all over Sussex county. Pre paid ticket packets can be purchased which also will allow you an hour earlier admission to the event.