Friday, March 28, 2025
The Glen Cove High School Ski Club tried an unconventional approach to fundraising this year, selling mattresses, pillows, and blankets inside the high school gym on Feb. 2 to support their upcoming ski trip.
The club partnered with Custom Fundraising Solutions, a company that has helped schools raise money through mattress sales since 2005. The company purchases mattresses from major brands like Purple and Simmons, just like a typical retailer, but instead of operating a permanent storefront, it hosts pop-up sales in school gyms. Because there are no overhead costs, mattresses are sold at a lower price than in traditional stores, and a portion of each sale goes directly to the school.
Ski Club Advisor Chris Barry was initially skeptical of the idea but was persuaded after hearing that the cross-country team raised nearly $5,000 with the same fundraiser last year.
The sale raised about $1,000, “We were hoping for more but we are pretty happy with $1000 our first time doing this,” Barry said.
The funds will help cover costs for the club’s annual trip to Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts from Feb. 28 to March 2. 52 students and four chaperones will attend the weekend-long excursion.
Barry, who has advised the club for 26 years, noted that rising costs since the pandemic have made skiing more expensive. “Before COVID, I could pull off a trip for $320 per kid,” he said. “Now, it starts at $450.”
Despite the challenges, Barry remains committed. “I still run into former students who tell me those trips were the most fun they had in high school,” he said. “That makes it all worth it.”
