People on the market for a new mattress can both improve their shuteye and support the Yelm High School choir program’s sixth annual mattress fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 18.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., inside YHS’s cafeteria, Custom Fundraising Solutions will work with Yelm choir program members to sell mattresses to raise money for the club. Tim Henderson, YHS choir director, said the funds raised from the event allow for the choir program to travel throughout the state to display their gift of singing.
“Last year when we went on choir tour, it was about $14,000 for the whole trip, including transportation and hotel,” Henderson said. “My philosophy is nobody should have to stay home when we get to go do these things. I typically take my chamber and select choirs on tours, and it’s usually for three days after spring break.”
Henderson noted that mattress brands such as Therapedic, Englander and Beautyrest will be on site for potential customers to consider. He said every mattress is custom made for the customer, and there isn’t a single mattress on the showroom floor collecting dust.
He added once they find the mattress best suited for them, customers can place an order in whichever size of mattress they want. Customers can also purchase bed frames, sheets, pillows and pillowcases at the event.
“Over the last five years, we’ve raised almost $40,000 utilizing them. They have mattresses that range from $300 to a couple thousand dollars. It depends on what you’re looking for. Obviously, the more expensive and comfortable, the better it sleeps,” Henderson said. “For every mattress sold, the choir gets a portion of the sale. If we reach certain goals along the way, such as 30 or 60 mattresses sold, we get more money, too. The hope is that people come back year to year, or they know it’s coming so they wait to buy a mattress and get it here.”
Henderson said there’s no overhead cost on the mattresses at the fundraiser because Custom Fundraising Solutions doesn’t have a showroom. Henderson said this might lead to lower prices on mattresses than elsewhere.
“The average lifespan for a mattress is typically between six and eight years. We have no problems spending money on cars, but we have a hard time spending money on mattresses. Yet we use our mattresses more than our cars, and the better we sleep, the more energy we have throughout the day,” Henderson said. “It’s our job as a choir to try to get 10% of the population, year to year, to buy a new mattress. We’d like to get 10% of the community out here to look, with the hope to buy something.”
Henderson said the community’s support during the sale means a lot to the choir program because it is important for the choir’s annual three-day trip in the springtime.
“The community support means the world. It allows the students to utilize their gifts, to perform for people outside of their normal school obligations,” Henderson said. “Just transportation from Yelm to Lacey to SPSCC for a day is two to three grand. We have to find ways to generate funds as effectively as we can so we can do things.”
