10 Wild Charity Challenges: Fundraising Beyond the Bake Sale

Are you tired of the same old fundraising routines? While bake sales and sponsored walks have their place, the world of charity is buzzing with fresh, exciting, and sometimes downright wild ideas! If you’re looking for inspiration that breaks the mold, you’ve come to the right place. Get ready to explore ten incredible charity challenges that prove creativity knows no bounds when it comes to supporting a good cause.

1. Stop Playing That Song

Imagine a fundraiser where the goal is to annoy people into donating! That’s exactly what Tenino High School in Washington did in 2014. They played Justin Bieber’s song “Baby” on repeat during every school break – recess, lunch, and between classes. Students, with comments like “my head is about to explode,” eagerly donated to make the music stop.

This brilliantly simple strategy aimed to raise funds for disadvantaged orphans from Ghana. Amazingly, the school nearly doubled its target in just a day and a half! The original concept, “Stop the Bieber,” came from students at Evanston Township High School in Illinois back in 2011. It just goes to show, sometimes a little irritation can go a long way for charity.

2. Tower of Cupcakes

Charity bake sales reached new heights – literally – in 2017. The South African charity Cupcakes of Hope constructed an incredible 10.7-meter-tall (35-foot) tower made entirely of cupcakes! This sweet spectacle was built to raise money for children’s cancer research.

The impressive, and no doubt delicious, structure in Vereeniging, South Africa, was a community effort, supported by local businesses. It featured 6,370 cupcakes carefully arranged on a cone-shaped frame, weighing a hefty 1,200 kilograms (2,646 pounds). One can only imagine the logistics, with cranes involved in its setup and takedown! The event was a huge success, and many cupcakes were gifted to children’s homes and hospitals. For a time, it even held the Guinness Record for the World’s Tallest Tower of Cupcakes.

3. Hands Across America

Picture this: millions of people holding hands in a continuous chain stretching from New York to Los Angeles. That was Hands Across America in 1986. This monumental event, organized before the internet and smartphones made coordination easier, aimed to raise money to combat poverty in America.

An estimated 5.5 million people paid to be part of this 15-minute human chain, which crossed 17 states. Even President Ronald Reagan joined in! While the dream of an unbroken chain wasn’t perfectly realized (some gaps occurred in remote areas), participants creatively used ribbons, buses, and even livestock to bridge them. Ken Kragen, the organizer, later joked that today, people might be too busy taking selfies to hold hands effectively!

4. Human Hamster Wheel

British endurance athlete Chris Todd decided that crossing the Irish Sea needed a unique twist. In 2012, he attempted the journey inside a giant, human-powered hamster wheel he designed and built himself! This steel paddlewheel, named the Tredalo, took nearly a year to construct with help from family and friends.

Todd’s goal was to “walk on water” from Wales to Ireland, a two-day slog, to raise funds for the Wiltshire Blind Association and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. Equipped with a support boat carrying water and chocolate bars, he made good progress initially. However, unpredictable weather and strong winds damaged the wheel’s rudders, forcing him to abandon the quest. Despite not completing the crossing, Todd raised funds and showcased incredible ingenuity.

5. Giant Waterslide

In 2013, two New Zealanders from the mental health charity Live More Awesome embarked on a mission to build the world’s longest waterslide. Their first attempt involved digging a 554-meter trench into a hill – a massive undertaking! While the event was a success and gained media attention, restoring the farmer’s land was tough work.

Undeterred, Jimi Hunt and Dan Drupsteen returned with Plan B: an enormous, 600-meter (1,968-foot) long inflatable waterslide! This polyvinyl chloride marvel, weighing 7 tons, allowed riders to reach speeds of 53 kilometers per hour. From 2015 to 2018, it became a popular attraction at Jonkers Farm, with all proceeds supporting mental health initiatives. It even held a Guinness Record and later moved to Action Park in New Jersey.

6. Stormtrooper Trek

Walking across Australia is a marathon effort. Doing it dressed as a Star Wars stormtrooper? That’s next-level dedication! Scott Loxley undertook this incredible 15,000-kilometer (9,320-mile) journey between 2013 and 2015 to raise money for the Monash Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

For over 400 days, Loxley battled extreme temperatures (up to 45°C or 113°F) and challenging terrain, all while wearing the iconic, clunky armor. He had many adventures, from swimming with a crocodile to riding a camel, and went through over thirty pairs of shoes. Ironically, the cumbersome suit that made the trek so difficult also saved him when a snake lunged and bit him – its fangs couldn’t penetrate the armor!

7. Unicycle Quest

Continuing the theme of epic Australian journeys, imagine balancing your way around the continent on a unicycle! Australian actor Samuel Johnson did just that in 2013-2014. This year-long, 15,995-kilometer (9,938-mile) ride was to raise funds and awareness for the Love Your Sister charity, founded in honor of his sister Connie, who was battling cancer.

What started as a joking dare became a reality through sheer determination. Johnson persevered through heat, rain, and cold, ultimately setting a Guinness Record for the World’s Longest Unicycle Ride. After an emotional finish in Melbourne, he humorously described unicycles as “implausible contraptions.” Sadly, Connie passed away in 2017, but Samuel continues his passionate work for the charity.

8. 70 Skydives for 70th Birthday

Larry Ekstrom from Michigan redefined birthday celebrations. For his 70th birthday in 2012, instead of a quiet party, he completed an astounding 70 consecutive skydives in 10 hours! This breathtaking feat raised funds for Leader Dogs for the Blind, a Michigan-based seeing-eye dog charity.

An experienced skydiver, Ekstrom approached each jump with a calm, focused attitude, going through eight different parachutes during his day-long mission. This wasn’t his first milestone dive; for his 60th birthday, he did 60 skydives to raise money for multiple sclerosis research, a condition his wife faced. His pilot even joked that the dynamic diver “wore him out!”

9. 90-Year-Old Daredevil

Betty Bromage, a resident of Abbeyfield House care home in Cheltenham, UK, proves that age is just a number. To celebrate her 90th year in 2019, this thrill-seeker completed a trio of spectacular, age-defying stunts. Her adventures raised funds for a new summerhouse and community garden at her care home.

First, Bromage took to the skies for a wing walk in April – her fourth at the time, making her the World’s Oldest Female Wing-Walker. Then, in May, she sped across the world’s fastest zip wire in Snowdonia, Wales. She capped off her daring year by rappelling down the 52-meter (170-foot) Eagle Tower in Cheltenham in September. After her rappel, Betty mentioned needing “a good gin and tonic,” and hopes her high-flying antics will “blow some of my wrinkles away.”

10. High-Altitude Dinner Party

Extreme adventurer Bear Grylls is no stranger to bizarre challenges, but a formal dinner party at 7.4 kilometers (4.6 miles) above ground takes dining to a new level! In 2005, Grylls, along with fellow adventurers David Hempleman-Adams and Lieutenant Commander Alan Veal, had a three-course meal on a table suspended beneath a hot air balloon.

This unique event raised money for The Prince’s Trust and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Dressed in formal attire, complete with oxygen masks and safety gear, the diners enjoyed asparagus tips, duck à l’orange, and fruit terrine over about 20 minutes. Cutlery and plates were secured to the table, and the meal broke the Guinness Record for the World’s Highest Formal Dinner Party. After dessert, they skydived back to Earth! The stunt was incredibly dangerous due to the risk of hypoxia, but all ended well for these high-flying philanthropists.

These ten extraordinary charity challenges prove that fundraising doesn’t have to be conventional to be effective. From enduring annoying songs to dining amongst the clouds, each idea showcases immense creativity, determination, and a deep desire to make a difference. Hopefully, these stories have sparked some out-of-the-box thinking for your own charitable endeavors!

Which of these amazing charity challenges impressed you the most? Do you have any wild fundraising ideas of your own? Share your thoughts in the comments below!