Battle of the all stars dunk tank
A properly run dunk tank can be an incredibly lucrative fundraiser, especially if you put a much-beloved or much-maligned figure in the tank. If you're skilled enough or lucky enough, you'll drop someone into a tub of water, to the delight of the surrounding crowd. They're an icon at fairs, carnivals and fundraisers - dunk tanks. Check that there are plenty of towels on hand so that your volunteers aren't cold, wet and shivering when they're not in the tank - you should probably switch them around every thirty minutes or so. Brightly colored, funky outfits can be worn by participants, who are allowed to heckle (in good fun!) everyone who has a go at dunking them. Of course you're also going to need some people who are ready to be dunked. If possible, rent out a party tent so that some shade is provided for your volunteers. Organize a group of volunteers for collecting money, giving out the softballs, and generally encouraging people passing by to have a go. Wherever you have your event, you're going to require reliable access to a water source to keep the tank filled and topped up (remember water will get splashed out through the day). One useful way of drumming up support for your fundraiser is to speak to a pool supply store or boat dealership about hosting your event on their grounds - what better way to get people thinking about swimming pools and boating than by watching participants splash around in the water? Try movie theaters, malls, big box stores, home improvement stores, restaurants and so on. You might want to speak to local businesses about setting up the dunk tank in front of their offices for a day.
Once acquired, a dunk tank can be positioned just about anywhere that sees a lot of passing foot traffic - this will help draw people in to have a go at throwing a few balls for a small fee. If you don't have one, they are available to rent (ask the rental agency to see if any discount might be available as a favor to your charity). If your group already has access to a dunk tank or you've used one at other events then you're all set.
It's difficult to beat the thrill and satisfaction of throwing a softball as hard as possible in order to dunk someone in a tank of water - it's a lot of fun to do and a great way to raise money in any location, particularly during the summertime.