In the last school activity before all Washington schools were ordered to close March 17, freshman Jasmine Do, 15, wore a mattress to entice cars to the Ilwaco High School music department fundraiser on March 14. With Do is freshman Alice Stone, 14, and sophomore German exchange student 16-year-old Holly Willing. Across the street, 15-year-old sophomore Tazlina Thomas dressed as a shark. Thomas was paired with 15-year-old freshman and part-time banana Paige Frank; and 15-year-old freshman Bethany Martin.

ILWACO — With a six-week school closure in effect, the Ilwaco High School band’s second annual mattress fundraiser on March 14 was the last school-sanctioned event for the foreseeable future.

Despite the announcement the day before that Ocean Beach School District would be closed beginning immediately, IHS band director Rachel Lake said that she was impressed by how steady foot traffic was at the fundraiser. Lake said the school district gave her the OK to move forward with this fundraiser, but noted that other planned fundraisers during the six-week closure have been postponed.

Lake said she got the idea of holding a mattress fundraiser after talking with fellow music instructors at a teaching conference a couple of years ago. She said it made for an ideal fundraising opportunity for several reasons, including its value to the community.

“I do a lot of unique fundraisers because we’re all in one small town, and so I want to do something that’s a service to our community,” said Lake. “If you’re in the market for a mattress, you might as well buy [one at the fundraiser] and support the music program.”

Lake also looks at the price margin to determine how much work it is versus the benefit to the students. Custom Fundraising Solutions, the company that holds the mattress fundraisers for schools with almost 100 locations nationwide, does the financing, delivery and pretty much everything else for the fundraiser.

Dennis Mock of Custom Fundraising Solutions said that schools aren’t on the hook for any of the costs if they fail to meet their goals or sell any mattresses. With no risk to the school or the kids, Lake said there was no reason not to give it a shot.

“The kids like it because there’s perks for selling,” explained Lake, which can include a sweatshirt produced just for this fundraiser, Dutch Bros. gift cards and even cash. “The kids don’t have to collect money, they don’t have to distribute the mattresses, they don’t have to go door-to-door selling things. They just tell everyone they know if they want to buy a mattress.”

In all, 18 mattresses, 14 pillows and 5 adjustable bed frames were sold at this year’s fundraiser. Lake said that they won’t know exactly how much they made until next week, but mentioned that they sold 25 mattresses last year and netted about $4,000.

The money raised from last year’s fundraiser went to pay for some of the music department’s smaller trips, such as an end-of-year trip to Wings & Waves Waterpark in McMinnville, Oregon and the jazz band’s trip to Reno, Nevada. Lake said she had an idea exactly where the money raised from this year’s fundraiser will go, but trips have since been postponed because of the school closure.

“The fundraiser will make our piggy bank a little bit larger for our next Disney World trip, and I know the jazz band is hoping to go on a large trip next year,” said Lake.

The department’s next Disney World trip is scheduled for 2022 and is held every four years to help ensure that each high school student in jazz band, concert band and concert choir has the opportunity to make the trek to Orlando. Students are not required to attend, but Lake said almost all of her students in 2018 went on the trip.