TRAVEL STORIES
The Fundraising Idea That Brought Students Closer—and Got Them to Italy
Sarah D. | July 7, 2026
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Brent McGimpsey is an avid traveller, a former professional chef, and the founder of BC’s one-of-a-kind culinary education program. He’s also an EF Group Leader.
For Brent, food isn’t just a subject or an industry. It’s a way of learning about people, culture, and the world. That belief—inspired by Anthony Bourdain and backed up by his own adventures across Europe—is what pushed him to bring his students to Italy in spring 2026.
“It would be a super cool experience,” he said, “to be able to be like, ‘Hey, here was me in Italy 18 years ago. And then here’s a picture of us at the same place.’” So, he got to work fundraising to make the tour happen.
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How they pulled it off
When Brent became a Group Leader, he was ready to fundraise as much as he could. “I really pushed into it,” he said. And push he did. With some creativity and community support, Brent raised nearly $30,000 in a year and a half.
Here’s how they did it—and how you can, too.
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Restaurant takeovers
Through his students and their parents, Brent found a local restaurateur that agreed to host three restaurant takeovers. Using the restaurant’s commercial kitchen, students prepared a three-course dinner service, with a different Italian-themed menu each time. The restaurant also ran alcohol sales, with proceeds going to the fund. And as for the ingredients? All donated—meaning the group had no costs.
With all three events selling out, these restaurant takeovers were a huge fundraising success.
Silent auctions & 50/50 draws
During these restaurant takeovers, the group also ran silent auctions and 50/50 draws. There were $20,000–$30,000 worth of donated items available each night. And one of the parents also helped to make the silent action available online, so it was available to the entire school community, not just dinner service attendees.
To divvy up the funds raised, Brent used a proportional system, meaning students benefitted based on their effort. Between the dinner services, silent auctions, and 50/50s, students earned $700–$750 per night. That’s over $2,100 per student who volunteered across all three nights!
Community opportunities
Brent also helped organize several extra fundraising efforts, like:
Bagging groceries at FreshCo, earning around $25 each hour-long shift
Selling Rotary Duck Race tickets, making $8 made for each ticket sold. One student earned an extra $400 through Rotary
Joining FlipGive / FundScrip
Making bottle depot returns
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From fundraising to friendships
Brent’s fundraising campaign did more than help students pay for the tour. It allowed them to build community. Through months of working together, students formed personal connections, shared experiences, and grew their excitement for the adventure ahead. And by working toward a shared goal, students got to know one another in a different way. They learned how to collaborate, communicate, trust one another—how to work as a team. It meant the trip didn’t start when they left. It started when they began building it together.
Brent’s top fundraising tips
Talk to your community. Ask for advice, connections, and ideas—one conversation can
unlock opportunities you wouldn’t find on your own.
Coordinate with other groups at your school so everyone has a fair chance to reach their fundraising goals.
Don’t be afraid to send the email or make the call. It might feel awkward, but you’ll never
get their support (or a good lead) if you never ask. The worst someone can say is “no.”
Share the workload by inviting parents, colleagues, and volunteers to take ownership of
different fundraising tasks
Frequently asked questions about fundraising
I've never fundraised before — where do I even start?
Start by talking to your community. Reach out to parents, local businesses, and colleagues for advice and connections—one conversation can unlock opportunities you wouldn't find on your own. The worst someone can say is no, and you'll be surprised how many people want to help when you ask.
How do I make sure fundraising doesn't become overwhelming?
Share the workload. Invite parents, colleagues, and volunteers to take ownership of different tasks—one person can handle silent auction logistics, another can coordinate with local businesses, and so on. When everyone pitches in, it becomes manageable and builds community at the same time.
What if my subject area isn't hands-on like culinary arts—can I still fundraise this way?
Absolutely. While Brent's restaurant takeovers fit his program perfectly, the principles work for any teacher. Think about what your students can offer—tutoring sessions, car washes, bake sales, or partnering with local businesses for fundraising nights. The key is finding something that fits your group and gets students working together toward a shared goal.
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