For Teacher and Staff appreciation week. I went to the PTO meeting as I do each month and was TOLD they needed desserts for next week. Starting monday and ending on friday. Do you know how much cake that is? 
They want...
Mon.-1/4 sheet for staff
Tues.- 1 2in double layer for the secretary
Wed.- 1 2in double for the principal
Thur.- 1/4 sheet for staff
Fri.- 1 2in double for somebunny(can't remember)
1/4 sheet for the cafeteria people
1/4 for the rectory staff
1/4 for the gym staff
Sooooo, I said what about payment for the cakes, the PTO pres said, use it as a tax write off. 
PLUS...They want a full sheet for 8th grade graduation.
All of this in the next 2 weeks or so.
I have an idea of what I am going to say/do, but I wanted to know what you think CCer's.
Patricia
Not only would I say NO, I would also add "HECK NO"
I'd give them the number to the local walmart and tell them to give them a call. and leave it at that.
the nerve.
melody
No way! That is a TON of work on short notice, even if they HAD asked instead of TOLD you and were paying! Since neither is happening - I'd politely tell them that they can choose from the selection at the nearest Sam's/Costco/Kroger/Publix/Farmer Jack/whatever is around!
They are using you....SAY NO! That's ridiculous that they would expect any parent to donate THAT much!! Run girl.......
(Ouch!! Wait a sec .... let me put a band-aid on the rug burn I got on my chin when my mouth hit the floor on this one!)
You gotta be freakin' kidding us!!!! Most of what I'd like to say would get me banned from this site in a nano-second.
I figured this would take roughly 17 (OR MORE!) cake mixes, which is what I would use to make a wedding cake for 250 people x $2.50/serving = $625 they are asking you to donate. Over $300 a week. Do they realize that there are people out there who have to pay rent and feed their kids on less than $300 a week and they want you to just hand that to them!!! The ARROGANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Excuse me..... let me bend over so it's easier for you to take a flyin' kissa my a$$!"
(Edited to add that I overlooked the full sheet cake when I did my computations! now I've even MORE ticked!)
You go indydebi!! 
My thoughts exactly!!!
"Here is my price list. If that does not work for you, I'm sorry but I guess you'll have to go to Walmart and get their crappy cakes instead."
i would say nope, just more for their attitude then anything. i don't do well with people telling me to do something for free or as a tax write off. that's a lot of work and money from your pocket and life and they are expecting way too much if they aren't willing to pay. as mentioned above (sorry, i forgot who posted it) hand them your price list and tell them that's what you expect or you won't do it.
good luck
Amy
indydebi YOU ARE SOO RIGHT!!! I WISH i COULD SAY HALF THE THINGS YOU JUST SAID! 
So now, this is the PTA right? Just a bunch of Mom's? (you're not just a mom!) So, ASK them if they would just like to hand over $600 dollars for some cake in the next week out of their pocket? 
Or maybe if an unexpected expense came along that they just had to DONATE all of a sudden! I don't think so!! 
That is soo RUDE! I wouldn't do it in a second! I would say "Heck no! I am not breakin' my back if you aren't payin' up!"
I can't WAIT to see what you do!!!
Did they not AT THE VERY LEAST offer to buy the ingredients to make all those cakes? What nerve!!!
wow, like Indydebi said, let me get a bandaid and What did Walmart say?!!
OMG, I have just started to go to the PTO meetings for my sons school.
These guys knew this was comming, it comes every year. They should have put it in their budget.
I saw it on my PTO's budget! They also have a good working relationship with the local grocers and get a bunch of stuff donated.
That is just so rude!!! These people obviously do not know anything about baking!
I say, you go back to them, and say, here is the basic cost for the ingredients. This is the cost for my labour. With a discount I will give you the total would be this $$X, so put it in your budget for next year and oh yeah.. I advise my clients of my 1 month notice for orders not 1 week!
How rude!
If you were to decide to do part of it, then I say have them at least pay for the basics and just donate your time, ok part of your time... maybe!!
Man, how rude.
Good Luck!
I do a lot of baking for school and I will tell you unfortunately, no one really appreciates the amount of work that goes into a cake. Even some of my worst cakes have taken me 6-10 hrs.
Because you were not asked and it was put to you in such a fashion that you were expected to do it I would just simply state that maybe you could donate one cake for one of the days but that you are much too busy with other orders to complete such a last minute request. And I would venture to state that being told the week before is in fact very last minute in my opinion.
Also, just because you do cakes does not mean you can take it as a tax deductible donation. You still have to spend money to get that donation. If you don't spend it then you don't need a deduction.
So don't worry. Asking you in such a manner is also disrespectful. I don't mind volunteering and I know like most schools it always falls upon the same people but treating you in such a manner is very very disrespectful not only of you but of your time. Plus the response about the taxes just also assumes that this woman knows something about what you should do with your finances and how you should spend your money? Let her spend hers. I am sure that they order pizza in for their meetings because it is not their money that they are spending.
They must think you a stay at home mom who supposedly does nothing. I gave up a full time very high paying career and I can tell you that it would be difficult to keep up with me and the work I do. So I hate it when people think that they can take advantage of my time just because I choose to work in the home.
Be strong, stand proud and say "NO" thank you; maybe some other time.
I can see this another way, yet I just do cakes on the side and its not my full time job. I too have been ask by the school to a do a large cake that would feed about 80 to 90 people for this comming week. I have no problem doing this because I did the same thing last year , I did five different cakes , a chocolate covered strawberries, a cake with fruit and three other types of cake. I did this for free. why? to get my name out and so they could see what i could do. The results I had a lot of orders from the school for upcomming birthday and events. I was call by the person who does the catering for the school about doing a cake for the schools graduation ( she was told by the principal to contact me). No I would not do all the cake that were requested by indydebi, Yet i would try to work out something with them. The two tier wedding cake which I just had question about was for the same school and it was a paid cake . They were giving someone a bridal shower at the school and guess who they wanted to do the cake ME!!!!!!! The teachers refers me to the students parents when giving parties at school. My rule is i might donate a cake or two once after that i am assuming that you have seen my work and the taste to the cake so i am expecting your next order to be a paid one which usually are.
Well IndyDeb voices my opinion too. Really....let them try to go to any bakery or Walmart and ask for all those cakes and then say " take it off your taxes...we aren't paying you".....NO WAY!!
My time is more valuable to me and to not even try to negotiate a price with you says they do not value you as a person or a professional. They look at you as someone to just give it all to them.
Now I might (like someone else said) donate one cake but not the whole thing.
JUST SAY "NO"!!!!
Wow! That's an awful lot to ask of you and how dare they mention the tax deduction thing! I have a cake decorating business and I would be highly upset if someone suggested such a thing. I do a lot of 'charity' cakes, donate cake certificates for raffles, free cakes for the football banquet, etc but it's my choice and my way of showing my support. I can't believe any group would expect all that of you!! I'm shocked. Di
Well I would offer to do ONE cake and tell them they will have to get other people to either buy or make the other ones.
If they say anything about that then I would tell them that making cakes is your job and let them know how much you would charge for just one cake. Then ask them if they would go to their job and work for free.
I often think people don't get it.
I was PTO president in my daughters school for 10 years. Everything for staff appreciation was paid for with PTO money. We held a luncheon on one day and some of the PTO committee would bring one type of dessert (cookies, brownies, etc.) There is no way you should do this without getting paid and to linger this on all week with each group getting their own cake is a joke. Just because it's Teacher and Staff Appreciation week doesn't mean you have to celebrate all week long.
wow. even my husband was in shock when I told him. "They just TOLD her? Now one, I could see, but..."
Honestly, it may sound mean, but I wouldn't offer to do even one cake. If you do, then they will think it is acceptable to talk to you this way, but earlier.
I think it needs to be clear that you do not mind being asked if you would CONSIDER donating 1 or more cakes, but they should be asking all the moms to donate baked goods or time, etc., unless they are paying you.
Do not let them walk all over you! If you choose to donate a cake, I would make a point of saying that you wanted to donate this cake, not because you were informed that you should, but because YOU wanted to thank the teachers, etc.
Kathi
P.S. I am a pre-school teacher!
I prefer to answer the "donation dilemna" in a former quote from indydebi-when you can get the stores to donate my mixes, eggs, butter, etc, I'll be happy to whip it up and donate it back to you. (hope I'm not remembering it wrong because I think of that OFTEN!!!)
I donate A cake or two a year for different events at school because I CHOOSE to do so. If someone told me I needed to make one, that is no longer my choice. I would tell them you'll be happy to do this one and this one (or pick a day and do the cakes for the day) but that's where it has to stop. HONESTLY, I would pick the 8th grade graduation cake...it's a whopper, but you can make it REALLY nice and that's what all the parents will remember next year when they need birthday cakes. LEAVE YOUR NAME EVERYWHERE-heck, SIGN the cake! LOL
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