We hold an annual golf tournament to raise a lot of money. I doubt you could hold one in this amount of time and set everything up, but you can hit up our website for all the information on how to run a successful one:
www.teamfusion364.org. Another idea is to ask the school if they can help support you; go to the school board and tell them your dilemma. You can try to find a hotel on the Gulf Coast. I know Team Fusion is just sleeping in our own beds for the Bayou Regional, and we're driving over very early every morning. I know you can get hotel rooms around here pretty cheap, and most are in very decent areas; in fact, I don't know of a bad hotel around here!
If you have any questions, especially about hotel choices, you can contact me. As far as money donation from Team Fusion, I doubt it since our income has been very limited due to Katrina... half of our sponsors are now out in the Gulf of Mexico.
In the long run, I would definitely recommend the golf tournament. We raise over $15,000 every year from a one day event. It's a real team effort though, and a lot of planning is required. As for quick money, I like the idea of the grocery store. Bring your robot from last year if possible. Try calling some local businesses and see if they will help you out; you would be very surprised by how much a business will give if you call them, walk into the business, and talk to the manager about what robotics means to you. By doing this, Team Fusion was easily able to get an amplifier for our cart (which we can no longer use
) and a very nice stereo.
If you stay on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Team Fusion may (very little may) be able to help out with transportation. We're already planning on busing over our whole team, then we had a bunch of Vex students that we mentored that are going in another bus, and then some from school to spectate, so basically we are already responsible for probably 100 people going. Maybe try getting some of the Team's parents to drive everyone to the competition in Mini Vans, and get someone with a truck to transport tools and supplies.
As for fixing the robot, you will see me in Team Fusion's pit, most likely very bored, so you can hit me up for some help. Last year I helped build an entire robot at the Bayou Regional, so I'm used to it.
Good Luck