waiting for long. She arrived a moment later at a run, clutching a small notebook and a bright purple colored pencil.
“Good, you’re all here,” she said breathlessly.
“Nice pencil,” Todd commented.
“I borrowed it from the arts and crafts room,” Stevie explained. “I wanted to make some notes, because I’ve really got it this time. We’re going to turn the horse show into a real fund-raising event!”
Carole collapsed against the fence, disappointed. “Is that it?” she said. “We thought of that already, remember? We figured out there’s no way to make enough money, even if we charge a high ticket price and sell lemonade for five dollars a cup. There just won’t be enough people at the show.”
“Wait,” Stevie said, holding up her hand. “You didn’t let me explain. We’re not just going to sell tickets andcharge for refreshments—though of course we’ll do that, too. Every little bit helps.”
“What then?” Todd asked. “Come on, the suspense is killing us.”
Stevie smiled. “We’re going to ask people to sponsor the riders.”
Carole, Phil, and Todd looked confused, but Lisa raised an eyebrow, looking interested. “Sponsor them?” she asked. “You mean like in a charity run?”
“Exactly,” Stevie said. “Except instead of pledging a certain amount per mile, like in a run, our sponsors will pledge to donate a certain amount for each fence their rider jumps cleanly.”
Lisa nodded slowly. Her mother volunteered for several charities, so Lisa knew a little about fund-raising. In this method, each competitor was responsible for signing up sponsors ahead of time, then collecting the money from them after the event. “It’s an interesting idea, and I’m sure we could raise quite a bit of money that way. But thirty thousand dollars?”
Stevie flipped open the notebook and showed her friends a page of hastily scribbled numbers. “I’ve got it all figured out,” she said. “There are about fifty riders at camp, right? And each of them will probably attempt at least eighteen fences during the show.”
“Six in hunter seat equitation, and twelve in either hunter or show jumping,” Carole said, nodding. Shewasn’t sure she completely understood this plan yet, but she couldn’t help feeling hopeful. She kept her fingers crossed and did her best to cross her toes, too.
“The way I figure it,” Stevie said, pointing at a row of figures on the notebook page, “each camper only has to get twelve people to sponsor them for three dollars per fence, and we’ll be home free with money to spare.”
Phil took the notebook and checked the numbers for himself. “That’s right,” he said. “It comes to $32,400.” He shook his head in amazement. “You know, it’s hard to believe this is the result of your lifetime C-plus average in math. You should turn in this notebook as an extracredit project next year.”
Stevie just grinned. She could tell Phil was impressed, and that was nice. But the more important thing was that her plan would work. She was sure of it.
“There’s just one problem,” Carole pointed out. “Not everyone is going to clear every fence.” She glanced at Lisa for support.
Lisa misinterpreted the glance, thinking that Carole meant that Lisa would be one of the riders who failed to ride clean. “You never know,” she said quickly, her face once again taking on a grim, determined expression. “Some riders might do just that.”
Carole was surprised by Lisa’s reaction, and it worried her more than ever. So far she hadn’t had any success in finding out what had happened to Piper—Barry wouldn’t tell her a thing—but she was determined to keep trying.
Stevie didn’t seem to notice Lisa’s comment. “I thought about that, and I don’t think we have to worry about a few downed rails here and there,” she said. “There’s sure to be a jump-off for the show-jumping event, and that means more fences for the people who make it. Besides,
“Good, you’re all here,” she said breathlessly.
“Nice pencil,” Todd commented.
“I borrowed it from the arts and crafts room,” Stevie explained. “I wanted to make some notes, because I’ve really got it this time. We’re going to turn the horse show into a real fund-raising event!”
Carole collapsed against the fence, disappointed. “Is that it?” she said. “We thought of that already, remember? We figured out there’s no way to make enough money, even if we charge a high ticket price and sell lemonade for five dollars a cup. There just won’t be enough people at the show.”
“Wait,” Stevie said, holding up her hand. “You didn’t let me explain. We’re not just going to sell tickets andcharge for refreshments—though of course we’ll do that, too. Every little bit helps.”
“What then?” Todd asked. “Come on, the suspense is killing us.”
Stevie smiled. “We’re going to ask people to sponsor the riders.”
Carole, Phil, and Todd looked confused, but Lisa raised an eyebrow, looking interested. “Sponsor them?” she asked. “You mean like in a charity run?”
“Exactly,” Stevie said. “Except instead of pledging a certain amount per mile, like in a run, our sponsors will pledge to donate a certain amount for each fence their rider jumps cleanly.”
Lisa nodded slowly. Her mother volunteered for several charities, so Lisa knew a little about fund-raising. In this method, each competitor was responsible for signing up sponsors ahead of time, then collecting the money from them after the event. “It’s an interesting idea, and I’m sure we could raise quite a bit of money that way. But thirty thousand dollars?”
Stevie flipped open the notebook and showed her friends a page of hastily scribbled numbers. “I’ve got it all figured out,” she said. “There are about fifty riders at camp, right? And each of them will probably attempt at least eighteen fences during the show.”
“Six in hunter seat equitation, and twelve in either hunter or show jumping,” Carole said, nodding. Shewasn’t sure she completely understood this plan yet, but she couldn’t help feeling hopeful. She kept her fingers crossed and did her best to cross her toes, too.
“The way I figure it,” Stevie said, pointing at a row of figures on the notebook page, “each camper only has to get twelve people to sponsor them for three dollars per fence, and we’ll be home free with money to spare.”
Phil took the notebook and checked the numbers for himself. “That’s right,” he said. “It comes to $32,400.” He shook his head in amazement. “You know, it’s hard to believe this is the result of your lifetime C-plus average in math. You should turn in this notebook as an extracredit project next year.”
Stevie just grinned. She could tell Phil was impressed, and that was nice. But the more important thing was that her plan would work. She was sure of it.
“There’s just one problem,” Carole pointed out. “Not everyone is going to clear every fence.” She glanced at Lisa for support.
Lisa misinterpreted the glance, thinking that Carole meant that Lisa would be one of the riders who failed to ride clean. “You never know,” she said quickly, her face once again taking on a grim, determined expression. “Some riders might do just that.”
Carole was surprised by Lisa’s reaction, and it worried her more than ever. So far she hadn’t had any success in finding out what had happened to Piper—Barry wouldn’t tell her a thing—but she was determined to keep trying.
Stevie didn’t seem to notice Lisa’s comment. “I thought about that, and I don’t think we have to worry about a few downed rails here and there,” she said. “There’s sure to be a jump-off for the show-jumping event, and that means more fences for the people who make it. Besides,
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