We do a charity raffle quilt every other year. Almost a year goes into the planning, making and marketing. Planning includes having a committee choose 2 or 3 patterns, followed by a vote of members. They then purchase fabric and prepare "kits." All members are asked to do a couple of blocks. Discussion is held on where proceeds will go (we've given it to a cardiac care unit @ local hospital, a hospice, this year was a local day care that many low-income families use). Blocks are assembled into top by the committe, tickets sold by members (who also go to a local bank, craft/flea market a couple of times). Usually, people @ place receiving the $ will also sell tickets. Longarm quilting has been donated sometimes, other times we've paid for it.
A very popular monthly activity has been "Strippers." Each month, members who want to participate bring the strip color for that month and they are swapped out. This past year was 2 1/2" strips, but they've also done charms.
October or November we have a few members from the program committee present quick/easy Christmas gift ideas. Some examples are bread basket liners, gift card holders, rice bags for the microwave, coasters, etc.
Our December and June meetings are held at a local senior living facility. We use their community room and it is a dish to pass and show and tell. Residents are welcome, and encouraged to bring anything they may care to share. Last year, a gentleman went back up to his room amd brought back a beautiful painting that his son had done and given him. The June one, although held indoors, is a "picnic" theme. At the December one, there is a gift exchange for anyone who wants to bring a handmade item - ranging from jelly to pillows.
We meet in a church dining hall, and this past year started doing a sew-in each month. Each month, a Saturday is set aside as a day for anyone who cares to bring their projects to work on from 9 - 3. Those coming bring a dish to pass for lunch. It's been great - lots of concentrated sewing time without jumping up to do laundry, answer phones, etc.
As posted previously, we also have LQS come in - maybe 1x per year. That's great fun - we get to see some new things and shop without going out again!
This year, we are starting to do more small charity projects. We'll be working on bags for children who are removed from homes by Child Protective Services as well as chemo caps for folks undergoing chemo. Free patterns are available for these on the internet.
If you have clever members, you might have somebody do a demo on household items that can be used for quilting. Sorry to say that right now, all I remember is using baskets/plastic containers to organize pieces for blocks...
We usually have an organized shop hop trip 1x per year, in conjunction with a shop hop that is going on "locally." Here, that would generally mean one of three or four hops in different areas - southern tier, CNY, Buffalo area or Rochester area. It's a little pricy - about $40 per person, which pays for the bus and tip for driver. It's not a huge bus - mabye 25 or so?
A "garage sale" or swap meeting - bring your no longer needed/wanted notions, patterns and trade or sell them.
I'll be watching to get some more good ideas!