You can trace back the origins of Labor Day to September 5, 1882, where the Knights of Labor organized a parade in New York City. The Knight of Labor was a labor organization founded in Philadelphia involved in several strikes and boycotts against industry leaders. Their main goals were to: create an 8-hour day, abolish child labor, maintain equal pay for all, and eliminate private banks.
 
Two years to the day, a resolution was passed to make it an annual event. May 1st was favored by many labor organizations, more importantly the affiliates of the International Workingmen’s Association. However, the date remains unchanged and has been adopted by the US and Canada.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Ultimately, the first question you ask yourself when realizing your group needs to fundraise is “What Is It That We Want To Sell?”
 
Thousands of products are available for fundraising programs ranging from candy to nuts, cookies to wrapping paper, and inspirational goods to sausage and cheese. Anything people consume or use can, in some form or another, be re-sold to them by groups for a profit.
 
Refer to the following 6 tips in helping you choose the ideal fundraising product or program for your group:
 
1. Determine the amount of money you need to raise. Goals based on your group's needs work better than just one that sounds good. If your group needs to raise a few hundred dollars, lollipops or a small order of candy bars may be appropriate. If you need to raise over $5,000, you may want to use an order taker fundraiser like a popular chocolate brochure program or a cookie dough fundraiser.
 
2. Decide what your group enjoys selling. Your group members will determine the success of your fundraiser. Ask them what they would like to sell and what they'd absolutely not like to sell. The more they like the products, the more confident and motivated they will be to sell them.
 
3. Refer to your past successful fundraisers. As the saying goes 'If it ain't broke don't fix it'. If you've been having success with a certain program year after year - stick to it. Chances are, your supporters are expecting you at that same time every year and your participants are comfortable with selling the product.
 
4. Determine the time in which you need to raise money. If you need to raise funds within 1.5-2 weeks, we suggest you fundraise using direct-sale products. Pre-sale programs ( order taker ) do take longer than direct sale programs (candy bars, lollipops etc.). If you have 4 weeks or more to wrap up your fundraiser, a pre-sale (order taker) brochure may be ideal.
 
5. Evaluate the Quality of the Products you are Selling. Supporting a worthy cause will make a consumer happy, however they won't be very interested in paying for inferior or significantly overpriced products. Remember that your fundraiser may be an annual or semi-annual event, and nothing builds profits like a reputation for offering top quality products.
 
6. Try to Match Price to the Income Level of the Community. Make sure that the retail price of the products offered is priced fairly. Offering a fairly priced good at a price that's affordable to help a good cause will lead to quick success!