Anne Schoonover did what every parent should do when kids bring "special offers'' home from school. She checked the math. What she found was surprising.

Her daughter, a third-grader at Taylor Elementary in Colerain Township, was all set to take orders for "all-American" apple pie-scented candles. The flier handed out in class said, "Fundraiser For the Troops."

"Our troops need our help and this is our chance," it said. "If all 400 of our students sell just 10 of these $6.00 candles, a $1,000 contribution will be made to our troops and their families."

Not 'for the troops'

Schoonover said wait just a candle-peddling minute. "I had my daughter multiply it out. If the goal is to raise $24,000 and only $1,000 goes to the troops, that doesn't look right. That's deceptive."

When she called the PTA, she learned more that made her uneasy: Just about 4 percent would go to the troops; the PTA would get 25 percent; and 71 percent would go to Gwen Hessler Home Interiors and Gifts of Lawrenceburg, Ind. - owned by a sister-in-law of the PTA organizer.

"Capitalism is great," Schoonover said. "I have no problem with this company doing this. But when they send this letter out with my children and say they're collecting this money for the troops, no they're not."

The PTA organizer and Hessler did not return calls.

Taylor Elementary Principal Becky Karlak said she looked over the flier and saw "no problem." A previous PTA fund-raiser was disappointing, and the school has been scraping to make up the few hundred dollars' difference, she said. "Someone brought this idea to the PTA. They don't make a lot of money and they do some very good things for the school," she said.

Second thoughts

But after considering Schoonover's objections, she said, "Maybe we didn't do this right. It's a fund-raiser for Taylor. We had no idea this would be construed this way." he said the flier was not supposed to "come out that way," emphasizing the troops.

Cheryl Gabe, Northwest Schools communications coordinator, said she didn't think the flier sounded right, but the PTA was just doing its best to raise some money.

It's no sinister plot or conspiracy. Just some PTA moms who got a bit carried away, from what I could tell.

Karlak was mortified by the bad impression the fund-raiser creates and worried that it could hurt the school and the many ways the PTA helps out, with supplies, field trips and other school activities.

Taylor PTA President Karen Lawrence said, "At the very least, we should have included a letter indicating that this candle sale is a PTA fund-raiser." She's sending a letter to parents next week to explain.

She said the PTA is just a few hard-working volunteers who were trying to do the right thing. She's right. Taylor needs help, not a kick in the apple-scented candles.

But Schoonover was doing the right thing, too. She says she doesn't want her daughter used as a "pitchman" for fund-raisers that don't deliver what they promise. She said the school should be more careful.

Good point. There are so many people jumping on the bandwagon to "support the troops," there's hardly any room for the soldiers who won the war.

E-mail pbronson@enquirer.com or call 768-8301.