I would like to have a microphone/speakers at our event, but the church charges $50 to rent their a/v system. Wouldn't it be more practical to buy some kind of microphone and connect it to something like a boombox or my computer? Let me know if there are any inexpensive options. Thanks!
No, pay the 50. Microphones cost 50 to start and a boombox will not give you the audio you are probably looking for - just pay the 50.
$50 seems pretty reasonable. Hopefully you have a budget for your event that allows for this? Make sure you are charging a fair admission to cover your costs, or see if your service unit will subsidize it (especially if it's a multi age level event.)
Ask if anyone has a Karaoke machine that you can borrow. We have one and you can plug the mic in and use it as a PA system. It's pretty loud too. You don't have to have the music going to use the mic. Lots of kids have Karaoke machines.
Check with your local high school. I organized our council 'cookie rally' one year and the high let us use their cafeteria for free and with that came the use of the audio system! We just made sure to clean up really well after ('cuz Girl Scouts always leave a location nicer than how it was when they got there) and we had the girls sign a thank you card for them.
