A distinct yet expected smell of cheese pizza pervades the pizza place as people begin to enter more frequently as it approaches dinner time. The FBLA officers take up two booths for themselves, as they work on their homework, snapchat their friends and surf the internet, waiting for members to show up.

On Oct. 21, FBLA held a fundraiser at Pizza My Heart from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., a new practice for the forty-year-old club. Last year, FBLA asked its approximately 200 members to pay $35 for membership. However, due to new California legislation, clubs can no longer collect school membership fees. This year, to adapt to the new standards, FBLA plans to hold more restaurant fundraisers.

“It’s definitely not like a ‘we-are-going-to-die-without-it’ kind of situation,” senior Vice President Priyanka Achalu said. “We have money from last year’s funds.”

With Homecoming week and the PSAT interfering with their schedule, FBLA had to cancel its Leadership Development Institute conference on Oct. 18 and 19. In the previous years, the conference had been a place for members to connect. Therefore, FBLA decided to revive the idea of restaurant fundraisers as a place for members to socialize. The club intends to organize such events more frequently.

“Members come together, eat dinner together, and bond before conference season starts,” senior Director of Conferences Neil Gupta said.

New FBLA member and freshman Emily Su attended the event, and found it to be a way to socialize with new friends.

“Everyone has been really welcoming,” said Su. “It’s a really family-like environment.”

Pizza My Heart, who often give generous donations to school organizations, agreed to give FBLA 30 percent of collections. FBLA hopes to increase both their treasury and member satisfaction by using the money to pay for member socials, conferences, tours and t-shirts. Despite the barriers new California laws have placed, FBLA continues to look for solutions to stay on track.

Reported by Malini Ramaiyer and Kalpana Gopalkrishnan.