Target and the Salvation Army, The great irony!

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

DW Lauri had to have the SA Bell Ringers removed from the front of her store one year and they were never invited back to her mall.

They were told they had to stand in front of the mall entrance (her mall is half inclosed, half outside and her store is the first one outside the mall entrance) Anyway, they kept gravitating over closer and closer to the front doors of Lauri's store with thier beach chairs and coolers and whole nine yards. They got to the point where they decided that they would make more money if they literally put their chair in front of one of the 2 doors to Lauri's store and stand in front of the other one and basically charge admission to get in. If the person refused to give, they would tell them that they would get the money out of them before they left.

Lauri called the mall and the police and had them moved back to their assigned spot - and you can guess it - within a half an hour they were right back blocking the door and threatening customers.

Lauri called the cops and the mall again and told them to remove them from the property or at least from her side. The older gentleman that was ringing the bells came in and threatened to KILL Lauri. Lauri called up the head of the SA in Richmond and had them down in that store apologizing so fast your head would spin.

That was the second time she had a run in with the Salvation Army. Before that, they asked her if they could use her store as a drop off for stockings that people take and fill for underprivledged children. She spent a lot of man hours collecting and assembling the hundreds of stockings dropped off. When they came to pick them up they handed her a bill for $350 - because they said the name of her store as a drop off point on the radio, they said she could pay for part of the ad.

 

[DawnCt1]

Lauri called up the head of the SA in Richmond and had them down in that store apologizing so fast your head would spin.

That was the second time she had a run in with the Salvation Army. Before that, they asked her if they could use her store as a drop off for stockings that people take and fill for underprivledged children. She spent a lot of man hours collecting and assembling the hundreds of stockings dropped off. When they came to pick them up they handed her a bill for $350 - because they said the name of her store as a drop off point on the radio, they said she could pay for part of the ad.

Well it doesn't sound like your DW or her business, or the customers were treated very well. That has never been my experience but an organization is only as good as the weakest link. Sounds like you had a lose chain or two in your area.

 

[N.Bailey]

DW Lauri had to have the SA Bell Ringers removed from the front of her store one year and they were never invited back to her mall.

They were told they had to stand in front of the mall entrance (her mall is half inclosed, half outside and her store is the first one outside the mall entrance) Anyway, they kept gravitating over closer and closer to the front doors of Lauri's store with thier beach chairs and coolers and whole nine yards. They got to the point where they decided that they would make more money if they literally put their chair in front of one of the 2 doors to Lauri's store and stand in front of the other one and basically charge admission to get in. If the person refused to give, they would tell them that they would get the money out of them before they left.

Lauri called the mall and the police and had them moved back to their assigned spot - and you can guess it - within a half an hour they were right back blocking the door and threatening customers.

Lauri called the cops and the mall again and told them to remove them from the property or at least from her side. The older gentleman that was ringing the bells came in and threatened to KILL Lauri. Lauri called up the head of the SA in Richmond and had them down in that store apologizing so fast your head would spin.

That was the second time she had a run in with the Salvation Army. Before that, they asked her if they could use her store as a drop off for stockings that people take and fill for underprivledged children. She spent a lot of man hours collecting and assembling the hundreds of stockings dropped off. When they came to pick them up they handed her a bill for $350 - because they said the name of her store as a drop off point on the radio, they said she could pay for part of the ad.

1st off, I'm shocked to hear that the radio station would charge for a charitable ad. Around here, I do believe it's a service that our local station does free of charge.

As for the rest of your post, I'd be shocked to find out this is the SA's policy and not the work of a couple slime balls setting their own standards.

I do hope Lauri didn't pay the bill. From your post; my hunch is, she did not.

 

[powellrj]

Many years ago I worked for a small grocery chain. We were targeted by the union and our office was told that if you let the salvation army or any charity collect or sell in front of your store, you had to allow the union to do the same. They chose to not allow anyone to collect or sell in front of the store the keep the union out. While I am not sure if this is true with Target, I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with it.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I do hope Lauri didn't pay the bill. From your post; my hunch is, she did not.

It went straight to file #13 - you know, that nice round file next to the desk? Sad thing is, that was the third year that her company had done that for the SA and the first time they decided to stick them with a bill. She should have billed them for all the space in the stockroom they used storing everything for them.

And those bellringers - I believe Lauri said they were volunteering from some Veterans group

 

[cardaway]

Orginally posted by DAWNCt1: Did anyone force you to respond to this thread or did you just want to start an arguement?

Now that is an example of irony!

 

[N.Bailey]

It went straight to file #13 - you know, that nice round file next to the desk? Sad thing is, that was the third year that her company had done that for the SA and the first time they decided to stick them with a bill. She should have billed them for all the space in the stockroom they used storing everything for them.

And those bellringers - I believe Lauri said they were volunteering from some Veterans group

That's what we call, filing it under "T". Good for her!

 

[DawnCt1]

Orginally posted by DAWNCt1: Did anyone force you to respond to this thread or did you just want to start an arguement?

There are some issues for debate and some issues for light discussion. I guess you and she have some difficulty telling the difference. But no matter what Cardaway, its "always personal" isn't it.

 

[cardaway]

There are some issues for debate and some issues for light discussion. I guess you and she have some difficulty telling the difference. But no matter what Cardaway, its "always personal" isn't it.

And you are the only one fit to determine which is which.

It's true folks, just ask her.

 

[DawnCt1]

And you are the only one fit to determine which is which.

It's true folks, just ask her.

Not at all. I was being told by some posters what my "true" intentions were.

 

[vivilasvegas]

I'm more annoyed by the kids selling candy for their team or whatever.

These two kids were outside Old Navy the other day. When I went in, the price was 1 candy bar for $2, or 2 candy bars for $3. Keep in mind, these were snickers and such, which I could buy for less than a dollar at the store!!

When I came out, the price was 1 for $3 and 2 for $5! Inflation?


At this point, I have no idea if the kids were lying to me or what, so I just gave him a dollar for creativity!!

 

[cardaway]

Not at all. I was being told by some posters what my "true" intentions were.

If anything they should be called out for stating the obvious.

 

[C.Ann]

The Salvation Army is not a very good charity, in my opinion--they hide behind their status as a religious organization and refuse to release their financial figures, plus they are ultra-conservative, politically and socially. They do not pay their workers even minimum wage. I have had very negative experiences with the SA keeping my donations for their own organization after promising that the money I gave would go directly to a program that funded medical care for the homeless (several times, the $$ was never passed on to the medical group).

All in all, I don't mind if Target doesn't allow bell-ringers on their premises.

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I'm another one that doesn't hold the Salvation Army in very high regard.. My best friend's mother worked for them for many, many years - traveling to various stores throughout the region.. Without fail, when the donations arrived at the stores all of the best merchandise (designer clothes, etc.); most popular toys; furniture and antiques were scooped up by the workers and stashed in their cars.. Only the "junk" made it out to the sales floor for the needy..

 

[cardaway]

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I'm another one that doesn't hold the Salvation Army in very high regard.. My best friend's mother worked for them for many, many years - traveling to various stores throughout the region.. Without fail, when the donations arrived at the stores all of the best merchandise (designer clothes, etc.); most popular toys; furniture and antiques were scooped up by the workers and stashed in their cars.. Only the "junk" made it out to the sales floor for the needy..

That kind of thing is widely reported. Count me in as another person who doesn't think much of the SA.

 

[Planogirl]

I don't mind Target excluding the bell ringers. I know that they do a lot for charity on a corporate level and I go to Wal-Mart enough to throw some change in the kettle. The Wal-Mart bell ringers have never been too pesty from my experience so all is good.

The girl scouts in front of the stores get a little pushy when they're selling but they're way too cute to get mad at!

 

[DawnCt1]

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I'm another one that doesn't hold the Salvation Army in very high regard.. My best friend's mother worked for them for many, many years - traveling to various stores throughout the region.. Without fail, when the donations arrived at the stores all of the best merchandise (designer clothes, etc.); most popular toys; furniture and antiques were scooped up by the workers and stashed in their cars.. Only the "junk" made it out to the sales floor for the needy..

Again, I doubt that it the policy of the S/A. There are bad workers in every organization, company, etc. To me that is theft and should be treated as such.

 

[cardaway]

I don't mind Target excluding the bell ringers. I know that they do a lot for charity on a corporate level and I go to Wal-Mart enough to throw some change in the kettle. The Wal-Mart bell ringers have never been too pesty from my experience so all is good.

For good reason. It was pretty nasty in there today and it appeared that anybody coming out was ready to take off the head of anybody who got in their face.

 

[disneynutt1225]

See, this just makes too much sense and isn't controversial at all.

Please refrain from this type of post here in the future. It just doesn't fit in.

Wow, wine through the nose....isn't that alcohol abuse?

 

[minniecarousel]

I like that Target doesn't allow SA to place bell-ringers in front of the store. What a relief to walk into a store without having to walk past them! I walk past them with a clear conscience at the grocery store since I went ahead and mailed a small check directly to SA. Some of the characters that SA has ringing the bell makes me wonder if the $$ makes it to HQ!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

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I'm another one that doesn't hold the Salvation Army in very high regard.. My best friend's mother worked for them for many, many years - traveling to various stores throughout the region.. Without fail, when the donations arrived at the stores all of the best merchandise (designer clothes, etc.); most popular toys; furniture and antiques were scooped up by the workers and stashed in their cars.. Only the "junk" made it out to the sales floor for the needy..

This is certainly true in my area. The store in my town has pure junk. I used to frequent the SA in my town about every 1-2 weeks when I was selling on Ebay regularly because they occasionally overlooked a valuable book.

Once, when I was sick with the flu, DH invited me to the SA (to get me out of the house--I had been stuck in the house for a full 7 days, too sick to leave ). At the SA, we overheard the manager say they were having a warehouse sale because they were going to be moving to a different warehouse.

So off we went to the warehouse, and found all kinds of really nice stuff! Dolls, nearly-new children's books, and collectible glassware and pottery. NONE of that kind of stuff ever made it to the store. I would just love to know whether the "pickers" were SA management or just friends of the staff.