PATRIOT VOCALS
GUERILLA REPORTER
November 26, 2004
Target Stores boot Salvation Army
bell ringers off premises
Dear
Mario,
I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving.
Sad to say, if Target stores refuse to reverse their policy, thousands poor
and needy will not have a very happy Christmas. Why? Because Target stores
nationwide have banned the Salvation Army's red kettle campaign. They have
told The Salvation Army's bell ringers, "You're no longer welcome
here."
Target spokesperson Jennifer Hanson said that allowing the Salvation Army to
collect funds as a mission of hope for the hungry, the homebound, and the
helpless would violate their 'no solicitation' policy.
Target's new policy is opposite of that with community-minded giants like
Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney's, and Big Lots. They believe the Salvation Army serves
a critical need by offering kindness to a family in need.
"Last year, bell ringers raised about $8.8 million nationally outside
Target stores," Major George Hood, Community Relations Secretary for the
Salvation Army U.S.A.
Target's change adds pressure on the charity as it faces budget cuts from
other sources and an increasing demand for services.
"We're going to lose 112 days of food service for the hungry because of
[Target's] decision," Russ Russell, Salvation Army executive director for
development told The
Detroit News.
Because of Target's decision 6,000 people, including children, will be forced
to go elsewhere to find help.
Please take this action:
Tell Target that you will be doing your Christmas shopping this year at
Wal-Mart, J.C. Penny's, Big Lots or another store which cares about the poor
and homeless. We know Target will block emails through the OneMillionDads
email system, so your individual action is critical.
1. Call Target customer service toll-free at 1-800-440-0680, option 2,
then option 2 at the next prompt.
2. Call your local Target store and speak with the manager. You can
find the number in your local phone book, or through their Online
Store Locator.
3. Here is additional contact information for Target:
Target Stores
Chairman Robert J. Ulrich
1000 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 304-6073
Fax: 612-696-3731
Email: Guest.Relations@target.com
4. Finally, please forward this to your family and friends.
Thanks for caring.
Sincerely,
Donald E. Wildmon, Chairman
OneMillionDads.com
_____________________________________________________________________
Detroit News Article:
_____________________________________________________________
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, November 26, 2004 3:24 AM
Subject: Salvation Army and Target Stores
To Whom It May Concern:
We are Target shoppers, and have been since Target took
over the Gold Circle store in Lexington, KY many years ago. We like the fact
that the store is smaller than Wal Mart or Meijer, which incidentally is only
a couple blocks away.
Unfortunately, this Christmas season, we will be forced to
shop elsewhere. We don't like to do that as it will be an inconvenience for
us. However, we cannot shop at Target if Target is going to continue its
policy of not allowing Salvation Army bell ringers to collect for the
Salvation Army charity, an American tradition since before I was even born. We
look forward to seeing the cheerful bell ringers every year while shopping and
contributing in kind to the cause.
There is no good reason not to allow Salvation Army to continue
this time-honored tradition. It is obvious to me that several possibilities
exist for this ridiculous action.
Either:
1) Target has a new individual responsible for this section
of Target's corporate management, and this person is operating from a
"politically correct" platform of anti-Christian bias; or
2) Target has chosen to join the multitude of politically
correct corporations which will have nothing to do with anything that even
smells of Christianity; or
3) Target is responding to complaiints from
"scrooge" customers who are anti-Salvaton Army for one reason or
another; or
4) Target is responding in favor of some group that has
"targeted" the Salvation Army for destruction.
Your response that allowing the Salvation Army to collect
funds as a mission of hope for the hungry, the homebound, and the helpless
would violate your 'no solicitation' policy is pure bunk. I am glad I
found out about this before we started our Christams shopping.
Target's new policy is opposite of that of community-minded
giants like Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney's, and Big Lots, who believe the
Salvation Army serves a critical need by offering kindness to a family in
need. It is our hope that others on our email list receiving this communique
will join us in not spending money with Target until Target reverses this
policy.
Yours in Liberty,
Endowed by the Creator,
Saved by Jesus Christ, and
Preserved by the American Military Veteran,
Mario & Family
I sent my email in October and this is the response I received...
Steve
Target Guest Relations <guest.relations@target.com> wrote:
From: Target Guest Relations Wed Oct 6 10:13:34 2004
To: Steve
Subject: Inquiry to Target Guest Relations
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2004 12:13:34 -0500
Dear Steve,
Thank you for contacting us about the Salvation Army.
Target Corporation has decided that the Salvation Army will no longer be able to solicit guests for contributions at our stores. Like most national
retailers, we have a long-standing 'no solicitation' policy in place at our stores. We did not reach this decision easily and carefully evaluated all
options before coming to this conclusion. Target communicated the decision
to the national Salvation Army in January 2004 in hopes that it would be early enough for them to find alternative sources for the upcoming holiday
season.
One of our goals has always been to provide our guests with a distraction-free shopping environment in which to shop. Each year we
receive an increasing number of solicitation inquiries from non-profit organizations. We determined that if we continue to allow the Salvation
Army to solicit, then it opens the door to other groups that wish to solicit our guests. The contention that the Salvation Army bell ringers
were banned because they didn't fit the Target image is inaccurate. The decision was based on our attempt to make our long standing no-solicitation
policy consistent
This "no solicitation" policy does not diminish our commitment to
our communities. Target donates more than $2 million each week to neighborhoods
we serve across the country. Target respects and admires the work and the mission of the Salvation Army and we have encouraged Salvation Army
chapters to apply for grants at local Target Stores. We thank you for your interest in this issue and will make your comments available to our
executives.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Hanson
Target Executive Offices
________________________________________________________________________________
Mario:
I don't shop at Target, never have. The
nearest one to us is in Midwest City, Oklahoma, 50 miles away. However,
now that I know their policy toward the Salvation Army, an organization I
believe in, and to which I donated some money yesterday by mail, I will never
darken their (Target's) doors.
Personally, I prefer K-Mart, as it has all I need, is smaller, more convenient,
closer to home, friendly, good prices, and there is always a Salvation Army
bell-ringer just outside their outer doors this time of year . . . donated there
too last week.
God bless America and the Salvation Army!
Help the poor, but also help the poor help themselves.
Sincerely,
D M
Seminole, Oklahoma
____________________________________________________
Mario,
30
years ago, my brother was living in Atlanta, he was down and out and turned to
the Salvation Army for help. He has said many times over the years if it had
not been for their kindness and generosity he would not be the man he is
today, a very, very successful business man in Boston who remembers them every
year with a large contribution. Our whole family is thankful for the
Salvation Army. Who knows what would have happened to my brother if it
had not been for them.
I
think your stand against the Target Stores is admirable and hope that there
are more people like you whom will do the same!
M
P
Flemingsbug, KY
Mario:
Regards,
Jim
Cronwatch
PS My wife has also stopped shopping at Target because they
would not allow the local Republican ladies club to register voters in front
of the store, or even in the parking lot.
_______________________________________________________________________
The problem is litigation... Some organizations sue stores for the right
to collect and they use the Salvation Army as an example. It is not just
Target. If they let the Salvation Army collect they have to let
everyone.
TRUE, they are Gutless, but it is the >>>>>>>
Attorney that has destroyed our traditions.
Shakespeare was right.
Dan
Lawrenceburg, KY
----- Original Message -----
From: Lowell
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2004 11:57 PM
Subject: Salvation Army
To Whom It May Concern:
I am not a member of the Salvation Army but over the years
I have seen the tremendous humanitarian good that they have done. Due to
your decision to prohibit their Christmas fundraiser campaign in front of your
stores, you demonstrate a callousness toward human need and a hostility toward
faith based organizations.
I have been a customer of Target for several years but this
year I am choosing to shop at places where I see bell ringers. As a
leader in the community where I live, I can also influence several
hundred people who normally would shop at Target and I'm going to encourage
them to shop there only when they see the Salvation Army kettle in front
of the store. Only when you look at your Christmas sales this year will
you see the negative impact of your decision.
It is in your best financial interest to reconsider your
decision and reverse course. The e-mail letters I receive are
rapidly increasing and encouraging
people to boycott your stores. I support that
decision until your policy is changed. If you don't care for people in
need, people should not care for your business success.
Lowell C. Rice
----- Original Message -----
From: Danny "Greasy" Belcher
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2004 6:10 AM
Subject: Fw: Salvation Army
This is true. The Salvation Army and the
Shriners Hospital are the only two major organizations that I trust to do what
they say without a lot going into "administration cost" or their own
large salaries. I will shop at Sears and other places that support our troops,
sell a lot of items not made in red china or other communist countries. Put
your money where your mouth is. Support American products or at least buy from
a country that supports human rights and the great institution, the Salvation
Army.
If you do not support the Salvation Army, I will
not support you.
Danny "Greasy" Belcher, Executive
Director
Task Force Omega of KY Inc.
Infantry Sgt. Vietnam 68-69
(home)