Posted on 12/10/2004 1:19:14 PM PST by Lindykim
Mervyn's Reverses Ban on Salvation Army Bell Ringers 12/6/2004 By Martha Kleder
"Mervyn's is now able to act like the reformed Scrooge," says CWA's Knight.
The struggle between retailers' no-solicitation policy and the Salvation Army's annual kettle drive has taken a Dickens-like twist, as Mervyn's Department Store chain announced the reversal of its bell ringer ban.
"Mervyn's is pleased to announce we are making an exception to our no-solicitation policy and we immediately welcome the Salvation Army and its annual holiday bell ringer program to all our stores," wrote Greg Terk, Mervyn's spokesman in a December 2, 2004, media statement.
"As a newly private company, we are happy to offer the Salvation Army the opportunity to continue its holiday tradition – offering much-needed relief and comfort to families in our communities during the holiday season.
"A commitment to the communities where we do business is important to us, and it is our hope that this exception to our long-standing no-solicitation policy helps the Salvation Army achieve its holiday goals. Mervyn's regrets any challenges this may have caused and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Salvation Army," the statement said. Until September 2, 2004, Mervyn's was owned by the Target Corporation. Target ended the Salvation Army's exception to its non-solicitation policy in January. The new freedom of the Mervyn's chain from Target Corporation policies has led to unavoidable comparisons between the stores and the characters of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
"Just as Ebenezer Scrooge saw the light in time to avoid the fate of his partner, Jacob Marley, to trudge around forever, shackled to his money boxes, Mervyn's was freed from Target's grip and is now able to act like the reformed Scrooge," said Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America's Culture & Family Institute.
"So far, Target seems determined to remain like the old Scrooge, mired in greed and disdainful of the reason for the season," Knight added.
Mervyn's has 257 stores in 13 states, mostly in the southern and western states. "Mervyn's executives either all sat down and watched A Christmas Carol together, or they took a hard look at the beating that Target is taking over its decision to kick out the Salvation Army during the Christmas shopping season," Knight said. "Either way, they came to the right conclusion, and we can rejoice that the bells are ringing again in front of Mervyn's stores."
Send a Thank You
If you would like to thank Mervyn's for this move, you may contact them online at www.mervyns.com. You may also call 1-800-MERVYNS.
Or write: Mervyn's
Guest Services and Stores 22301 Foothill Blvd. Mailstop 2115 Hayward, California 94541 Concerned Women for America 1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone: (202) 488-7000 Fax: (202) 488-0806 E-mail: mail@cwfa.org
ping
Make enough noise, and even the bean counters can hear you.
I don't like the idea of fiscally rewarding them immediately--they were spineless mercenaries that got their hand caught in the Moral Values cookie jar. A nice email, letters, maybe...
OTOH, maybe it's best to continue to make examples of these major players and then be forgiving...of the dogs that bite the hands that feed it....
Either way, we must pray (faith) and boycott/censure evildoers (works) for a "Chilling Effect" on the ACLU/GLSEN/NEA etc. agenda....
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