Posted on 10/27/2005 5:11:17 PM PDT by stompk
Thank you for your e-mail regarding Walgreens role as the official HIV/AIDS Prevention Sponsor for the 2006 Gay Games, an athletic event to be held in Chicago. As you are likely aware, we have heard from many people on this issue.
As Walgreens CEO, I want you to know why we are doing this. Whether you disagree or agree, we think it only fair that you understand our reasoning.
I cannot be more emphatic when I say that this sponsorship has everything to do with healthcare. We are advocating HIV/AIDS awareness. We are taking no position on the gay lifestyle.
This sponsorship allows us to have a presence at the official site of the games and set up portable pharmacies, from which well distribute HIV information and have pharmacists available for counseling. This is an excellent opportunity to raise the awareness of the pharmacists role in the prevention of a disease that is a major threat in the U.S. and a much greater threat in other parts of the world. We have no doubt that our action will save lives.
Walgreens is primarily a healthcare company. As such, most of our corporate contributions go to fight the diseases our patients deal with every day. We are relatively quiet about our giving, but here are some facts. This year, through corporate and employee contributions and in-store promotions, weve raised: $2.2 million for the American Cancer Society $2 million for the American Heart Association $2 million for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation $4 million for health and other basic needs of Katrina victims
We also helped patients directly following Katrina by filling more than $9 million in free prescriptions for evacuees who had no resources and desperately needed their medication. Some part of this will be reimbursed to us; most will not. During Katrina and other disasters, Walgreens steps up to do what is right for our patients health. Through our contributions to education and awareness of HIV/AIDS and other disease states, we are also doing what is right for our patients health.
To repeat thats what this is about healthcare. We regret that our action has been painted otherwise by various groups. As a company, our intentions have been radically misrepresented.
Thank you for contacting us.
Sincerely, Dave Bernauer Chairman and CEO
I did do a search, I couldn't find anyone else posting a reply like this.
I still don't understand how promoting Gay Games and the homosexual lifestyle can be considered "raising awareness for AIDS/HIV". . . .
But, but.... I thought AIDS wasn't a "gay disease"?
Doing something like this has more to do with business and turning a profit than anything else. Eventually, these "good works" translate into more money for them.
Anyone who uses the good word gay to describe something vile, queer and abnormal is abetting this vile cult of perversion!
Nope, just giving them money. When you give something money, you tend to advocate the group or what it stands for.
Exactly what kind of "games" are played at the Gay Games?
When they start holding an ice cream social for diabetics and a pig roast with all the fixin's for heart patients, I'll believe it is right for them to sponsor a big gay event focused on partying and physical showing off.
Now, I ask you - do you REALLY want to know that???
LOL Very good observation re: This charade.
The 100 yard hide the sausage dash?
The contestants bring extra bars of slippery soap to the showers, so that they are forever bending over.
So would pointing out the difference between an exit and an entrance, but explaining that would upset the fudgepackers.
Today, it's amoral, lying, greedy weasels and hucksters....selected for their high positions because of their con-artistry and their smooth, silver-fox tongues.
Walgreen's lends its name and reputation to the gay community to sell its drug products, period. It must really think we're retarded for not spotting this immediately. Such arrogance.
Leni
You should see the wheelbarrow race.
Well, I appaud their goal but not their method. They absolutely are supporting the lifestyle by choosing to support this event. I guess by supporting the lifestyle they raise up more customers. Pretty sick when you think about it. Why not offer this at a Love Won Out conference or something?
And my reply is BS to Walgreens. Of course, they are promoting the lifestyle. If they weren't they would not donate.
Gay Games? I don't know if I want to know what they do....
Exactly. Very smart and accurate analogy.
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