Salvation Army refuses Lotto winner's $100,000 donation

Naples News ^ | 12/28/02 | Ray Parker

[Fighting Irish]

Lottery winner David Rush was irked Friday to find out local Salvation Army officials rejected his $100,000 donation.

The religious charity, popularly known for its bell ringers outside shopping malls during the holidays, preaches against gambling.

"The money that Mr. Rush received was via the lottery: We preach against gambling," said spokeswoman Maribeth Shanahan, who spoke on behalf of Cleo Damon, who heads the Collier County chapter and decided not to accept the donation. "To accept it would be to talk out both sides of our mouth."

Rush, a financial adviser, doesn't see lottery money as gambling. In his view, the money reaped from Wall Street investments involves a risk-gain factor, not unlike a lottery ticket.

"Everybody has a right to be sanctimonious if they want to be," Rush said. "I respect the Salvation Army's decision. I do not agree with it, but that is their prerogative."

Instead, he will donate the money to other groups with similar missions.

The Marco Island resident donated to charities such as the Salvation Army prior to his windfall last week, which amounted to a 25 percent share of the $100 million lottery jackpot.

The 71-year-old took a lump sum payment of $14.2 million.

Earlier this week at a Rotary Club of Marco Island luncheon, he handed out checks for $100,000 to the Salvation Army, $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, and $50,000 to the Rotary Club.

Jerry Brunette, the Rotary Club's Salvation Army liaison, accepted the check, not knowing there would be a problem.

Even so, Brunette said he understands why the Salvation Army rejected the money.

"If everyone acted as strongly on their principles, we wouldn't need a Salvation Army" to help the poor and needy, Brunette said.

In addition to those three groups, Rush said he made contributions to his other favorite charities, including two churches.

Shanahan, the local Salvation Army director of community relations and development, stressed the group could have used the money.

Over the holidays, from Nov. 18 until Christmas Eve, local Salvation Army bell ringers collected more than $105,000, Shanahan said.

There's not a final figure on the total donations collected by the group, which, she said, helped more than 6,000 people with food, toys or clothing during the holiday season.

[Gorzaloon]

But its refusal painted the man publically as a sinner, no wonder his reaction was one of angered surprise.

It was clumsily handled. But I suppose if we wanted smooth-talking slick PR people, we would be giving to the Red Cross! :-)

The Sa is an odd outfit, but they are so genuine by comparison, I guess I would have to call it "clumsy Virtue". It would have been better done to have a quiet word with the donor, and left his self respect intact. But it is so rare to see anyone turning down money because of principle these days, I just cannot bring myself to putting them down for it.

[Revelation 911]

related article

[oldtimer]

I totally agree with you...sometimes I think that the Salvation Army has too much money.

It was just plain dumb for the SA to do what they did in refusing the donation.

[Revelation 911]

another

[gitmo]

I was in the Fifth Grade in 1962. My father was stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. One day in October, our teacher told us that the buses were waiting outside to take us home. We were warned to go straight home and nowhere else. Within 15 minutes of our being dropped off, another bus would be picking us up with our mothers to ship us back to the states. We were about to go to war with Cuba and the Soviet Union.

We were supposed to keep evac bags packed at all times. My mom had a few minutes to throw some stuff together and get us on the bus headed for our evacuation ship.

Our particular ship was loaded down with old ammunition that was supposed to be hauled out to sea and dumped. Because of the heavy load, our ship was much slower than the other ships in the evacuation effort. We were left behind, and we were tracked the entire way by a Russian submarine. The sailors on board endured enormous hardships to make the voyage easier for us evacuees. They slept on deck, and everyone had to eat, sleep, and use the head in shifts. The sailors were wonderful.

We arrived in Norfolk, VA in late October. It was unbelievably cold. My brother and I didn't own any winter clothing ... we lived in shorts and t-shirts. They put us up at some Naval barracks for the night, and the next day took us to a huge warehouse manned by the Salvation army. The warehouse was stocked with clothes, blankets, kitchen supplies, food, and anything else you could think of. The Salvation Army workers kept urging us to take more than we thought we needed and all we thought we could use.

It was very hard. My mom didn't have a car, we had no money, and 2 rambunctious kids to keep up with. And it looked like Dad was about to be in a nuclear war back in Gitmo. But the Salvation Army helped us survive by providing a start back in the states.

Every Christmas, I make a point of telling my 2 boys about what the Salvation Army did, what they do, and I have them put a donation in the SA kettles.

I admire SA's stand in this case. I'm sure they don't get many $100,000 donations. But if they believe gambling is wrong, they did the right thing. The donation was made public, and they had to make it clear they didn't accept it.

[Sungirl]

They were stupid to deny this money. Next time I see a salvation bucket I won't donate because I too, have won a few bucks from lotto..now I know how they scorn me.

[Revelation 911]

They were stupid to deny this money. Next time I see a salvation bucket I won't donate because I too, have won a few bucks from lotto..now I know how they scorn me.

Think it through sungirl - The Romans gambled for Christs clothing - its a game of chance - poor stewardship of Gods money -

Let me ask a question - if we are to become more Christlike in our actions as Christians, does gambling fit in the picture?, does alcohol fit in the picture? or does our relativism allow it?

Did Jesus ever play the a game of chance?

This donation was public - (contrary to biblical tenets) - it deserved a public response

Merry Christmas

[Revelation 911]

.....and please dont think they scorn YOU - or any other sinner - they hate the sin, love the sinner - Just as Christ did

[mdmathis6]

Well....they could have deducted a percentage of what would have gone to gambling ministries, sent him a check for that amount and kept the rest...Solomon might have decreed such a ruling!..That way every-one might have kept their moral self respect intact!

[mdmathis6]

Well....they could have deducted a percentage of what would have gone to gambling ministries, sent him a check for that amount and kept the rest...Solomon might have decreed such a ruling!..That way every-one might have kept their moral self respect intact!

[mdmathis6]

Well....they could have deducted a percentage of what would have gone to gambling ministries, sent him a check for that amount and kept the rest...Solomon might have decreed such a ruling!..That way every-one might have kept their moral self respect intact!

[xm177e2]

The Salvation Army helped my family, too, sixty years ago. So they get money from me every time. I don't really care about their policies towards gays or lotto winners (as long as they're willing to help gay people and lotto winners in need).

And don't give any money to the Red Cross! They suck!

[xm177e2]

its refusal painted the man publically as a sinner

Who says the Salvation Army went to the media? I assume it was the donor who did.

[RightOnline]

Total and utter silliness.

I had this discussion with another FReeper recently when the Powerball winner stated he'd be tithing to his churches........and this FReeper chastised those preachers for even considering accepting the money since it came from "gambling".

Horse hockey.

It's simple, folks, and the Salvation Army should know better. Christians are clearly and unequivocally taught the concept of "first fruits"; tithing the first 10% of ANY monies that come to us. Period. It isn't your money; it's God's money. It really is that simple.

They should have accepted the money and used it for God's work. To turn it down like this flies in the face of the Christian church's very teachings and is worse than ridiculous.

".......too Heaven-bound to be any earthly good..................."

[Aquinasfan]

The money was not stolen or illegally gotten. There is no Bible injunction against gambling, just like there is none against alcohol. There are injunctions against greed, theft, and drunkeness.

Yup. I give the Salvation Army credit for being well-intentioned, but sincerity is an over-rated "virtue."

[mdmathis6]

media came to them...I'll wager...they love to see a good pit bull fight..anything for a story!

[mdmathis6]

I'm not a SA hater. What's interesting is that other SA chapters, especially in some Gambling casino's had their kettles set up in them this Christmas. So, apparently local chapters are free to adjust their donation policies as needed.(Just saw an item on Fox and friends about other SA chapters)