Salvation Army using cardboard bell-ringers

[Tab]

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (AP) -- There's a reason that smiling Salvation Army bell-ringer looks a little stiff this Christmas season, and it's not the cold weather.

Banned from Target stores and facing a shortage of holiday volunteers, the Salvation Army is using scores of animated, cardboard bell-ringers on a test basis to staff its red kettles at stores across the South.

Equipped with motion sensors, each corrugated cutout has a battery-operated, motorized arm that waves a silent cardboard bell. Anyone who draws near hears a loud, jingling sound from a speaker and a cheery "Merry Christmas, God bless you."

The cutouts, which bear the image of a uniformed Salvation Army officer, are being used at 200 Books-A-Million and Hibbett Sporting Goods stores in 14 states. The kettles are kept inside the stores to ward off theft, and volunteers gather up the donations every three days.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/03/ringers.ap/index.html

[madaboutharry]

1. Does anyone know why Target banned them?

This is interesting. Sen. Mark Dayton of Minn. is an heir to the Target chain. The chain began as one store in Minneapolis.

[MissB]

2. They didn't exactly "ban" them, they just upheld their policy

of no soliciting. This year they decided to be fair and uphold their policy in a way that is fair to all groups.

[Merlot]

14. Barns and Noble and a few other stores

have the same no solicitation policy. They've been enforcing it longer than Target.

I stoped shopping at Target because they gave money to pro-life causes.

[goddess40]

32. Bummer - Target gives more to Dems then the other chains

they still give more to republicans but it's some where in the range of 60-70 % verses 80-100% of the other chains.

Oh how I wish we had a Cost-co in central Wisconsin!

Edit: that's why I thought they might be going after Target, to force them to stop giving to Dems' all together.

[Gloria]

11. A bit off topic, but last night I got a fundraising call from Mark Dayton!

I live in NM, but am on the MN list because I donated to Paul Wellstone...I was totally stunned to get a live call from a person from Nebraska asking for $$ for Dayton!!

[politicat]

12. SalArmy is spinning. "Ban" = singled out. No soliciting means everyone.

EOM

[ikojo]

33. Last week I posted a theory as to why *I* think Target

banned the bell ringers and it goes like this....

I work for an insurance company. A couple months or so ago the HR (human resources) VP reiterated the company's policy against fundraising on company time. This included girl scout cookie sales as well as the increasing number of school fundraisers. People CAN put stuff on their desk but they cannot go from desk to desk asking co-workers to buy something. This company (THANKFULLY because it can get pretty coercive) doesn't even take part in the annual United Way beg for money drive.

I asked why and was told that if the company allowed people to solicit on company time for girl scout cookies then they would HAVE TO allow the AFL-CIO to come and solicit for union membership.

So, when I heard that Target was not allowing the bell ringers on their property what I was told by the HR VP came to mind. Target, in not allowing the SA to solicit on their property, may also be keeping unions at bay. Because after all Target is a huge corporation with zero interest in seeing that its employees have collective bargaining rights.

[0rganism]

3. This outsourcing thing is getting out of hand.

And yet, somehow, I can't help but think that the fake bellringer appropriately represents the New & Improved Holiday Shopping Season in a way that a real one never could.

[radar]

5. Hehe

Down-sizing the volunteers now.

[w4rma]

4. Is big media going after Target now? Is Target a threat to Walmart?

Notice how the context is missing about why the SA is no longer allowed to solicit.

[prairierose]

7. Target has banned all solicitations

outside its stores this holiday season.

I am glad. I have been boycotting the SA since they made their disgraceful deal with * to discriminate against gays . I will continue to boycott them.

I will also shop more at Target just because of this! They are one of the few stores left since I got even more political about what businesses I will support with my money.

BTW, I used to work for the corp. They treated their employees pretty well,especially as compared to the evil W*mart

:thumbsup:

[Starlight]

8. Target donates a lot to Repubs

That's why I stopped shopping there. :(

[Maat]

20. Take a look at Choose Blue.

Target's donations are much more even than most other similar stores. Also, they don't preclude prescription of Plan B, as does Wal-Mart, and they don't have a wall full of Joyce Meyer/fundamentalist books, while banning books like Jon Stewart's.

Some of the employees may have donated to pro-forced-birth causes ('pro-life'), but Wal-Mart is far more abusive in terms of $ to the Rethuglicans, and attempting to force someone's (Alice Walton's) values on others.

[Starlight]

34. I did look at choose blue. Target looks terrible.

I'm not sure what you're looking at, but here's the info on Target from Choose Blue:

Brand: Target Corp
Parent Company: Target Corp
% to Dem: 28% $81,133
% to Rep: 72% $208,629

It may be a little less terrible than Walmart, but that doesn't make it good!

[htuttle]

6. That's because the Salvation Army was deployed to Iraq

Months ago, along with the Knights of Columbus.

[southlandshari]

21. I wish

you were wrong, but you are not. This is a sick, sick world we are living in.

[VegasWolf]

9. Another seasonal job gone! Next cardboard Santa's! n/t

[Cronus Protagonist]

10. Why didn't they outsource to India?

They could have monitors set up with Indian people in Santa outfits at the other end doing all the Yo ho ho stuff.

And it would be so appropriate too.




http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13
Buttons for brainy people - educate your local freepers today!

[politicat]

13. so since they have fake bell ringers, can I donate fake money?

EOM

[VegasWolf]

15. That was good! n/t

[Patchuli]

16. That was funny and hit the spot

right about now, but what I want to know, is where do I shop now?
I didn't know Target gave to reptiles; I started shopping there
to avoid the evil Walmart! What's strictly nonpartisan these days???

[politicat]

19. mom and pops, Barnes and Nobles, Bed, Bath and Beyond, more

From www.choosetheblue.com

Barnes & Noble
98% contributions to Dems
2% contributions to Republicans
$101,283 $ Dems
$2,067 $ Republicans

Bed Bath & Beyond
93% contributions to Dems
7% contributions to Republicans
$76,725 $ Dems
$5,775 $ Republicans
None Known

Costco Companies
98% contributions to Dems
2% contributions to Republicans
$196,296 $ Dems
$4,006 $ Republicans

Gap Inc
61% contributions to Dems
38% contributions to Republicans
$144,621 $ Dems
$90,092 $ Republicans
None Known

More at the site or see the Economic Justice and Progressive living forum.

Can you make those into semi-reasonable facsimilies of target? For the record, I'm pissed about it, too....

Pcat

[VegasWolf]

25. Hey, great research. Those are my stores! n/t

[southlandshari]

26. Thanks for the link!

Dispels some myths (including some in my own mind!)

=)

[Enraged_Ape]

17. I actually saw one of these the other day

It was one of the funniest, yet saddest things I've ever seen. It's like the perfect image to illustrate Christmas 2004.

[stackhouse]

18. screw the Salvation Army

all the Salvation Army is an opertunist exploitive church

[Maat]

22. I agree, Stackhouse, with your sentiments, generally.

When I was a social worker, I had several bad encounters with them. They coerced the clients into joining 'the church.' There was a high price for any help. Employees at the shelters seemingly very rudely told the nightly residents at the shelters that they could not stay at the shelter during the day.

[girl gone mad]

23. I misread the headline, thought it said..

they were using "cardboard bells".

Here I was picturing the poor SA workers trying to get people's attention, frantically waving the noiseless cardboard bells.

[southlandshari]

24. NEVER thought I'd do this...

I love and hate the bell ringers as much as the rest of those of you who are fellow humans around here.

I love the bell ringers along with all of you who believe Christmas is about hope and love and believing in a beautiful future. I especially love their presence now that I have a child to teach about the importance of giving and hospitality.

I hate the bell ringers along with all of you who, like me, have been broke far too many years into my adult life, and am ashamed when I have to skirt around the kettle because I have no credit cards, no checks, and a pretty sad amount of cash in hand and necessities to buy.

Those of you who hate the bell ringers for reasons of ideology - I don't get you, but I respect you and your rights.

Still....

I'm going to do whatever it takes come Monday morning to sign up for a red kettle, bell ringing shift, something I've never done before. If this is a marketing ploy for volunteers, call me a victim. But this is too much a wonderful, annoying landmark of altruistic American culture to give up without a fight.

[burrowowl]

28. Better still

sign up with a local charity that gives food to the poor without converting them.
Here there are several, among which a 'store' where people can come in and 'shop' for what they need or want (the food is collected from supermarkets or factory outlets, e.g. day-old bread, lettuce where you have to take a few leaves off, etc.
I knew a son of a high ranking SA officier in France, he became agnostic.

[arikara]

29. There's good reasons that they can't get volunteers

Some examples... In the city that I live, they were running an old folk's home. They canned all the long time union caregivers, mostly women, that were being paid a living wage and hired new people so that they could pay minimum wage. Many were close to retirement and wound up at the food bank. They give out one hamper a year and yet go head to head with the food bank for donations. They sell the stuff which has been donated to their thrift stores for antique store prices, and the people who need it can't afford it. The officers drive around in fancy cars and live in fancy houses, and they skim the cream of the donations. They are a corporation now and act like it in their quest for money.

They belong in Iraq in my opinion.

[Jack_DeLeon]

27. Well atleast we arent outsourcing them, yet...

:shrug:

[displacedtexan]

30. Are the cardboard cutouts made in the USA?

I doubt it.
There's your outsourcing.

[orpupilofnature57]

31. have a lottery on a hummer,then ask the assholes,when they buy ....

the ticket if they would of dropped a buck otherwise,then ask first why shrub?and why do they aspire to be pretentious prigs?fa-la-la-la any way they'd probably make a fortune at 10$ a pop.merry Christmas!!!

[DS1]

35. My army of Ninjas will make quick work of them

Fear not.

[bonemachine]

36. How bizzare

I'm just not sure how to feel about this...