Posted on Nov 30, 2015
U.S. Marine veteran was required to stand outside in 40 degree rainy weather Saturday to collect donations for Toys for Tots.
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Walmart, in Medina, Ohio kicked out a Marine collecting money for Toys For Tots. It was raining and 40 degrees. If I lived in Medina, Ohio, I wouldn't shop in that Walmart ever again. They not only pay minimum wages, they won't allow anyone in the store collecting money, no matter what it's for. But, witnesses say they have seen the Marines in the store in the past years collecting money for Toys For Tots. I Included some of the remarks made about this story. What do you think Rally Point community?
And now the rest of this terrible story:
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MEDINA, Ohio – Outraged Twitter and Facebook users created a frenzy after a U.S. Marine veteran was required to stand outside a Medina Walmart store in rainy, 40-degree weather Saturday to collect donations for Toys for Tots.
MEDINA, Ohio – Outraged Twitter and Facebook users created a frenzy after a U.S. Marine veteran was required to stand outside a Medina Walmart store in rainy, 40-degree weather Saturday to collect donations for Toys for Tots.
A woman customer took a photo of John Harkness standing outside the store under an overhang. For at least 15 years previously, the Walmart store had allowed volunteers to stand inside the store, according to WJW.
However, Walmart's corporate headquarters released a statement saying its policy does not allow such solicitation inside any of its stores, and it said it was looking into the matter in Medina. The statement also said if the Marine was treated with disrespect, that would be unacceptable.
Word of the incident spread like wildfire on social media, with angry users re-tweeting the photograph of the Marine, along with words like "disgrace" and the hashtags "#boycott #Walmart."
"Shame on you Walmart!" one user tweeted.
See a Storify box of the comments below.
While comments on Twitter and Facebook seemed overwhelmingly critical of the Walmart decision to leave the Marine outside, commenters on cleveland.com were divided in their opinions. Here is what a few had to say:
Clevberg: Store policy is store policy. Many businesses don't even allow soliciting on their premises. The only issue I see is that particular Walmart either didn't know the policy or chose to bend the rules in prior years.
biggswede: No offense to this gentleman, but if the Cub Scouts are made to stand outside (which they are in all sorts of weather), a Marine should be able to handle it.
A Good Guy With A Gun: Think about it folks. You have a solicitor outside your store. It begins to rain and it's cold. Is it REALLY such a huge problem to tell the person it's OK to get in out of the rain and cold? Honestly, in a place like Walmart with a huge entrance, the solicitor standing off to one side inside the lobby near the entrance is a problem? Would even be nicer if Walmart offered the solicitor a hot chocolate too.
Badger937: Mr. Harkness wasn't complaining yet some busy body comes along and causes a stink. The company has a policy. Groups are told the rules and have to abide by them. I don't see many other stores even allowing someone to solicit outside their business. Two weeks ago I bought some candy from a group of Boy Scouts outside the Strongsville Walmart. I watched going in how most people ignored them. The young man asked me politely if it wanted to buy anything. Gave him a couple extra dollars. I remember what it was like when I did that as a teenager.
wildcuyahoga: A sad day. I'm sure the corporate Walmart policy's been there for some time, but probably the former Medina managers just chose to ignore it. Just because I would save a few pennies at Walmart doesn't mean I'll ever go there. I give my business to the small guys and Made-in-America where I can.
And now the rest of this terrible story:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEDINA, Ohio – Outraged Twitter and Facebook users created a frenzy after a U.S. Marine veteran was required to stand outside a Medina Walmart store in rainy, 40-degree weather Saturday to collect donations for Toys for Tots.
MEDINA, Ohio – Outraged Twitter and Facebook users created a frenzy after a U.S. Marine veteran was required to stand outside a Medina Walmart store in rainy, 40-degree weather Saturday to collect donations for Toys for Tots.
A woman customer took a photo of John Harkness standing outside the store under an overhang. For at least 15 years previously, the Walmart store had allowed volunteers to stand inside the store, according to WJW.
However, Walmart's corporate headquarters released a statement saying its policy does not allow such solicitation inside any of its stores, and it said it was looking into the matter in Medina. The statement also said if the Marine was treated with disrespect, that would be unacceptable.
Word of the incident spread like wildfire on social media, with angry users re-tweeting the photograph of the Marine, along with words like "disgrace" and the hashtags "#boycott #Walmart."
"Shame on you Walmart!" one user tweeted.
See a Storify box of the comments below.
While comments on Twitter and Facebook seemed overwhelmingly critical of the Walmart decision to leave the Marine outside, commenters on cleveland.com were divided in their opinions. Here is what a few had to say:
Clevberg: Store policy is store policy. Many businesses don't even allow soliciting on their premises. The only issue I see is that particular Walmart either didn't know the policy or chose to bend the rules in prior years.
biggswede: No offense to this gentleman, but if the Cub Scouts are made to stand outside (which they are in all sorts of weather), a Marine should be able to handle it.
A Good Guy With A Gun: Think about it folks. You have a solicitor outside your store. It begins to rain and it's cold. Is it REALLY such a huge problem to tell the person it's OK to get in out of the rain and cold? Honestly, in a place like Walmart with a huge entrance, the solicitor standing off to one side inside the lobby near the entrance is a problem? Would even be nicer if Walmart offered the solicitor a hot chocolate too.
Badger937: Mr. Harkness wasn't complaining yet some busy body comes along and causes a stink. The company has a policy. Groups are told the rules and have to abide by them. I don't see many other stores even allowing someone to solicit outside their business. Two weeks ago I bought some candy from a group of Boy Scouts outside the Strongsville Walmart. I watched going in how most people ignored them. The young man asked me politely if it wanted to buy anything. Gave him a couple extra dollars. I remember what it was like when I did that as a teenager.
wildcuyahoga: A sad day. I'm sure the corporate Walmart policy's been there for some time, but probably the former Medina managers just chose to ignore it. Just because I would save a few pennies at Walmart doesn't mean I'll ever go there. I give my business to the small guys and Made-in-America where I can.
Marine Corps
Walmart
Charity
Christmas
Medina
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 25
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I agree with the basic sentiment here, but I can neither confirm, nor deny, that I've rung the bell in some pretty beastly weather myself. I'd bet a dollar against a nickel, this Marine wasn't the one who lodged the complaint.
As to policy, let's fact it...We've lost the ability to make objective decisions. We sue people over trifles, launch demeaning and slanderous campaigns on "social media", and obsess over "entertainment" where "reality stars" encounter degrading situations that we are gullible enough to believe.
If the manager of the store had used logic, and offered to let the Marine come in out of the cold, some minion whose sole obsession since rising from the check out line to Assistant Assistant to the Assistant Manager for Accountability would turn them in to corporate, and get a promotion.
As to policy, let's fact it...We've lost the ability to make objective decisions. We sue people over trifles, launch demeaning and slanderous campaigns on "social media", and obsess over "entertainment" where "reality stars" encounter degrading situations that we are gullible enough to believe.
If the manager of the store had used logic, and offered to let the Marine come in out of the cold, some minion whose sole obsession since rising from the check out line to Assistant Assistant to the Assistant Manager for Accountability would turn them in to corporate, and get a promotion.
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SGT (Join to see)
LCDR (Join to see), I can believe it about Walmart. They used to be Red, White, and Blue. Now they are Red, as in China.
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The Marine was interviewed today on the radio and came to the defense of the Manager. He understands that it is Walmart Corporate Policy. I live in Brunswick, just north of the store. It is a new Manager. The other Managers just ignored the policy. So please don't jump to conclusions. P.S. That Walmart does suck though.
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SGT (Join to see)
SGT James Allen, That's a true stand up Marine. Thanks for letting us know about the interview. I think all Walmarts suck. I'd drive to Houston to find what I wanted before I'd go to another Walmart.
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While unfortunate, I have not been in a Walmart yet where I have seen anyone raising funds indoors. Given that's their guidelines, the Marine should have been better prepared. I have participated in the Toys for Tots program for about 20 years. Standing in the freezing weather as well as enjoying the warmth of the indoors was part of what I signed on for. Not much different than serving in the Corps.
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