Wal-Mart Partners with The Salvation Army to Ring in the Christmas Season

Wal-Mart ^ | Nov. 26, 2007

[Coleus]

On the heels of last season’s record-setting Red Kettle Campaign – in which $30 million was raised for The Salvation Army in red kettles outside Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations – the nation’s largest retailer announces today its continued support for the nonprofit organization this holiday season. This year, in addition to inviting red kettles back in front of its stores, Wal-Mart is hosting a flurry of other holiday activities aimed at raising even more money for those in need. These include:

•    Bells Ringing Across America – For the second year, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club associates are participating in the retailer’s “Bells Ringing Across America” event. On Nov. 27, from 11:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. EST, associates at Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Clubs nationwide will ring bells outside of their respective location. In select markets, local celebrities, elected officials and media personalities will be on hand to help spread Christmas cheer. Simultaneously, Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott, Kellogg Company President and CEO David Mackay and The Salvation Army’s National Commander Israel Gaither will ring bells outside the Wal-Mart store in Battle Creek, Mich.

During this time, Scott will present The Salvation Army with a $1 million check on behalf of the Wal-Mart Foundation. Additionally, Rayovac Batteries will launch its “Keep it Ringing” cross-country bell-ringing program benefiting The Salvation Army from Battle Creek on Nov. 27, and will present $250,000 to the organization. Red kettles will be outside Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations from Nov. 23 through Christmas Eve, and customers can also make contributions to The Salvation Army through Wal-Mart’s online kettle, which can be accessed at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.  

•    Christmas Carol Concert – Wal-Mart and The Salvation Army will air a Christmas Carol Concert on the retailer’s in-store TV network nationwide. The special – which will broadcast on Dec. 7 at 9:30 a.m. in all time zones – features performances by The Salvation Army’s New York Staff Brass Band and the Wal-Mart choir, and a holiday message from renowned Pastor Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life.”

•    Sam’s Club Dream Drive – In partnership with the Off the Field Players Wives Association, Sam’s Club will provide up to $50,000 worth of merchandise and food for Salvation Army families enrolled in the charity’s Adopt a Family Program. Professional and legendary football players’ wives will shop for the families at participating Sam’s Club locations on Dec. 6 in Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver and San Diego.

•    Salvation Army Brass Band Concerts – The Salvation Army’s local Brass Bands will perform special concerts at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations across the country throughout the holiday season.  

“Our associates and customers, who are some of the most generous in the nation, have provided tremendous support to The Salvation Army over the years,” said Scott. “We consider the organization to be one of our closest, most important partners, and all of us at Wal-Mart are looking forward to the sound of bells ringing at our stores and Clubs once again this season.”

"Wal-Mart’s ongoing partnership with The Salvation Army is an invaluable support to our organization, and therefore, to those individuals and families that we serve at Christmas-time and year-round," said Gaither. "Without their support during times of crisis or during our most important fundraiser of the year - the Christmas Red Kettle Campaign - it would be difficult to serve the millions of people in need as we do all year long."   In April, The Salvation Army presented Wal-Mart with its Evangeline Booth Award for excellence in corporate philanthropy. Donations made to The Salvation Army through stores and clubs will stay local and go directly toward helping those in need, right in their own neighborhoods. 

[A CA Guy]

At least that way you know they aren’t people with phony credentials trying to scam you out of money.

Here in CA we get bunches of people who fake credentials, collect charity money, then go home and keep it all (tax free).

[upchuck]

Donations made to The Salvation Army through stores and clubs will stay local and go directly toward helping those in need, right in their own neighborhoods.

Glad to read this. Important to me.

[oprahstheantichrist]

How do they do that, go knocking on doors?

[NonValueAdded]

And don't forget to tell Targét why they won't see you this holiday season.

[Revolting cat!]

Are the Sarvation Almy ringers imported from China too?

[ansel12]

“How do they do that, go knocking on doors?”

There are charities with buckets that are really businesses, some even wear clerical collars, it isn’t hard to keep it legal.

My sometimes homeless friend has worked for a bucket brigade, they gave him a place to sleep and a small cut of the money he collected.

[A CA Guy]

The bad guys stand in front of places like Wal-Mart with false credentials and a bucket claiming things like they are a charity to rehabilitate children or people in prison.

Blatant theft!

[SunkenCiv]

...and Target dumped Salvation Army a few years ago, so shop WalMart. Thanks Coleus.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

I have a friend who is an executive with Walmart, they love doing this to stick it to Target.

[Think free or die]

Good for Wal-Mart. We have a Salvation Army bell ringer in front of our local grocery store. Last year the ringer was a cheerful recent immigrant from Korea. He always danced a little "happy dance" and sang when someone donated. People liked it so much he was featured in our local newspaper as "person of the week". This year we have someone else, but he's just as friendly and after a couple of visits he recognizes me when I make one of my many runs to the market.

I make it a habit to donate to the Salvation Army several times yearly. They do excellent work all over the world (and here too), with very little administrative cost. When my parents emigrated to America in 1951, the Salvation Army met their ship in New York Harbor. They greeted my parents with their first cup of hot coffee in America on a cold November day. We've all supported them ever since.

[SuziQ]

Our youngest son has a part-time job at Wal-Mart. The Salvation Army is always there when we’re dropping him off and picking him up. It’s good to see them.

[ansel12]

“I have a friend who is an executive with Walmart, they love doing this to stick it to Target.”

Cool

[stillonaroll]

Wal-Mart Partners with The Salvation Army to Ring in the Christmas Season

Good for Wal-Mart!

As I've mentioned on a couple other threads, the other night at Wal-Mart they were playing real Christmas carols over the PA system. Not "Frosty the Snowman" or "Rudolph" but songs about Jesus. I don't hear that at other stores.

[lesser_satan]

I heard a story on the radio earlier about somebody going around nonchalantly putting very valuable gold coins in the buckets. It’s happened several time at different locations.

[Viking2002]

Agreed. I was in Walmart this evening, and that's exactly what they were doing. But, if I hear that abominable, treacley, BWOP-BWOP-BWOP 'A Wonderful Christmas Time' by Paul McCartney one more time, I swear I'll rip his tongue out by the roots. I'd rather spend the month of December listening to 'Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer' on a continuous loop.

[A_Former_Democrat]

I too make it a point to shop where the SA is. I love the sight and sound and make sure to donate BOTH entering and leaving, with a mandatory “God bless you” and “Merry Christmas”

They’re appreciated and I want them to know it. It sure helps put me in the Christmas spirit too.

[stillonaroll]

Agreed. I was in Walmart this evening, and that's exactly what they were doing. But, if I hear that abominable, treacley, BWOP-BWOP-BWOP 'A Wonderful Christmas Time' by Paul McCartney one more time, I swear I'll rip his tongue out by the roots.

Hehehe... Well, at least Sir Paul's heart was sort of in the right place. Far worse is Merry Xmas (War is Over) by his atheist-communist former bandmate John Lennon and the screeching-psycho Yoko Ono.

[paudio]

I love being a Salvation Army ringing bells. Last year actually they put me in front of a local Sam’s Club. It was fun to see some familiar faces coming out of the store because when they went directly to my station and inserted some money to the kettle.

[paudio]

LOL.. I’m tired. I meant ringing bells for SA.