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Last updated on Monday, January 9, 2012
(BEDFORD) - Donations to Salvation Army kettles were up at every location in the county except for at Walmart, according to Capt. Donna Rose.
Because of that giving was down significantly putting the Salvation Army below even last year's giving.
This year's kettles received $37,790.88, which is about $4,000 less than 2010 when the kettles collected $41,607.20.
But the kettles at Walmart, which are set up at the two main entrances, brought in almost $10,000 less than a year ago.
The Salvation Army has a national agreement with Walmart to be able to stand at the front doors. Walmart uses the Salvation Army name in promotional advertising. Rose said on the first day the kettles were out, a Walmart employee who handles security said the store's solicitation policy requires all groups to stand 100 feet from the door. Rose said the employee explained that the policy is in place because not all solicitors are legitimate.
She said she turned the issue over to Salvation Army divisional headquarters, hoping Walmart would change its stance. She said it's sad that Walmart will not support the people that support them.
Rose checked with other Salvation Army units to see if they had been asked to move the kettles. She found that some stores allowed kettles at the door and others didn't.
Rose credited kettles at Kmart, Big Lots, Hometown IGA, Ace Hardware in Mitchell for
helping offset the loss at Walmart.
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