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:
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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.
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 25
Reminds me of our Company BPOs working at Banks. "Here's a Gun, it wont keep you warm, it won't keep you dry, but stand outside of this Bank all day long and Look Intimidating (And don't you ever think about ever using it).
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
Also Flashbacks to my time Working with the Leawood Lyons Club and Helping the Salvation Army ringing the bell outside Walmart at 119th and Metcalf. No matter what the weather was that Holiday Season, when it came my turn it was 30 below windchill. Froze my Ass Off thank good the shifts were only 2-4 hours long. Also was Grateful for those folks that would buy some Coffee or Hot Chocolate inside and bring it out to me.
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SGT (Join to see)
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel, I've rung the bell quite a few times for the Salvation Army. They saved our butts when we were in Detroit, Michigan for the racial riots in 1967. Let's just I don't support the Red Cross, but that's another story.
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I work at a wal-mart in Wyoming and the goodwill people are allowed to just inside the doors in the area were people get there carts...
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True WalMart sticks to its rule! Their store, their choice! Now you can opt to shop at Target (French Owned) they do not allow any charitable organizations.
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Yes it is fucked up that they did this but that's their right to refuse service or entry into their establishments I am not defending just stating facts.
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He wasn't made to do anything. He chose to stand out there. He could have just come back later when the weather was nicer.
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SGT (Join to see)
SFC Michael Hasbun, I've given you two down thumbs for your attitude. I've got one more left. Want to hit a triple?
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SFC Michael Hasbun
You can down vote all you'd like. Doesn't change anything. You're going for sympathy posts, making it sound like he was a beaten dog chained to a post outdoors in winter. He was a guy who made a decision. Nothing more, nothing less. Wal-Mart has a policy. He was made aware of that policy. He chose to stand outside. It's not really worthy of a Sarah Mclachlan background theme song.
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SGT (Join to see)
Sgt Richard Buckner, I don't know why this guy has to be such an ass about another military member. Things must be tough at home. Lol
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