Dear Editor: The mayor has signed a proclamation asking the community to participate in Poppy Day distribution on Nov. 6. The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 77 will be in front of local stores receiving donations as the donor receives a poppy.
At one of the stores, Wal-Mart on Dogwood Drive, we are having challenges. The manager and marketing director stated it’s "their policy" not to have non-approved vendors soliciting in front of the store.
Our complaint is as community consumers and veterans supporting their stores.
Our concern as a veteran’s organization is that Wal-Mart can hold Veterans Day sales and display certain material of the United States flag in their stores. However, when it comes to allowing us, The American Legion, to receive donations that are used for veterans and their families, we can’t even get their support.
Wal-Mart manager and marketing director Mr. Floyd stated that Wal-Mart policies are to only allow vendors such as Girl Scouts, Coke and NASCAR to solicit for donations in front of the store.
There’s something wrong with that policy!
Editor’s note: A representative at Wal-Mart’s customer service center said it was up to each store’s manager to decide who is allowed to solicit outside the store. A Conyers Wal-Mart manager said currently there was no group currently soliciting outside the store but that it had in the past allowed primarily nonprofits as long as guidelines were followed and times were scheduled ahead of time.
