Walmart / Sams Club Christmas Partnership
Kettles
Wal Mart/Sams will again make an exception for The Salvation Army to allow
kettles at its stores continuously from Friday November 27 through December
24.
While Wal Mart/Sams has again allowed this exception, which means that all
of its stores will be available for kettles throughout this period, it is
possible that some prior commitments may have been made locally which will
result in other organizations being present for solicitations on some of those
days. &nb
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;
A copy of a Wal Mart Corporation letter authorizing kettles will be made
available as soon as it is received here at THQ.
Dream Drive
Sams Club will be sponsoring the Dream Drive in selected
markets. This is the shopping spree in which NFL Players Wives participate in
shopping for needy families at Sams Club. In the past $1,000 per family was
provided by Sams Club. Please note this promotion does not affect the majority
of units/commands in the South.
Sams Club have indicated that there would be a larger budget this year but
has still to decide on the total number of media markets or the total number of
families to be served.
Details of commands affected will be made available soon, together with a
list of markets and dates. Last year $2,000 was provided to each market for the
purchase of toys for the local Christmas program, but that will be discontinued
this year.
Grant &
nbsp;
As in previous years, Wal Mart/Sams will provide a national grant of $ 1
million, designated for services provided during the Christmas season.
The grant document is currently being prepared and we have been advised that
the funds should be available by early December.
Please note that there will be no pre Thanksgiving Wal Mart/Sams kettle
kickoff this year, nor a Celebrity Bell Ringing effort.
As with all national partnerships, please begin to build on the
relationships you have established already with your local Wal Mart and Sams
Club management, remembering managers are moved from branch to branch just as
we move our officers. For those corps officers at new appointments it is
critical that you begin building your relationship with these important
contacts as soon as you can. We hear too often of managers who refuse to allow
us to ring bells, or make life very difficult. Often this is because they have
never been contacted by the corps officer until the last minute when kettle
season is about to start.