Donations at Sunset Zoo

Sarah just informed me yesterday that while her leadership class was at Sunset Zoo organizing activities for children she took donations for our cause. Manhattan residents were generous enough to donate $165 in total. Not a bad start considering we haven't had a formalized donation drive yet! Thank you so very much to all those kind-hearted folks who we were fortunate enough to receive donations from!

Compassion from Wal-Mart... Target, not so much...

I just got off the phone with managers from Wal-Mart and Target here in Manhattan. We aren't home free yet. Unfortunately, Target doesn't allow "solicitation" under any circumstances; not even when it involves helping those dying of genocide. I couldn't even finish what I was saying without the manager interrupting me and adamantly proclaiming that they "just don't allow that"; sounded like he had more important things to do. When asked why Santa was allowed to stand outside and "solicit" for change in December, I was told they don't allow that either (which I swear I've seen that red clad man ringing a bell asking for my change when I happen to find my way to target around Christmas time). If an organization as esteemed and established as the Salvation Army can't even break Target's callous facade, I think we may be out of luck here folks; but we will keep trying!
(After further research I found this article as well as this one dealing with Target's decision to ban the Salvation Army from gathering donations outside their stores.)

As for Wal-Mart, the manager was very helpful and instructed me on what I needed to do to meet our goal. Sometime within the next couple days we need to fill out an application if we want to receive a donation from them and be able to spread the word and gather donations from locals at their store. It's not much, but it's a start.

Just to put things into perspective:

Target annual revenue (2006) - $52.6 Billion

Wal-Mart annual revenue (2006) - $315.6 Billion


Target also donates double what Wal-Mart donates to charity; 2% of their annual earnings compared to 1%. See it here.

Full SGA support for the commodity drive!

KSU's Student Governing Association has informed us they are willing to assist our cause in any way it can! What excellent news!

Hopefully their support will help in spreading information about our cause through assisting us with banners, posters, flyers, and collegian ads!

As of now, things are going great. We're off to a wonderful start! We will meet this Wednesday to discuss organizing commodity drive events as well as soliciting local businesses for donations. On the horizon is a nice PR event in the Union Courtyard alongside the Peace Corps and the study abroad office where we will have the opportunity to reach a good amount of people.

SaveDarfur.org has a post called "Background" that's worth checking out...

Darfur has been embroiled in a deadly conflict for over three years. At least 400,000 people have been killed; more than 2 million innocent civilians have been forced to flee their homes and now live in displaced-persons camps in Sudan or in refugee camps in neighboring Chad; and more than 3.5…