Dear Editor:
I’m writing in response to Amy Roberts article "Wal-Mart, not an option". Obviously there was a failure to research the local Walmart and how the store supports and contributes to our community. Amy states, "I have never once seen a Walmart logo on a poster, website or flyer announcing the Kimball Junction store’s sponsorship of a fundraiser or charity event here in Park City."
I currently sit on the Running with Ed fundraising committee benefiting PCEF and was a Habitat for Humanity board member for several years. Walmart, not only donates cash, but supports these two charities in a number of ways.
Michael Donahue, store manager, started with Walmart as a bagger, has been with them for over 25 years, and is a longtime local resident. Every time I’ve approached Michael about giving to a local charity, he smiles and says, "Whatever we can do to help." He always comes thru, typically asking nothing in return, maybe to fault.
Here are just some of the charities that have received donations from Walmart: Christian Center of Park City, Back to School Basics Program, Habitat for Humanity, Park City Fraternal Order of Police, Shop with a Cop, Peoples Health Clinic, Park City Education Foundation, Primary Children’s Hospital, Utah Food Bank of Summit County, to name a few. Michael had a list, too long to include, of how his employees are involved in this community and the endless ways they give back to it. I think it’s important to point out that 95 percent of the 210 local Walmart employees are Summit/Wasatch county residents that use their paychecks to buy goods and services right here in our community.
Over 25 percent have been employees for 10+ years and over 10 percent have 20+ years of employment.
Everyone has a right to choose where to spend their money, but understand that 200 local families are affected when people are encouraged not to spend their money at Walmart.
I’m writing this coincidentally in one of the thousands of RWE shirts that participants and volunteers received that has Walmart’s logo on the back. Ms. Roberts, I encourage you to introduce yourself to Michael this week. He’s extremely approachable and I think you’ll have a different opinion of our local Walmart afterwards… And he’ll probably find a way to get you that L’Oreal mascara you so desperately need.
Thanks to Michael and all the Walmart associates for everything you do to support our community and local charities.
Sean Beard
Park City
Endorsement letters are inappropriate
Editor:
Here it is election time again and, once again, The Park Record fills pages of letters-to-the-editor with free advertising for candidates all touting the amazing merits of each candidate in syrupy letters from their families, neighbors, co-workers and godparents. Since when does a newspaper’s op-ed page become an unbalanced assortment of "my good buddy is better than your good buddy" letters? The Park Record is providing neither balance nor a service to its readers — nor is it doing its homework.
For instance, in the July 17th issue I noted a letter glorifying Alex Butwinski and extollling his virtues, elevating him to the stature of Abe Lincoln. Now, I don’t have anything against Alex; he may love kittens and puppies and know how to read and write. I did find it interesting that the letter was signed by none other than Butwinski’s wife. Hmmm, funny that she never mentioned her relationship to him. Just a silly detail, right? Heck, Alex probably composed the letter himself, so why didn’t he just sign it and say, "Vote for me, I’m fabulous!" Why do you print this drivel? At least make Alex pay for his puffery.
Given the many years I’ve noticed this practice in The Park Record, I assume most local folks running for office immediately ask all their friends, families (c’mon Alex your WIFE?), third-grade teachers and softball teammates to inundate The Park Record with letters glorifying their merits. He or she who has the most literate friends and gets the most compliments wins! Rather than democracy at its finest, this is silly, inaccurate, unreliable, unverifiable, and unbalanced information. We Park City voters deserve better. Thank goodness we have Leslie Thatcher at KPCW to ask the hard questions and extract the facts and true qualifications of the candidates. What The Park Record is publishing is no better than junk mail.
As for me, I much prefer getting my pertinent political information at the No Name, listening to In-A-Godda-Da-Vida.
Bruce Dennis
Park City