Grrr....
There is a group in the area. It brings kids around to sell coupons/magazines for donations. I have nothing against the organization but for its blatant disregard for my malls boundaries. Other groups will rent/get donated a booth in our mall sometimes for cookie sales, raffles, etc. Others can sign-up outside certain stores for a table and a time slot (so they're sanctioned by the mall, covered under insurance, etc). But this group doesn't bother to do that, and just shows-up when they want to let-loose a van full of kids into our parking lots between 6 & 9 at night to approach random people with their coupons. This group has been warned 1/2 dozen times, but each time it's a different chaperone with them who is also a clueless volunteer. We finally got contact information for the group and sent a certified 'stop it' letter. (Our 'no solicitation' rules are clear at every mall entrance also). We could have had them arrested every time after that, but merely kicked them out again. They DON'T seem to get it. By not being sanctioned by the mall like the other groups we work with, and if we let them get away with it, if something happens to them of COURSE they'll pull the 'well, they let us solicit on their property so they're responsible for my injuries/loss!'
So of course, AGAIN I'm getting complaints tonight about this group in the parking lot. But WAIT! They're going by a different name now. Sure enough the receipts, cards, badges, etc. all show 'Group X' instead of 'Group Y.' They admit that they used to be group Y, but now operate under group X. I round-up the kids and tell the chaperones that this is the last time. Under no condition are they to come back as either group X or Y, or the police will be called.
I looked it up and it seems as though they have fully rolled-over into operating under the Group X name now, but some of their old photos on their hand-outs show the old name. So now we're aware that it's the same group and that if they think their strikes start anew under a new name they're sorely mistaken.
I feel bad for the kids dumped in our parking lots told to sell stuff after the sun has gone down. I blame the group organizers for not staying with the kids (they'll drop groups off, then come back an hour later to get them), and for ignoring our rules because they can't be bothered to work with us legitimately.
There is a group in the area. It brings kids around to sell coupons/magazines for donations. I have nothing against the organization but for its blatant disregard for my malls boundaries. Other groups will rent/get donated a booth in our mall sometimes for cookie sales, raffles, etc. Others can sign-up outside certain stores for a table and a time slot (so they're sanctioned by the mall, covered under insurance, etc). But this group doesn't bother to do that, and just shows-up when they want to let-loose a van full of kids into our parking lots between 6 & 9 at night to approach random people with their coupons. This group has been warned 1/2 dozen times, but each time it's a different chaperone with them who is also a clueless volunteer. We finally got contact information for the group and sent a certified 'stop it' letter. (Our 'no solicitation' rules are clear at every mall entrance also). We could have had them arrested every time after that, but merely kicked them out again. They DON'T seem to get it. By not being sanctioned by the mall like the other groups we work with, and if we let them get away with it, if something happens to them of COURSE they'll pull the 'well, they let us solicit on their property so they're responsible for my injuries/loss!'
So of course, AGAIN I'm getting complaints tonight about this group in the parking lot. But WAIT! They're going by a different name now. Sure enough the receipts, cards, badges, etc. all show 'Group X' instead of 'Group Y.' They admit that they used to be group Y, but now operate under group X. I round-up the kids and tell the chaperones that this is the last time. Under no condition are they to come back as either group X or Y, or the police will be called.
I looked it up and it seems as though they have fully rolled-over into operating under the Group X name now, but some of their old photos on their hand-outs show the old name. So now we're aware that it's the same group and that if they think their strikes start anew under a new name they're sorely mistaken.
I feel bad for the kids dumped in our parking lots told to sell stuff after the sun has gone down. I blame the group organizers for not staying with the kids (they'll drop groups off, then come back an hour later to get them), and for ignoring our rules because they can't be bothered to work with us legitimately.
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