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Southbridge Mall thumbs nose at poor, needy?

Southbridge Mall, where the poor and needy are an afterthought by mall management?
Southbridge Mall, where the poor and needy are an afterthought by mall management?

MASON CITY – In what may be another in a growing list of decisions that are irking would-be shoppers and patrons, Southbridge Mall management has apparently decided that the very soothing and holiday-themed sound of the Salvation Army Kettle Bell is not wanted this season.

A call this morning to the Salvation Army in Mason City confirmed that the Salvation Army kettle ringers will be taking donations at places like Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Walgreen’s, Shopko, Hy-Vee East and West, Fareway in Clear Lake and Mason City… but not Southbridge Mall.

“Right now we were informed we won’t be able to do that,” a person at the Salvation Army told NIT Thursday morning. “They are under new management and they said we can’t come there. We hope that will change.”

The Mason City Kennel Club, volunteer kettle ringers, also verified that they were told that they won’t be ringing the kettle at Southbridge Mall.

“After many years of a wonderful contribution on the part of the Southbridge Mall in Mason City allowing the volunteers for the Salvation Army Kettle Drive to come inside out of the elements to ring the bell, the new owners and new manager are no longer allowing this,” a Kennel Club member said Wednesday evening.

“Members of the Mason City Kennel Club who had volunteered to man the kettle in December were recently notified that our day of participation has been cancelled due to the new mall manager not allowing the Kettle Drive to take place inside the mall.”

The Kettle Club member went on to say:

TJ Just of Southbridge Mall (Photo linked to from the Globe Gazette)

“I placed a call to the management office to verify this rumor. The manager (an arrogant ass) returned my call and I asked him why, after years of the Southbridge Mall contributing to the Salvation Army Kettle Drive’s cause by allowing volunteers to be inside the mall while ringing the bell, would he not allow this tradition to continue. After being taken aback by my question, he informed me that he would allow the volunteers to ring the bell but they must remain outside the mall or in the vestibule. I suggested that the ball inside the bell be replaced with a paperclip as in previous years in order to cut down on noise. He said that he would ‘take this into consideration.'”

A call to Southbridge Mall manager TJ Just was answered, and he said NIT has it all wrong.

“That is not true,” Just said, sounding somewhat agitated.  “We are working with the Salvation Army.”

“What’s there to work on, TJ?” NIT Publisher Matt Marquardt asked.  “The kettle ringers have been in the mall for years.”

“Is there anything else?” Just asked.

Anyone wishing to contact the mall to issue a complaint can call 641-423-6688 and ask for TJ Just, Southbridge Mall Manager.

 

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