March 28th, 2011
I rarely get directly involved in too many community causes outside those promoted by my local church. It’s not that I lack core values; it’s just that I’m not that good a person! No honestly, I find somber events dealing with life and illness outside the realm of religion to be kind of hollow, especially given the fact that I feel essentially powerless to make any quantifiable difference. Ritual apart from faith has always struck me as rather empty. I whole heartily commend those who work tirelessly on behalf of others, and I try to contribute in at least some small way to charity, but I seldom participate in the surrounding pomp and circumstance. Well there’s an event happening in Tyler next week that even I can support.
The Assist Autism Foundation will be holding a community day in the park event, in order to raise awareness concerning the disease. The day’s events will include bouncy houses, face painting, children’s yoga, (whatever that is), great music, and whole litany of other activities. Participation in most events is free; although I’m sure there will be opportunities to give for those who are so inclined. There are a number of local businesses and organizations sponsoring the event which will run from ten am to two pm. It’s an up- beat day of community involvement that promises to be fun for the kids in particular, and goes to supporting a great cause. Businesses and organizations who are interested in taking a more direct and active part can call 903-509-4430.
On a not completely related note, parents or family members of Autistic children who would like to connect with other families in similar circumstances, or simply get some general and anonymous advice are invited to visit the following web page: http://www.findingjackson.com “Finding Jackson” is a great resource, and will hopefully be an encouragement to many families struggling with Autism.
Tags: Anonymous Advice, Autism Awareness, Autism Foundation, Autistic Children, Bouncy Houses, Cause Businesses, Charity, Circumstances, Community Involvement, Core Values, Encouragement, Family Members, Great Music, Litany, Local Businesses, Local Church, Painting Children, Participation, Pomp And Circumstance, Tyler Texas, Yoga
Posted in Tyler Businesses | No Comments »
January 12th, 2010
While I’m not sure Tyler warrants them, we now have three Wal-Mart Supercenters in town. The idea of one stop discount shopping is a fine idea. I’m a firm believer in free enterprise capitalism. So if I’m critical of the store it’s not about politics. It is about the quality of the product and care given by the employees to address customer needs as well as maintain the store.
The South Broadway and the Troup locations are pretty nice stores. Although they are not the Wal-Mart’s I usually shop, I find that they are orderly and the employees are generally fairly knowledgeable. I have heard the retail giant often poked fun at for its greeters. Not unlike walking into church there is usually someone there to welcome and if necessary point the customer in the direction of what he or she is looking for. This is not something I require in a department store but it is nice. The employees at these locals are mostly neat in appearance, and reflect positively on their perspective stores.
This is not my impression of the highway 64 location. Upon entering the store the customer is “greeted” by an employee who stands and listlessly stares in the direction those entering the building. The store’s appearance is another problem. It is generally disorganized, and what is more, the employees usually know very little about the products they sell. On more than one occasion, I’ve had workers tell me they were unable to find what I was looking for and simply leave me to search the aisle on my own. And then there are the customers themselves… I guess I’ve just never experienced the joy that loitering in a department store can bring.
As a rule, I like Wal-Mart’s low prices and their community involvement. The company is a good company, but some of the local outlets need some serious quality control. In comparison with other companies like Target who’s stores are always neat and the employees are always attractive, Wal-Mart has its work cut out for it. For those who have a choice of Supercenters I would shy away from the 64 location. Better yet, try shopping on line at www.walmart.com.
Tags: Aisle, Appearance, Capitalism, Community Involvement, Department Store, Firm Believer, Free Enterprise, Good Company, Greeters, Locals, Perspective, Quality Control, Retail Giant, South Broadway, Stares, target, Tyler Texas Walmart, wal-mart, Wal-Mart Supercenters, Walmarts, Warrants
Posted in Shopping Centers | No Comments »
