Vance Jackson Neighborhood, Inc.

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Checkout Lanes at HEB


Introduction


Problem Statement:
    "Do you ever look for purified water at HEB? Have you noticed the minimally and/or very suggestively dressed pictures of men and women on the magazine covers on the racks at the checkout lanes at HEB? Would you also like a purified experience at the checkout lanes?"

    "My husband and I have a 6 year old son. We try to teach and model purity to him in what we choose to listen to, wear, and see, but since the beginning of the year as a gift from parenting, my senses have been increasingly awakened to this task. The grocery store checkout lanes became a sad place, and at the same time, a teaching opportunity to pray for conversions of hearts and minds. For months this was all we thought we were called to do."

    "In early May, my son and I were at a grocery store in Chantilly, VA, named Giant. We saw a large sign hanging from the ceiling over a checkout lane that read 'This lane designated no magazines or candy per customer request'. We were so happy to see this!"

    Full Problem Statement
Why VJNI is involved:
    At our June meeting, VJNI directors decided that this was an obviously good issue for the association to support and gave permission to Melly Trakas to solicit petitions. At this time, the association's only resource commitments are for web and mailbox uses. Since we pay for these services on a time basis, our support activities have zero incremental costs. In the past, VJNI has sponsored other worth causes, such as holding money for repair of the Summit sign at Tioga and Wurzbach.
What someone in the VJNI association area can do:
    [1] Print out the Individual & Family Petition
    [2] Sign the petition
    [3] Mail your signed petition to the VJNI mailbox.

    (See mailing address at bottom of page.)
What an activist outside our association can do:
    Download, print and copy our starter kit as needed:

    [1] Instructions - Letter
    [2] Multiple Signature Petition - PDF Version  |  RTF Version *
    [3] Kids Petition - PDF Version  |  RTF Version *
    [4] VJNI Web Site - Print Copy (10/1/08) +

    * RTF Versions are easily edited
    + I've found having a hard copy of information, such as the web site, useful when collecting signatures


Sep 29 – Oct 3 2008


The following magazines with indecent pictures and/or sex words/stories on the covers were at the checkout stands for Wurzbach and I-10 HEB:
    a. TV Notas Sept 23 (pic)
    b. TV Guide Sept 29-Oct 5 (pic)
    c. Oxygen Nov ’08 (pic and sex word)
    d. Glamour Oct ’08 (sex words)
    e. TV Novelas Sept 30 ’08 (pic and sex words)
    f. Latina Oct ’08 (pic and sex words)
    g. Cosmopolitan (Span) Sept’08 (pic and sex words)
    h. Cosmopolitan Oct’08 (sex words)
    i. Modern Bride Oct/Nov ’08 (sex word)
    j. Redbook Oct ’08 (sex word)
    k. In Style Makeover Fall ’08 (sex word)
    l. Mujer Oct/Nov ’08 (sex word)
    m. In Style Oct ’08 (sex word)
I spoke with Sixto Elizondo, Unit Director, at Wurzbach/I-10. I showed him areas where these indecent magazines were displayed right beside candy bars for the kids to see. I asked if he could do anything to separate these indecent magazines from the candy. He stated "no" because of contracts with magazine vendors. I asked him to make a list of the magazines I reviewed with him and send in my concerns with it.

I invited him to watch "Catholicism Live" on Wednesday, Oct 1st, to hear more about the petition drive and its importance – both morally and psychologically.

I sent pictures, customer comment cards, and a letter to Mr. Bill Anderson, Vice President of General Merchandise, Victor Rodriguez, Manager Customer Relations, and Ms. Dya Campos, Director of Public Affairs. My letter appealed to their sense of responsibility/ethic.

Melly Trakas

All Status Reports


References


Correspondence: Why we need petitions:
  • Magazines are an important revenue source for HEB and so HEB needs strong customer input to justify a change

  • Marketing Magazines & Books Excellence Awards - EXCELLENCE IN CHECKOUT MARKETING - Magazine Publishers Magazine
  • H-E-B, Kroger, Meijer Honored for Magazine Merchandising Excellence - AllBusines
Links to other similar efforts:
Family Friendly Checkout Lane at a Giant grocery in Virginia

Family Friendly Checkout Lane at a Giant grocery in Virginia


Pilot Family Friendly Checkout Lane at Wurzbach & I-10 HEB (Sep 08)

Pilot Family Friendly Checkout Lane at Wurzbach & I-10 HEB (Sep 08)

Higher Def - PDF Version



Vance Jackson Neighborhood, Inc., 10004 Wurzbach Rd Ste 192, San Antonio, TX 78230-2214
Email - officers@vjni.org