By Phil Davidson
Idaho Falls Post Register (Idaho)
Copyright 2006 The Post Register
All Rights Reserved
A seemingly innocuous news release about a program to raise money for firefighters was recently sent to the newsroom.
Apparently, there’s a Greenville, S.C.-based vending company that offers its equipment to help fire departments and other organizations it deems charitable.
The Levi Vending Co.'s fundraising program is a ""win-win-win solution for the fire departments, local businesses and our company,"" Vice President Anthony Babbitt said in the release.
It’s supposed to work like this:
A local charity - in this case the Idaho Falls Fire Department - recruits area businesses to sponsor a vending machine at their offices.
All the business owner has to do is donate 9 square feet of space, and Levi will provide a machine and fill it on a regular basis. Levi in turn splits profits 50-50 with the sponsored fire station, and provides a charitable-giving channel for businesses that are stretched thin.
Levi estimates a local fire station can easily earn $1,200 annually for each location they recruit.
Seems rather altruistic.
Unfortunately for Levi, the Idaho Falls Fire Department is not a charity; therefore it cannot accept outside funds, said Division Chief Jon Walker.
The fire department is funded entirely by fees, property taxes funneled through the city and county budget, and by state and federal grants.
Walker, who’d never heard of Levi, said it’s possible for a group to donate to the city, which could then decide how to distribute the money. But as for his department, there’s no way to accept funds.
Wonder whether Levi has been running into this dilemma elsewhere?
Kid of the House
Children are growing up pretty fast these days, but age 5 might be a little early to leave a kid home alone to watch a 3-year-old sibling.
Idaho Falls police cited a 33-year-old mother two weeks ago for leaving her
3- and 5-year-old daughters home alone while she and her husband were at work. The woman had yet to be charged in court by Tuesday, so we’re withholding her name.
According to police reports, the woman said she left for her job in the retail industry shortly before 2 p.m. The officer who made the house call learned from the children that their grandma usually comes by at 5 p.m. to watch them.
Police were tipped off by a westside resident who went to the home to seek information on a sale the parents were advertising.
When the man knocked on the door, the report said, the 5-year-old told him her parents weren’t home and she couldn’t talk to strangers.
Like a good Samaritan, the man called the police.