A bit over a month ago a young boy (somewhere between the grades of 4-7) showed up at our door. My husband and daughter answered and he asked if we wanted to buy a wreath. I asked (from another room) if it was in support of any group-he said it was for his school, Seaside Elementary (a local 4-7 grade middle school in Eastern Passage). Since it supported a school we agreed. Then we waited..and waited. No wreath. Hmm. I called the school and they said they had no record of my husband's name or phone number and asked if he could come into the school to ID the child. My husband was frustrated that not only was he out $20. for the wreath we never received but now was asked to spend more time (and gas money) to try and search out said thief (he was certain he wouldn't be able to ID the child).
As kids, we often were encouraged to go door to door to peddle the PTO goodies in support of our school-and usually a prize was given for the most orders. Nowadays this is seen as a very dangerous practice so kids don't tend to go door to door very much. When I see a kid going door to door I used to assume they couldn't get other family members to support them so they were exercising their entrepreneurial spirit and going door to door. Now my confidence in the good intentions of these door to door peddlers is shaken and I'm considering venting my frustrations to the local paper and social media. Unfortunately this school has gotten some recent bad press about not reviewing the gifts that were given to their school for a trinkets to treasures gift exchange-many of the books had XXX adult themes. So I'm sure stealing from the local community won't help their image.
I just wish the school would offer our money back since its clear one of their own students took advantage of their school PTO fundraiser. I know I certainly won't be supporting any kids that come to my door in the future-sorry kids!-"fool me once" they say...
