Kettle Protest Goes National
by Beth Shapiro
365Gay.com Newscenter, in New York 

(Novembrer 28, New York) Mary Scholl has even surprised herself.  "It's amazing what one PFLAG mom can do."

Scholl is the president of  PFLAG Genesee County, Michigan and she wanted to let the Salvation Army know she wasn't supporting their discrimination.

She started a local campaign in her community for people to drop notices in the Sally Anne's Red Kettles condemning the charity for its refusal to provide benefits to the partners of its gay and lesbian staff.

PFLAG Genesee County's "reminder bills" state "I would have donated $5 dollars, but the Salvation Army's decision to discriminate against gay and lesbian employees prevents my donation now and in the future. Change your discriminatory policy."

The protest quickly spread across the central US And, now it has gone right across the country.

Many of PFLAG's 470 affiliates nationwide have picked up on the protest and outside some malls Red Kettles are collecting as many protect notes as greenbacks.

Donna Blaha, President of PFLAG Glenview, Illinois, said "typically I'll drop some money into a kettle each time I see it. But after the Salvation Army's very public actions this year against the GLBT community, I'll think of my lesbian daughter and gay son and drop in a reminder bill instead."

PFLAG has more than 84,000 members and supporters across the United States.

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