Security Jewelers helps make runner's dream come true. - Perfect Duluth Day

Security Jewelers helps make runner’s dream come true.

secjewl Jun 26, 2009 18 Comments

play front jay and melody

Melody Saleh a two-time breast cancer survivor had set a recovery goal of running The Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. She entered the lottery to get a spot in the race but unfortunately did not get selected.

Her sister-in-law Heidi Saleh made her aware that Security Jewelers in Duluth was auctioning an entry on ebay with 100% of the proceeds to be donated to the Junior League of Duluth (which Heidi is a member of) to help rebuild the popular Play Front Park.

Melody bid and bid again and again until all the other bidders dropped out.

Melody is pictured with Jay Seiler, owner of Security Jewelers in front of a replica of the check presented to the Junior League.

Every year Security Jewelers auctions off one of the entries it receives as a Marathon Sponsor and donates all the proceeds to a local nonprofit.

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18 Comments

edgeways

about 17 years ago 

I really appreciate, that Saleh got to do her thing and SJ made it happen. But to me this post kind of crosses a line. A business, posting as a business, not only initially promoted the auction, but now is self-writing, for free, a small PR piece.

I may be off base here, and won't belabor the point, but I think this falls under the "Promotional Content" area of the policies, and think it skates too close to the margin.

Tim K

about 17 years ago 

I also thought that Grandma's Marathon (Inc.) prohibited the re-selling of race entries.

Calk

about 17 years ago 

I hate when a business toots its own horn like this.

Paul Lundgren

about 17 years ago 

Grandma's does prohibit reselling of race entries. An exception is made in this case because it's a charity thing.

jay

about 17 years ago 

Thanks for pointing out. I really never did study the
policies (will check out) but I do see commercial plugs
sprinkled throughout PDD.

Most of these are plugs for saloons and coffee shops hosting
bands (Starfires blowout sale seems pretty commercial to me
also). Granted a bit more indie then my jewelry store but all
a call for action (spend your money, drink our suds, coffee, buy
my threads, etc).

I will continue to use other media for crass commercialism
but every now and then will experiment with the many new
forms of alternative media to try to keep our name in front
of the public.

jay

about 17 years ago 

Being a sponsor we can do what we please with entries. I
always get Scott's permission before auctioning and always
direct all $$$ to a local non profit.

huitz

about 17 years ago 

I don't know how charities work, but it sounds like in this case...

A local business auctions on ebay, gets public recognition in whatever shape or form for the donation, and then gets "bigga" tax break.  Is that pretty much how it works?

Just a guess.

huitz

about 17 years ago 

I see many of the commercial plugs, too, jay.  Question to general viewers: wasn't there some talk of a new post category a while back as a promotion/ad/commercial/whatever?

Starfire

about 17 years ago 

Jay is a nice guy.

vicarious

about 17 years ago 

The Seiler brothers are uncommonly generous businessmen.

sean42

about 17 years ago 

And they are very nice to their delivery drivers.

secjewl

about 17 years ago 

Yes we get public recognition,and local non profits get money they would not have otherwise received.
No,there are no tax breaks.
We are simply handing over money from one person to another.
Also we never deduct from amount given or ask for reimbursement to cover our expenses in doing this.
Ebay and paypal fees alone take around 5%. 
In a nut shell we are trying,in a unique,creative way to get funds for local non profits that they otherwise would not have received.
For this we try to get a little publicity and the goodwill associated with it.

zra

about 17 years ago 

kudos.

Barrett Chase

about 17 years ago 

The line always feels crossed when promotional posts are made by people who don't otherwise contribute to the PDD community. If you're here frequently and genuinely commenting on discussions about other things happening in the city, people will give you more slack when it comes to talking about your own stuff.

Will

about 17 years ago 

Blatant PR crap like this makes me less likely to read PDD. I'm just sayin'.

Tim Moriarty

about 16 years ago 

Jay is a very nice guy, slow golfer, but still a very nice guy!

Jude

about 16 years ago 

I also think when a business posts they need to use their business name if the post has to do with the business/commercial enterprise. I expect that. I figured out secjewl as being Security Jewelers now, but I never would have made that connection before.

wildgoose

about 16 years ago 

I'm all for self policing of posts by readers. But we, as in the PDD community, are starting to come across as a little hyper critical and I'm obviously not the only one who's noticed that.  

Not that my opinion matters, but my interpretation is that this post works, considering the content and the source.  Not gonna name names, but other businesses post events and other happenings on here all the time.

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