Marine collecting toys for tots booted from Walmart

A former Marine collecting for Toys for Tots was told to stay outside Walmart. (Credit: Facebook, via Fox News)

A former Marine in full dress who has spent the past 15 years collecting for the Toys for Tots charity at the Walmart Supercenter in Medina, Ohio, was shocked when he went to assume his post inside the store but was told by management: You need to stay outside.

In previous years, John Harkness, the former Marine who’s dressed in full uniform to collect for the charity, has been allowed to stay inside the Walmart, out of the cold. But apparently, the store policy, enacted in 2000, prohibits charity collectors from standing inside the store.

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Fox News reported the Walmart for years ignored that policy for Harkness. But a change in management this year brought a change in reaction to Harkness.

“They made us stay outside,” Harkness said to WOIO, a CBS affiliate. “We’re there to collect toys for children that need a Christmas.

At least one shopper passing the shivering former Marine on her way to Christmas shop expressed outrage at the treatment he received from Walmart.

“I just said, why can’t they put you inside? This is crap,” said Mary Murdock, to WOIO.

And a photo posted of Harkness on Facebook was similarly critical of Walmart.

The text alongside the photo read: “He can bleed and die, but he can’t stand inside.”

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Some responding to the post called for a boycott of Walmart, CBS reported.

Walmart, meanwhile, released a statement about store policy, and said officials would investigate.

“If a Marine or anyone was treated with disrespect, that is unacceptable and we are looking into this matter further to get the facts,” Walmart’s statement said. “Walmart’s corporate policy across our more than 4,500 stores does not allow this type of solicitation inside our stores and we apologize for any confusion about this policy.”

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