Retailers of Year honored by MRA

Three Michigan retailers—Saturn Booksellers in Gaylord, Playmakers in Okemos and Target Corporation, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota—are the 2007 Michigan Retailers of the Year. They were honored for their outstanding community involvement at Michigan Retailer’s Association’s 10th Annual Michigan Retailer of the Year Awards luncheon on October 23 in Lansing.

“The retailers we honor today help make life measurably better for Michigan’s citizens, especially its most precious resource, children,” said MRA Chairman and CEO Larry Meyer. “They, and the many other retailers who give back to their communities in so many ways, should make us all proud of our industry.”

Awards are given in three categories—small, medium and large—based on annual sales volume. An independent panel composed of leaders in business, government, higher education, non-profit organizations and the news media selects the recipients.

The awards program is cosponsored by the Michigan Press Association, which represents 300 daily and weekly newspapers in Michigan.

Small (less than $2 million in annual sales)
Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord
Jill Miner, Owner

Saturn Booksellers helps instill a love of books in the children of the Gaylord area and increases literacy in the community. Owner Jill Miner arranges for children’s authors and illustrators to come to the area’s elementary schools—in Gaylord and the surrounding small communities of Mancelona and Vanderbilt.

She ensures that the programs reach as many children as possible by arranging for children from five other area schools to come by bus to join in the fun and learning. Saturn Bookseller’s author events get young people excited about reading and help them learn to see writers and illustrators as approachable people with careers to which they might aspire.

With the same belief in the transformative power of literacy, Saturn Booksellers donated $5,000 in books this year to “Books to Africa,” an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the lives of Africans through books and education. Miner also donates to local benefits, and the store serves as the ticket outlet for area performances and events.

Medium ($2 million-$20 million)
Playmakers Inc., Okemos
Curt & Judy Munson,
Co-Owners

Playmakers Inc. has been instrumental in bringing several national health and fitness-related programs to the Lansing area. Primary among these is the Feelin’ Good Mileage Club & Michigan Mile Walk/Run.

For seven weeks each spring, children in kindergarten through sixth grade walk or run laps during lunch or recess, earning incentives and learning the habit of physical activity.

In 1997 Playmakers collaborated with Sparrow Hospital to launch the national program in Lansing. In 2007, 126 schools in eight mid-Michigan counties participated, making the program available to more than 40,000 kids. Over the years, the children have logged well over a million miles.

The program culminates in the Michigan Mile Run/Walk. Funds raised from the run benefit the Children’s Miracle Network. But the primary focus of the program is to increase the physical activity of children, by getting them walking or running on a regular basis.
In addition, through sponsorship of numerous run/walk events, Playmakers has helped raise money for Special Olympics Michigan

Area 8, the Capital Area Humane Society, Ele’s Place, the MSU Museum, Impression 5 Museum and other local and national nonprofits.

Large (more than $20 million)
Target Corporation, Minneapolis, MN

Since its inception, Target has made it part of its mission to contribute 5 percent of its annual income to programs that serve the community. In 2007 that means more than $3 million every week goes to education initiatives, support of the arts and social service agencies.

In Michigan, Target’s charitable commitment takes many forms. Target Harmony in the Parks, Michigan Reads! and Take Charge of Education are just three examples.

Target Harmony in the Parks, together with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Metropark system, gives families the opportunity to see the DSO perform for free.

Michigan Reads! promotes the benefits of reading to preschoolers and increases awareness and usage of Michigan’s hundreds of public libraries.

Take Charge of Education supports schools by allowing Target shoppers to designate a school to which Target will donate 1 percent of every purchase. Schools in Detroit and its surrounding communities have received more than $6 million through the program over the past 10 years, with similar activities benefiting schools across Michigan.

Target also has given generously to Michigan Retailers Foundation’s scholarship program. To date, Target and Detroit District Team Leader Joe Swanson (an MRA board member) have contributed more than $30,000 and endowed three annual scholarships.