Lowe's is teaming up with some who-gives-a-damn publishing company to provide the public with the most untimely of promotions. Barely a year after the wrath of Hurricane Katrina fell on southern shores, "
Blow Us Away With Your Hurricane Memories!"
...come again?
Update: rubgyrooki has mentioned that there is a Contact Us section on the Lowe's site - feel free to let them know how ignorant the tone of this promotion is.
Disclaimer: I'm not a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, this is just a dramatization. The only way I can stay sane in this society is to use cynicism to my advantage.
Lowe's and Reiman Publications are creating a one-of-a-kind hurricane history and readiness guide, but we can't do it without your help. We want your tales, tips and experiences from past hurricanes you've weathered.
Remember the 1938 "Long Island Express"...the Great Atlantic in 1944...Camille in 1969 and Andrew in 1992? What about Diane, Betsy, Hugo, Charley, Dennis, Wilma...and who could forget Katrina!
Oh certainly, who could forget Katrina? I mean, it's not like you're asking who could forget those affected, to which there could be quite a few answers. Lowe's could use a quick lesson in PR regarding national disasters, for instance. The United States government could use a primer, maybe the national media could get in on a 2-for-1 special at the School for Katrina Rememberance ("We'll get you ready for your heckuva new job!")
Photos...Photos...Photos! We want to see your photos--those of the destruction and, more importantly, the rebuilding. If you have before and after photos, please share those, too!
I don't know, we've got a few photos of the destruction lying around the place somewhere, but I can't manage to find them.
...oh yeah, wait a second...
That one is from when we thought there was a shelter set up at a Convention Center up the road, because we had to rely on word of mouth and confused public/TV figures for instructions. Those jokers, always telling us to go somewhere that help was not, what a hoot! Between sleeping on the pavement and screaming at television cameras for help, we laughed about the situation for days.
No really, days!
If we print your material, you'll receive a $25 Lowe's gift card as our thanks; we'll also send two complimentary guides to share with friends and family. We don't send the gift card for every item we print--it's only for the larger items, such as a photo or a memory a few paragraphs or longer.
Well I'll be, a $25 gift card to use at Lowe's? I could definitely use that right now, as my house caved in from the roof down during the little flood we had. Maybe I could flush it down the toilet with the down payment on my new car that I purchased a week before the storm, my buddy Tom is never gonna let me live that one down! I could use it to help pay for a night's stay somewhere, or how about to pay a guy to pick up a couple of logs in the front yard?
Half a month's phone bill?
A taxi ride to the grocery store?
Oh wait, I can only spend it at Lowe's. Looks like I'll be able to buy that vanity mirror I've wanted for so long!
Now, if there was only somewhere to put it...