This story recently appeared on The Huffington Post:
Pleasures, an Alabama adult toy store with a drive-thru window, is holding a charity drive to benefit Toys For Tots and the Save the Ta-Tas.
As incentive, persons who donate a toy for the charity will receive their choice of a complimentary adult toy from a sort of "goody box," containing lube, blindfolds, edible body paint, vibrating bullets and other risque items. In addition, the store will donate $1 to the Save the Ta-Tas organization in that person's name.
"We are helping children, and saving the breasts that feed them," Williams stated in a press release.
The drive began Nov. 20 and runs through Dec. 15. On Dec. 3 local Huntsville radio station 95.1 will be broadcasting from Pleasures, where donators can pose for a picture with Dirty Santa or Sexy Mrs. Claus.
Pleasures owner Sherri Williams told The Huffington Post the idea for the dual-charity drive came naturally to her. She is a long-time supporter of breast cancer research and, since it's Christmas, she also wanted to something to help children in need. And while the thought of an adult store holding a toy drive for children might strike some as unusual, Williams said it's a perfect fit.
"Well, you've got to wonder how we all got here," Williams told The Huffington Post. "Passion played a part in that."
However, the Toy for Tots Foundation isn't too fond of the idea, calling it "very unusual" and "inappropriate."
"Toys for Tots should not be advertised at an adult store," Ret. Major Brian A. Murray, vice president of operations for the foundation, said in an email.
This is the first year the store has held the drive, and Williams said she's impressed with the results so far. The store has already received a variety of toys, including several bicycles.
"People are being very generous," she said.
While the drive benefits kids, Williams emphasizes one must be 18 years or older to enter the store.
Pleasures captured media attention earlier this year with the opening of the country's first adult store drive-thru window. The store, which first opened in 1993, was the subject of significant legal backlash from the state government following the move.
But Williams fought the state's anti-obscenity laws and pushed for the right to sell objects for sexual stimulation. After finding a loophole that allows the distribution of the items for "medical, scientific, educational, legislative, judicial, or law enforcement" purposes, her store now distributes anonymous questionnaires to couples asking if they have trouble with sexual fulfillment.
After the nine-year battle, Williams said she's finally in a good place and is glad to be giving back.
"[It's great to] share some of the profits with charities that I like to support," she said.
We'd like to take a moment to point out to Major Murray that the only thing "inappropriate" here is his rather shameful attitude. For what possible reason should Toys for Tots not be "advertised" (not that this is advertisement, by any means - being a collection point is not advertising, it's service) in an adult store? Everybody understands that a store putting out a Toys for Tots bin is a one-way endorsement: the store supports T4T, not the other way around, so even if the Marines have some weird, outdated objection to Pleasures, the store hosting a collection bin doesn't change that.
The results speak for themselves, and isn't that what matters? What's more important, that needy kids get cool toys this Christmas, or that those toys come from a "respectable" business? Whoever gets that bike isn't going to know if it was donated at an adult store or Kmart or a real estate office, they're just going to know that they got a bike. It doesn't matter whether the toys come from a small local business (like Pleasures), or a scummy embarrassment to society (like Chick-Fil-A), as long as the toys get to the kids, right?
And on that note, remember that you can still win some neat prizes by entering the Geeks for Tots contest. Take a picture of yourself donating and you can get fun stuff for yourself, as well!
"Adult toys" for tots
This story recently appeared on The Huffington Post:
We'd like to take a moment to point out to Major Murray that the only thing "inappropriate" here is his rather shameful attitude. For what possible reason should Toys for Tots not be "advertised" (not that this is advertisement, by any means - being a collection point is not advertising, it's service) in an adult store? Everybody understands that a store putting out a Toys for Tots bin is a one-way endorsement: the store supports T4T, not the other way around, so even if the Marines have some weird, outdated objection to Pleasures, the store hosting a collection bin doesn't change that.
The results speak for themselves, and isn't that what matters? What's more important, that needy kids get cool toys this Christmas, or that those toys come from a "respectable" business? Whoever gets that bike isn't going to know if it was donated at an adult store or Kmart or a real estate office, they're just going to know that they got a bike. It doesn't matter whether the toys come from a small local business (like Pleasures), or a scummy embarrassment to society (like Chick-Fil-A), as long as the toys get to the kids, right?
And on that note, remember that you can still win some neat prizes by entering the Geeks for Tots contest. Take a picture of yourself donating and you can get fun stuff for yourself, as well!