To: The Community and Parish of St. Malachi,
to volunteer personnel of Malachi Mart, and to
all other concerned supporters of the mart  

From: Concerned members of the Malachi Mart Advisory Committee for the fiscal year
2001-2002: Bev Bierbusse Campbell, Cindy DiNardo, Dick Gibbons,
Barbara Poltorek, Angelo Privitera

"With regard to the recent changes at Malachi Mart, we would like to make a few points clear to the wider St. Malachi Community and Parish, as well as to people from the Greater Cleveland community who have volunteered and supported the mart over the past 12 years. We did not approve the process that resulted in Manager Bonnie Mar’s employment being terminated May 24, 2002. This process was conceived, developed and carried out without our input or knowledge. The advisory committee had been told that job descriptions and hours of retail operation were to be changed and that both employees of the store would be offered positions under the mart’s restructuring.

"It seems appropriate to offer a little history for those of you who may not have been aware of how and when Malachi Mart came into being. Dick Gibbons and the late Tony DiNardo, with the help of several others and the financial support of St. Malachi Center’s Board of Trustees, founded the mart in 1990 to be an on-going fund raiser for St. Malachi Center.

Because of his lifelong experience in merchandising, Dick was the primary player in obtaining merchandise from the very beginning. Tony and many others with business experience lent their advice and support, as well as many hours of "sweat" in creating St. Malachi Mart. The mart’s first manager, Sr. Kathryn Lad, brought a wealth of background in retail and wholesale from her former career in the fabric business, as well as many valuable contacts in industry and distribution.

"The Malachi Mart Advisory Committee, at first chaired by Tony and after his death, by Dick, functioned in a somewhat informal but effective manner for over 10 years. During that time, the initial $30,000 loan from St. Malachi Center’s trustees was repaid, the mart became self-sufficient and then began to provide annual financing to the center of about $20,000.

"Throughout the past year, the executive director of the center instituted policies and procedures for operation of the mart which Dick Gibbons could not condone. When Dick began to perceive that his expertise and consultation were rejected, he resigned from the committee in October 2001. However, he pledged his continued support in continuing to obtain sources of goods as he had done all along.

"As manager, Bonnie Mar attempted to comply with those demands which were possible to implement under

existing mart conditions. For example, keeping daily employee time sheets, making an estimated budget for the fiscal year, tightening policies on outdated merchandise, etc. Others were simply not practical, nor necessary, given the current staffing (two employees, a small volunteer force and occasional temporary hourly help.) For example, making a daily "to-do" list and submitting it for approval; attending meetings during the day when the store is open and customers’ needs must be met; spending a large amount of time setting up a database.

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"The mart operates primarily on donated goods, over which the staff has no real control; donors decide what, when and how much merchandise will come to the mart and the staff must deal with arrangements to unload, store, unpack, sort, price and display as much as three pallets of salvage goods at a time. Remember, there are two employees and on most days no more than one volunteer available to accomplish the work. And obviously, retail is not a wholly predictable field of endeavor!

"It is understandable that a director wants to direct; it is also understandable that a manager, who has been managing for the past seven years, wants to manage. It was perhaps inevitable that a struggle would ensue and that is what happened.

However, it seems out of keeping with the principles and vision of St. Malachi Community and Parish to dismiss a hard-working and committed person who had established relationships with many donors, customers and volunteers over the years, and to do so without notifying any members of the Malachi Mart Advisory Committee and without making any explanation to the volunteers.

"A new manager is in place. He is not responsible for any of this trouble; he just happened to be available when the job came open. A third, part-time employee also has been hired. Neither the "Malachi Mart Operating Officer" position nor the "Mart Shift Manager" position was posted to the wider community. Such posting is supposedly a requirement under the director’s policies for the center and the mart. The advisory committee was not consulted in these hirings. All of these events occurred in a fashion that raises questions and concerns. The director and trustees have stated that they will not discuss any of the issues concerning the manager’s termination.

"What will happen now is uncertain.

*The new manager is not familiar with ongoing buying and stocking practices, etc. The former manager was no tretained to do training. How will he learn "the ropes" in this situation?

*Many volunteers are disheartened and angry. Some have resigned. Will others continue to serve under the new management?

*How will donors respond to the changes at Malachi Mart?

*What is the future of Jacqui Welker, the remaining long-time employee? Will her hours be changed, her pay and benefits affected?

*Dick Gibbons, Bev Beirbusse Campbell and Barb Poltorek have resigned from the advisory committee. Will the committee continue to exist? If so, how will it function?

Furthermore, how can we assure the continual health and progress of the mart? More than a functional operation, Malachi Mart has been a special face of the "Church in the City" for many who never connect with the Church in a formal setting.

Those of you who have supported the mart these many years may prove crucial in helping maintain that presence. Your thoughtful review and prayerful reflection on these issues may be helpful in resolving the situation. We would welcome your thoughts and constructive suggestions. Thank you." – Cindy DiNardo and the Malachi Mart Advisory Committee - July 1, 2002

{Cindy will be out of town for a couple of weeks and asks that until her return"
your thoughts and constructive suggestions be directed to Anne Marie Cronin

(440-871-1732 – cronina2@aol.com) or Helen Brinich (216-221-3949 – helenbrinich@juno.com}

"In a world that is constantly going down the tubes, it was always comforting to know that Bonnie and Jacqui were across the street doing business as usual. I could always run over and purchase some item(s) missing from my kitchen, discuss briefly current events or just to have a compassionate ear when this old world seemed to be getting me down. For years, these two women have been like extended family members to me. They have created an atmosphere of welcome within the store. Jacqui is still there but one of the twin towers has been taken out. Please let the remaining tower stand. God is the author of all of our plans. I sincerely hope that it is His will to bring our beloved tower, Bonnie, back to the place where she is dearly loved and respected. Yours in Christ," – Jean Cummings – June 28, 2002

From Dick and Mary Lou Giffels: 

"We worked with Bonnie Mar at Malachi Mart for a good number of years. She was always fair and considerate, and never condescending to anyone, whether staff, volunteer or neighborhood person. It was a real pleasure to volunteer with Bonnie! - D. and M. L. Giffels – July 8, 2002

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From Frank Herceg: 

"For more than 30 years my family and I have supported the many ministries at St. Malachi’s in the belief that these were the workings of Christ’s presence in the neighborhood and the Greater Cleveland area. The removal of Bonnie Mar from these ministries is not in accord with those beliefs and is an outrage. The symbols of peanut butter and jelly on our altar are now without meaning. Empty.

"If this decision was based on ‘dollars,’ as I suspect most of us are adult enough to see, then I wish to state that my checkbook is open. I will pick up my pen and proceed to support Malachi’s ministries when Bonnie Mar is restored as manager of Malachi Mart, even if I have to ride my bicycle to work and eat peanut butter and jelly every day.

"Not all of us are in a position to be nurses, teachers, religious, social workers or other human service professionals and volunteers. Yet we profess that we all do make a contribution. I pray that we as Christians continue the support of all those who are ministering in Christ’s name. Respectfully…" – F.H. – CSM

"The CSM’s annual commitment form asks for a donation of time, talent, and treasure. The last part is easy, in the form of a yearly pledge to the CSM. It took me some time to find a niche to offer my time and talent.

I started volunteering at the mart in ’96 and through the years have increased my time to about eight hours a week. I felt the mart was not just a volunteer opportunity but a ministry, a way to give something back to the community. Recent events have changed that perspective.

"Regrettably, I have decided to resign my position as a volunteer at Malachi Mart. I cannot, in good conscience, support a ministry whose director does not practice Christian justice or value the work of those who have made the mart what it is.

Bonnie Mar dedicated many years of hard work to the task of building up the reputation of Malachi Mart and making it a place of welcome and CSM spirit in the neighborhood. She deserves much better! Change is not easy, but injustice is intolerable!" - K.P. – CSM – June 28, 2002

From Janelle Schubmehl:

"I’d like to say that I miss Bonnie Mar. Bonnie and I had this little dance we did with our names. I’ve got one of those hard to pronounce and hard to remember names, but once she had it and I had hers, we did this little showing off thing. She was a friend. No, she is a friend. I just won’t see her much.

"I’m not from ‘the neighborhood.’ I shopped at Malachi Mart for three reasons: to help the neighborhood, to see Bonnie and for good prices.

"There’s a wall of secrecy that seems to be endemic to corporate America, legal protocol and the Catholic Church. I’d like to know the facts surrounding her firing. I’ll miss Bonnie no matter why they let her go. But if it was not justified, I’d like to see it rectified." - J.S. – CSM - July 7, 2002

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