Local club offers collection warning

The Boys and Girls Club of Yorkton is reminding city residents to be aware of who comes to the door to collect funds.

Lorraine Moeller, Executive Director at Boys and Girls Club said they recently became aware of youth approaching at least one residence soliciting a donation on behalf of the Club, but they had no knowledge of it.

“The only way we knew it happened was a staff’s grandmother had someone at their door,” she said.

Moeller said the incident may be isolated, but it has happened before, once a decade, or so ago, and then again as recently as June.

The June situation was a rather sophisticated effort, with the youth involved using a loose leaf sheet for pledges and a plastic bag for collections, she said.

This time, more thought went into the scam.

“These people were a little bit older. They got a letterhead off the Internet,” said Moeller, which they used to create a more ‘official-looking’ pledge sheet.

While the situation does not appear to be widespread, Moeller said it is concerning to her organization. She explained the Club did have their youth involved in a small door-to-door effort last year, and it went well. They hoped to build on that success.

But having some youth scamming the public brings any effort they might undertake into question.

“It hurts an organization,” said Moeller.

So Moeller wants to make sure the public is cautious when anyone comes to the door soliciting funds.

“Ask questions. Ask what it’s for. Ask for a telephone number (the citizen can call),” she said.

Moeller said if anything seems off tell the people at the door you need to call the office and they can return the next day for a donation.

Another precaution is to make a donation via cheque, said Moeller.