The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
A car wash fundraiser to benefit Princess Anne High School's junior class was canceled last week because it was to be held at a BP station.
The station, Hilltop BP, at First Colonial and Laskin roads, is owned by Tidewater Convenience of Virginia Beach. Their supplier is B P, the company responsible for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
"For us, it was a safety issue with what's going on with British Petroleum," said Brian Triolet, one of the advisers for the Princess Anne junior class, explaining why he called off the event. He referred further questions to school administration.
Through a division spokeswoman, Principal Patricia Griffin said she didn't know about the fundraiser but wouldn't have approved of it being canceled because of the gas station's brand.
Ray Nowell, who has managed the station for 11 years, said it hosts charitable groups for car washes nearly every weekend in warm weather and has not had any safety problems. "We've had good, loyal customers here, and we appreciate every one of them," Nowell said.
Devon DeZwaan-Lemke, president of the Class of 2011, said she set up the car wash at the station in May because she'd had a good experience holding a fundraiser there in the past.
The car wash was publicized for several weeks with fli ers, posters and Facebook announcements. The night before the Saturday event, Triolet texted her to cancel the event, she said. "We're not selling oil, we're washing cars," DeZwaan-Lemke said. "We're not supporting BP, they're supporting us."
The money would have helped the 430-student class pay for prom and sponsor scholarships, she said.
Georgia McKown, the class treasurer, said she was also disappointed by the last-minute cancellation.
"Our class shouldn't be punished because of a political scandal or belief," she said. And while she said she doesn't approve of BP's actions in the Gulf, she separates that from the local station.
"There's no need to punish a small business."
Lauren Roth, (757) 222-5133, lauren.roth@pilotonline.com
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how do you spell MATURITY? it seems we've forgotten
As one of the student officers of the class of 2011, I was unaware of how much attention this event was going to grab. Most of the concern from students was the decision to cancel the event the night before at nine o'clock. Had the event be canceled earlier in the week or even earlier in the afternoon due to the safety concerns, perhaps the students wouldn't have been as upset. The intersection is not as "dangerous" as mentioned earlier in the comments, or it definatly would not have been approved by the class advisors previously. As student leaders, we just want consideration in decision making and we want to at the very least be informed with enough notice to be fair to other students and parents that dedicate their time, money, and materials to making our school community one of the top in the nation.
Amazing...
Why would someone cast a negative vote against this student's comment?!?
Mr. Triolet has a friend who
Mr. Triolet has a friend who posted below. She is quite upset with the coverage. I am betting it is her. I am also betting the students called the paper.
BP & Its History
Let's put this to rest. 1. Educate the youngsters with the facts and not with the hothead attitude of a few. 2. To BP. How about pulling all of your business out of North America, shut down the many retail outlets discharge the thousands of employed Americans, pull up the platforms in the gulf and move them to Brazil, South China Sea, or elsewhere and by doing do would expose the big mouths in this country and show the @$^@&* foul-mouth congressmen they are paid "public servants" (a pun) and not employed by a dictator. Some on Barney Frank's committee literally speak with a foul mouth and sound as if they're still on the streets of NY,or similar pit places. Look at them on YouTube under Fannie and Freddie and Democrats Expose Themselves.
BP Car Wash cancelled
1. I'll not support any more PA functions, sales, etc.
2. I'll go by the 1st Colonial BP station today and fill up...
Political correctness has got to stop...it's boring and very rarely touches the group, person, etc. that it's intended to hurt. this is a classic example.
The featured speaker
The featured speaker 'sdougan' made an interesting point I would like to expound upon. He stated the event may have generated extra volume at the gas pumps. Please note, this is to show all of you the truth, not to critique the writer.
Let's say they washed 100 cars(they won't). All 100 cars filled up w/ an average tank of 15 gallons. The station makes at most about 4 cents on the gallon. 100 X 15 X .04= $60.00 How much do you think the water costs to in VB? Subtract this from your total.
It was charity. The person who made the call to cancel should be ashamed of themselves. In a political gesture they smacked the station owner in the face. Nothing more.
Anyone can tell you I am not
Anyone can tell you I am not a cheerleader for this paper, but the writer only stated the facts. It's good he has friends I guess, but you're dead wrong on this one.
Your real bias is showing...
The VP didn't make the school/teacher look bad; the teacher did by his own agenda-driven actions.
You mention the safety issue and the protests shown on Pg 8. Was there a protest at this BP station? No.
And what negative backlash toward the students for having a carwash there? Who on earth would extend negative backlash toward a group of teens raising money for their school activities? (A bunch of misguided loon environmentalist protestors perhaps?)
If the carwash fundraiser could have/should have been moved or postponed, that is a responsibility that Mr Toilet should have taken on, instead of cowering at the 11th hour and canceling the carwash the night before the event.
Simply put, there was no safety issue with this carwash fundraiser... there have been countless others held at this location without incident, and this one would have been incident-free as well if Mr Toilet didn't push his own personal agenda down the throats of these kids. And incredibly, he did so without having the common courtesy of informing the Principal! He should be reprimanded/counseled for his misguided action.
"For us, it was a safety
"For us, it was a safety issue with what's going on with British Petroleum," I don't believe it was a safety issue at all. I also don't believe it had anything to do with the intersection at Hilltop. I believe had it been a Shell station or a WAWA station, it would have gone on as planned. Whether or not it was Mr. T's idea or if it was the school administrators who decided to cancel this car wash and used Mr. T as a scape-goat, it was political correct rubbish run amuck. Totaly outrageous!
At this point ...
I'm wondering if this was a bad decision fueled by something wrong headed or if this is just another case of poor reporting.