Background: Safeway had a program to donate to schools. From September 10th to October 17th, 2009 schools can collect receipts from Safeway with Back to School written at the bottom. These can be redeemed at 10% of their gross value. So collect $3000 in receipts and Safeway will reimburse the school for $300.

Woo Hoo! Free Money For Schools!

Laurel wanted to help her school out by going to the grocery store and asking people to tear off the bottom of their receipts. Plus a friend was going to do it too. They had fun hanging out and the moms offered Starbucks hot chocolate if they collected over 100 receipts. Laurel’s cutentess and love of chocolate helped them achieve their goal.

Good on her.

The next week it was decided that they would go out again and on the way out the door Byron inquired of their destination. Lisa reminded him of what they were doing and asked him if he wanted to come. "Yeah, I guess so," and off they went. Laurel and her friend proceeded to setup shop at a table inside near the exit. After a while the friends mother offered to buy everyone hot chocolate. As they were sitting down Lisa called Byron over and asked him if he wanted some. He said “no, I’ve got work to do.” Intrigued by an 8 year old turning down liquid gold she decided to go investigate.

Fishy.

It turns out that he had been talking to the cashiers and had conscripted them to his cause. They were tearing the reciepts without the customers knowledge and Byron was going from station to station collecting them. He out collected the others.

Whoa.

I know. So, the following week Laurel’s friend was not going so she wasn’t much interested in going to the store. Byron, on the other hand was keen on the idea. Once inside the store he went to work again talking to the cashiers. He somehow convinced them to print out all the previous receipts from earlier in their shifts. Among these was an unclaimed recycling receipt which the cashier cashed out without him asking for it. He then went to the bakery to buy a cookie and they gave him one for free. He went to Starbucks for a hot chocolate which they also gave him for free.

Um…wow.

I KNOW! Unsurprisingly we learned that Byron’s class collected the most receipts for their school and there will be a party resulting from this. This wouldn’t be remarkable if it weren’t for the fact that the only other child in class to turn in receipts went to Albertson’s to collect them.

I should be going to Byron for business advice. Maybe he can fix the economy.