For Immediate Release:On Saturday, July 19, 2008, the congregation of Uptown Baptist Church (UBC) hopes to provide residents on Chicago’s northside with much-needed relief from high gas prices. The church plans to buy-down every gallon of gas sold during a four-hour period of time at two local gas stations. This Saturday only drivers can take advantage of the 25-cent discount at the National Gas station (4900 N. Broadway) from 10:30am-12:30pm and at the BP Amoco station (755 W. Lawrence Ave.) from 3:30pm-5:30pm.
UBC sets a 20-gallon limit per vehicle and buys-down each gallon of gas at a 25-cent discount. For instance, if the average price is $4.25 per gallon, then it will be listed on the sign as $4.00 during the pre-designated time periods. The signs will be adjusted for each grade of gas.
“These are difficult times for a lot of Uptown residents,” said Michael Allen, UBC’s senior pastor, “and we’re excited to do this gas buy-down in conjunction with our local gas stations to show our community that we care about what they’re going through.” UBC members will also be on hand at both gas stations to direct traffic, pump gas, and clean windshields for visitors throughout the day.
This is stupid. The most "relief" they'll get is $10. Big deal.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am not a member of this church, it seems to me that it often attempts to reach out to the wide range of people in this community. That is good.
ReplyDeleteHaha, that BP Amoco is probably near the top of the most high-priced gas station in the city already. You could probably just go west one mile and save $0.25 off their prices.
ReplyDeleteA $0.25 discount on 20 gal. max means only a $5 savings. It will be interesting to see how long lines are and/or how long people wait with cars idling for someone to hand them a $5 bill. Maybe it will just end up being a non-event if people are actually smart about it.
Why is this "stupid" because people may only save $10? A what monetary level does it stop being stupid? $12? $15. They're trying to do something nice and it's costing them, not the other way around. Leave the cornflake-pissing for another time.
ReplyDeleteBTW, do I have to prove I'm an Uptown resident to get the deal? LOL. The Wrangler's been buring a lot of gas lately and I'll take whatever deal I can get.
And on a Saturday at National Gas, along with the regular Argyle street weekend crowd? If you hate auto congestion, avoid this area during this time.
Gee, Colin, nice way to perpetuate the "entitled yuppie" stereotype that some people have of Uptown Update readers.
ReplyDeleteI applaud UBC for getting involved with the community in various ways. Some churches *coughJPUSAcough* make the community the enemy and circle the wagons and lock the doors; UBC gets involved (Boy Scout Troop meetings, free lemonade stands, positive loitering, now gas relief). UBC's hardly a wealthy church itself.
There are a lot of people in Uptown for whom $10 makes a huge difference. You don't appear to be one of them - good for you! I don't get ridiculing those who are trying to help.
Folks, don't get me wrong. We can give them an A for effort. But in terms of this actually DOING anything to improve the standard of someone's life, let's be realistic. $5 (by my math that's what this amounts to) accomplishes more for the church in publicity than it ever would in improving the quality of life of those that take advantage of this.
ReplyDeleteWhy aren't we encouraging people to drive less vs helping them to drive more. Especially if you live in uptown - there are a ton of CTA options!
ReplyDeleteUBC could give people: a free CTA ride, or do a food drive and give those in need a bag of groceries, or they could ask the community what type of services they need and ask who in their church membership could help with these services: budgeting, children's social skills groups for those that can't afford social services/therapy prices, clothing drive, job/resume services, computer training to those not exposed, ... the list is endless. Money is not the only thing to give.
It just seems like a poor way to use money.
Not starting trouble, just saying
bhive could give people: a free CTA ride, or do a food drive and give those in need a bag of groceries, or they could ask the community what type of services they need and ask who in their household could help with these services: budgeting, children's social skills groups for those that can't afford social services/therapy prices, clothing drive, job/resume services, computer training to those not exposed.
ReplyDeleteChurches are just smaller communities of people, just like each of our families. It is a community group pooling a portion of their money together to accomplish whatever they determine to do. And just like in your family, you as a family group get to decide what is a good use of money and what is a poor use of money- independent of what the rest of us think.
Maybe we can give other people as much grace as we give ourselves and let them make their own decisions with out our critical attitudes bleeding through.
You are correct Otto - I do all of those things and more b/c I believe in helping the community at large and offering a helping hand just as others offered to my family and I while growing up.
ReplyDelete“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”—Author unknown
cool.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the point was that we could put our name in the statement and have it be correct.
I saw some UBC members walking home from the gas station around 1:15 today. (I could tell who they were because of the big UBC on their t-shirts!) They looked tired, but were laughing.
ReplyDeleteSo I imagine the day wasn't only to help the peole of Uptown a bit with gas prices, but a day of service for church members.
In any case, win/win.
bhive, i agree with your comment about encouraging people to drive less. cta passes would be a good thing, helping people fix up old bikes would make sense too. i'm sure their intentions are good though.
ReplyDelete