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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A 'Raley' Good Neighbor June 8 issue of SN, "Good Neighbors," made for wonderful reading. I enjoyed hearing what our friends in the supermarket business are doing to help those less fortunate in their midst.Having the responsibility of managing our own Caring for our Community program, I was extremely disappointed there was no mention of Raley's or the myriad of programs that were are involved with.For

A 'Raley' Good Neighbor

June 8 issue of SN, "Good Neighbors," made for wonderful reading. I enjoyed hearing what our friends in the supermarket business are doing to help those less fortunate in their midst.

Having the responsibility of managing our own Caring for our Community program, I was extremely disappointed there was no mention of Raley's or the myriad of programs that were are involved with.

For instance: Food for Families is a program started as a holiday food collection drive which has grown to a year-round system of raising and distributing millions of dollars and millions of tons of food to those less fortunate; The Raley's Senior Gold Rush of which we are the title sponsor; the Boys and Girls Clubs for which ground was broken for the Thomas P. Raley branch because of a $500,000 contribution; and the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure for which, in May 1977, in co-sponsorship with AT&T, we helped launch the inaugural race and raised considerable dollars for the fight against breast cancer. In May 1998, more than $200,000 was raised.

These are just the highlights of what our company has done to help our neighbors.

Nancy McGagin

manager of corporate consumer affairs

Raley's Supermarkets and Drug Centers

Sacramento, Calif.

Meal Myth?

I have been waiting for something to happen so I could express my thoughts about Home Meal Replacement, or Meal Solutions, and your [editorial] "Meal Irony" [SN, June 15] was the catalyst needed -- and how.

An experience I had at one of southern California's leading supermarket chains made the comments in [the editorial] ring loud and clear. [It made me think about this:] What are supermarkets doing in the HMR business anyway when they lack knowledgeable personnel or [are driven by] the feeling of wanting to "keep up" with a trend that may have no merit in the first place.

Your comments about the Boston Market [and its lack of profitability] leads one to think in the same vein -- the whole concept is a myth. And, as for Boston Market, how many times does one want the same ingredients for family fare or entertaining?

Perhaps supermarkets should rethink their mission and concentrate on being the best supermarket possible and forget about trying to be something they just aren't: a take-it-home linen tablecloth restaurant.

Donald W. Brennan

retired broker

Arcadia, Calif.