Essex resident Bill Budka had to fight for it, but he?s the proud owner of a shiny silver and red bike.
After the Baltimore County man went public with him claim Wal-Mart employees manipulated a raffle to raise more money, the company has agreed to give him a free bike, he said Wednesday.
Budka said the company?s regional manager called and offered him a bike after The Examiner published his allegations against the Carroll Island Wal-Mart earlier this month. Budka said he was cheated out of winning a different bike in a raffle when employees postponed the drawing date to sell more tickets.
A store manager confirmed he had delayed the drawing because only a few tickets were sold and said he wanted to raise additional funds for the Children?s Miracle Network.
Budka said he spent $13 on 65 tickets for a drawing on April 15, but tickets continued to be sold until April 18, lowering his odds.
When Budka didn?t win the bike, he cried foul.
“They owed me a bike, and in fact, anyone who bought a ticket before April 15,” Budka said. “They took away my chances.”
Baltimore County restrict raffles to nonprofit organizations and require groups to obtain a permit before sponsoring one. Officials said they had no record of Wal-Mart?s raffle. Dan Fogleman, Wal-Mart?s senior manager of public relations, said the corporation typically discourages raffles.
“We do, however, encourage our stores and associates to take an active role in fundraising for charitable causes, and our company has a long history of support for CMN,” he wrote in an e-mail.
The charity wasn?t the issue, Budka said. In an e-mail, he sent The Examiner photos of his son giving a thumbs-up sign and said he viewed the experience as one man?s fight against big business.
“I got what I wanted,” he said. “It?s fair in my book, and my boy is very happy.”
