Malta

Locally-based Stewart's Shops is planning to launch a "civility campaign" next week, although company officials are intentionally being vague about their plans until a Monday announcement.

Stewart's President Gary Dake tweeted about the plan on Wednesday, although he too did not provide details on what he is planning for the 335-store chain.

"My father and I were discussing the lack of civility we've noticed in society lately and started kicking around what role @StewartsShops could play in trying to make things better," Dake posted on his personal Twitter page. "We're kicking around a few thoughts. Look for a plan next week!"

Dake's father Bill ran Stewart's until 2003, when he handed over the reigns to Gary. Bill Dake and his brother Charlie Dake had run the business together since 1960 until Charlie died of cancer in 1978.

Dake would appear to be referring to the national political climate that has become increasingly polarized between different political parties and candidates and has made its way into other parts of daily life such as family time, sports and entertainment and even schools and churches.

Dake's tweet got many positive responses on Twitter from both regular people and even some business and political leaders.

"Let's start off with giving 'civility tickets' for coffee or ice cream," Assemblyman John McDonald III wrote on Twitter in response to Dake's idea. "Stewart's has always been a leader in community support especially with our youth. Now we need to work on the older youth. No matter what, you and you dad are class acts as is the many members of your team."

Stewart's which has been around for 70 years and is both owned by the Dake family and its employees is one of the more engaged retail chains in the Capital Region and other parts of upstate and Vermont where it has locations.

The company has its corporate offices in Malta, but its dairy plant and distribution center are in Saratoga Springs. The company has 4,700 employees and $1.5 billion in annual sales. It's employees also earn company stock, making them part-owners in the enterprise.

"Their job is not to make me successful. It goes the other direction," Dake said during a May luncheon event at the Hearst Media Center at the Times Union with Editor Rex Smith.

The company's stores are often gathering spaces for customers who will spend time sipping coffee and reading the newspaper in its maroon booths or at picnic tables outside the stores eating ice cream.

The chain's Holiday Match charity fundraising drive from Thanksgiving to Christmas, in which customers are asked to donate spare change and Stewart's matches the contributions, has raised $26 million since 1986. Last year, the program raised $1.89 million, a record.

Dake often has fun on his Twitter feed, and he has also re-tweeted Tweets from Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama recently. Last month he tweeted that the last two movies he had seen were about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Fred Rogers, creator of PBS's Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

"Both awesome and inspiring," Dake tweeted.

Stewart's spokeswoman Erica Komoroske wouldn't reveal Dake's plans when asked to provide any more details on Thursday.

"At this time, I can't give any further details," Komoroske said.