Suffolk News-HErald

Thanks to Wal-Mart, the veterans and others who attend bi-weekly luncheons at the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 5 will be eating a little better,

On Veterans Day, the Wal-Mart Super Center on North Main Street gave the organization a $1,500 grant.

The funds will be used to aid veterans in Suffolk and to help feed the vets and other community members who attend the DAV’s luncheons held on alternating Wednesdays, said Alexander Blizzard, the DAV’s commander.

&uot;We enjoy providing these meals, and our vets, in particular, enjoy meeting with those who come to share the meal,&uot; said Blizzard.

&uot;It gives us an opportunity to let them see some of the souls who fought and came back from our wars and to see that we are still in service to God and our country.&uot;

Blizzard serves at the DAV, overseeing veteran affairs for local retired and disabled military personnel. Other officers include Vice Commander William Goodman, Junior Vice Commander Roosevelt Britt, Treasurer John Wynn, Chaplain Henry Lowther, Adjutant Sam Almond, and Assistant Adjutant Reginald Ruffin.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. believes in helping local communities where its Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores and distribution centers are located, said Sam Wiggs, Suffolk store manager.

&uot;Our Good Works community involvement program is based on the philosophy of operating globally and giving back locally,&uot; said Wiggs. &uot;In our experience, we can make the greatest impact on communities by supporting issues and causes that are important to our customers and associates in their own neighborhoods.

&uot;We rely on our associates to know which organizations are the most important to their hometowns, and we empower them to determine how Wal-Mart Foundation dollars will be spent. Consequently, our funding initiatives are channeled directly into local communities by associates who live there.&uot;

Nationwide, the company’s 3,400-plus locations have contributed more than $150 million to support communities and local non-profit organizations.