Walmart gives back as it celebrates updates

Greencastle Walmart Supercenter Store Manager Jeremy O’Leary shows community support while unveiling the newly-revamped store recently. A major donation is presented to Greencastle High School’s boys’ basketball team for its annual summer camp. The store’s sponsorship ensured that every child attending the camp could do so at no cost.

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Staff and community partners gathered recently at the Walmart Supercenter in Greencastle to celebrate the completion of a new remodel.

For Store Manager Jeremy O’Leary, it was the second-best opening since the store was completed in 2000. This is as the project brought numerous updates to further enhance customers’ shopping experiences.

This means more self-checkout lanes and staffed registers, an expanded pharmacy with new private screening rooms, a new mother’s room, modernized bathrooms and a general improvement of the store’s layout. But as O’Leary related, it took caring for customers in an active construction zone.

Asst. Chief Ed Wilson accepts a donation from O’Leary to go toward upgrading the Greencastle Police Department’s training room.

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Leary thanked the store’s management and associates for keeping customers safe and putting in the extra hours. He also referenced how several folks from the distribution center stepped up when needed.

“I can safely say there’s nothing in this building that hasn’t been moved,” O’Leary said. “Everything we do in this store is for the community, everything we push for.”

In remarks on the occasion, Mayor Bill Dory commended the 270-plus associates helping customers navigate a “scavenger hunt” for the past few months. This, he said, is because two halves of one department would be in different corners of the building.

Pastor Scott Kallem (left) and volunteers Patty Adams and Kathy Vanlandingham (right) accept a gift from O’Leary for the food pantry at New Life Baptist Church.

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Dory recalled how Walmart has been a significant economic stead hearkening back to the 1990s after the closure of IBM. He noted that more than 1,000 people are employed between the store and the distribution center.

“I wanna thank you for the many partnerships that we’ve had with the store over the years, as well as with the distribution center, and wish you continuing success here in Greencastle,” the mayor said.

Wanting to put a hallmark on a commitment to philanthropy and supporting local causes, O’Leary presented checks to the Greencastle Police Department, New Life Baptist Church and Greencastle High School’s boys’ basketball team.

The police department received $2,200 to upgrade its training room, meaning that it will not have to use a small TV and a projector from the 1980s. A longtime partner with the store, the church was gifted $1,000 to go toward its food pantry.

Meanwhile, a $5,000 donation was given to the basketball team to support its annual summer camp. O’Leary noted the amount ensures that every child attending the camp this year could go at no cost.

For his part, Market Manager Brock Frederickson provided that Walmart can continue to give back because of the community’s support, as was demonstrated by the turnout. He also emphasized the project’s going smoothly with many moving parts.

“These projects are a lot of work, takes a lot of patience, a lot of partnership, a lot of effort,” Frederickson said. “When we have such a great group, it makes it that much easier.

“To the community, thank you guys for being patient with us,” Frederickson added. “We’re gonna continue to be here for you all, and we’re super-excited to be able to continue investing in the city of Greencastle.”

With that, long-term associates, with about 445 years of combined service to Walmart, joined O’Leary to cut a ribbon for the store’s reopening.