Walmart Foundation awards grant
Gerri Johnson is joined by Airway Heights city leaders and members of the Wal-Mart team after being presented with a $150,000 grant to help victims of the Gray Fire.
AIRWAY HEIGHTS - The Walmart Foundation has donated $150,000 to Re*Imagine Medical Lake to help the not-for-profit with providing resources to Gray Fire victims.
Organization President Gerri Johnson was presented the check Thursday, Dec. 14.
The funds are meant to assist with recovery and response following the Aug. 18 fire that damaged or destroyed more than 240 homes and other structures.
"I'm seeing the families every day," Johnson said. "Not only is the financial aspect inspirational, but the homeowners that have lost everything, it makes them realize that you think about them.
"And now this will continue to inspire others to continue to give."
According to Johnson, the group is setting an example for disaster relief that other cities and non-profits can follow.
She also expects area residents will continue to come together to help those displaced by the fire and to help continue with rebuilding in the spring.
Earlier this month, the local Walmart Supercenter at 1221 S. Hayford Road provided Christmas trees for many of the displaced families.
Market Manager Clinton Slovarp said the store has a lot of community-minded workers, who have been helping fire victims.
"I'm really incredibly proud of the team,"
Slovarp said. "This whole thing was so unexpected, and you don't really know who people are until a crisis happens.
"The team has been incredibly generous with their time, and the store itself kind of became a gathering place for people that were displaced."
He said they had store associates that were directly affected, and others that had friends and neighbors in the community that were impacted. Slovarp said seeing the associates reach out was very inspiring, as some of the workers didn't know whether they still had a home or not.
"We saw people come together and do what they had to do to take care of other people," said Slovarp. "It was really amazing to see how our associates stepped up in every way possible, and what it meant to the community."
Matthew graduated from West Virginia University-Parkersburg in 2011 with a journalism degree. He's an award-winning photographer and enjoys writing stories about people.
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