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Giving back to the community is nothing new for Fruth Pharmacy, which operates 29 pharmacy locations in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. But the regional drug chain took it up a notch to help area residents during the devastating flooding in West Virginia.
In an interview with the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Fruth Pharmacy president and NACDS board member Lynne Fruth talked about the flood’s impact on the area as well as disaster relief efforts by her company and business partners.
“We were really fortunate,” Fruth told NACDS. “There was disaster all around us. Our new store took on minimal water, but we were really completely spared as a chain. We had no loss of employees or their immediate family’s homes. Having said that, within a few miles of our stores, we had loss of life, children swept away, tremendous loss. It is very devastating.”
Fruth Pharmacy’s disaster relief efforts included creating a universal product code for customers to use to make point-of-sale donations; using social media and in-store displays to urge customers to help in the relief effort; and providing over-the-counter products, first aid kits and hand sanitizer for use by first responders and volunteers to pick up and distribute to flood victims.
The drug chain’s business partners also pitched in: Stover Trucking transported donated supplies. Heinrich Paper Supply donated $4,000 in cleaning supplies, and Genetco donated thousands of dollars of antibiotics and nebulizers for veterinary care to treat displaced and injured pets.
Fruth also noted the efforts of her team, including Amy Nelson, gift category manager; Barbara Taylor, OTC category manager; and Tim Weber, vice president of pharmacy.
For the full story, visit the NACDS website.
Photos courtesy of NACDS and Fruth Pharmacy.
