Industry sales promotion nets track chair for Navy disabled veteran at Jacksonville Commissary
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FORT LEE, Va. – A Navy disabled veteran received a new track chair worth $20,000 during a presentation Nov. 2 at the Naval Air Station Jacksonville Commissary in Florida.
During the ceremony, David Green, a 55-year-old Jacksonville resident who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and a severe loss of mobility, received the new chair from the Independence Fund, a nonprofit organization that supports severely wounded, injured or ill veterans and their caregivers.
“Honestly, I couldn’t have been more honored after hearing I had been selected,” said Green, who served 13 years in the Navy as a radar technician. “When I applied I never dreamt of being chosen. I am so lucky and owe it all to the fine women and men who work at the Defense Commissary Agency, and at The Independence Fund.”
The proceeds for Green’s chair came from the Pure Land Organic Zone Sales Contest, sponsored by MasterMind Marketing and held from May 1 through Sept. 10, 2022, in Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) stores. DeCA’s Zone 4 achieved the most sales, winning a track chair donation to a disabled veteran residing in their zone.
“The significance of delivering this type of promotion through the meat department personnel efforts is history in the making,” said Meralie Ervin, manager of Zone 4. “The savings that our patrons experienced throughout the promotional period and the meaning behind the promotion gave everyone a ‘feel good moment.’ That proud moment of recognizing how the benefit reaches out to our community in such a personalized way is amazing.”
Sales promotions such as the Pure Land contest is an example of the millions of dollars industry suppliers and manufacturers provide to commissaries annually in giveaways and promotional events that extend the value of the benefit and enhance military quality of life, said Andrea Coyle, a merchandising specialist at DeCA Headquarters.
“Overall, this promotional contest was a win-win for all of our stores and shoppers alike, as the winning zones will be able to give back to their communities in ways in which we have not ever done before,” Coyle said. “It is always nice to provide value-added benefits to our most deserving shoppers and this track chair donation will be truly life-changing for the recipient.”
Rick Chenoweth, a representative from MasterMind Marketing, said many of the commissaries’ industry partners appreciate the opportunity to help disabled veterans like Green.
“I serve to support the brave men and women of our armed forces,” Chenoweth said. “Without them we would not be standing here today enjoying the freedoms that we cherish. My pastor once said, ‘Don’t give until it hurts, give until it feels good.’ and giving this track chair to David feels really good.”
Green left the Navy in 1998 as a petty officer 1st class, with his last duty station being aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), home-ported at Naval Station Everett, Washington. In 2018, he was diagnosed with ALS, a condition Veterans Affairs has designated as a service-connected disease.
It doesn’t escape Green that the commissary benefit he uses played a part in him receiving his new chair.
“My wife and I do shop at the commissary,” he said. “We enjoy shopping there because of the quality of the products offered, the friendliness of the staff, and the great prices offered.
“I would like to reiterate that I’m very humbled with the generosity of the Defense Commissary Agency. Thank you for the opportunity to gain a bit of my independence.”
-DeCA-
About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.