Food Lion supports ECU, military

ECU Chancellor Dr. Steve Ballard accepts a donation Oct. 27 from Paul James, central division manager of operations support specialists for Food Lion. Others include Dr. Glen Gilbert, dean of the College of Health and Human Performance, Dr. Steve Duncan, assistant vice chancellor of administration and finance and director of military programs, and Dr. Stephen Thomas, dean of the College of Allied Health Sciences.

East Carolina University became Food Lion’s MVP this weekend when the grocery store chain donated $100,000 to support fellowships and a scholarship.

The donation will establish the first university-wide doctoral fellowships for Operation Re-Entry North Carolina and an endowed scholarship in the Department of Occupational Therapy in the College of Allied Health Sciences. The Operation Re-Entry initiative is centered on research and projects that help veterans return to civilian life after service.

The presentation was made during halftime at ECU’s home football game against Navy on Oct. 27, which was Military Appreciation Day.

The partnership goes back to September 2010, when 15 employers were selected to receive the U.S. Secretary of Defense Freedom Award in recognition of their support of the guard and reserve.

Two of the employers were from North Carolina: ECU and Food Lion. At that time, the two organizations vowed to partner and continue to provide a superior level of support to the military, said Pat Frede, ECU development officer in the College of Allied Health Sciences.

“We thank Food Lion for their generosity, support and dedication to the men and women of our nation’s armed forces,” said Frede, a Navy veteran and reserve Senior Chief Petty Officer who served a 14-month tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2010-2011.