With a Veterans Administration inspection set for Thursday at Roanoke Valley Adult Day Care in Weldon, where Edwards is the executive director, Lowe's employees beginning Tuesday and continuing today made crucial improvements to the facility through its annual charitable effort.

“It's just amazing,” Edwards said this morning as Lowe's employees put the finishing touches on several improvements at the day care. “We've always maintained a good relationship and have always purchased our supplies from them. They've been good to us. When they called and asked about the project I was speechless.”

Howie Milligan, Lowe's store manager in Roanoke Rapids, said this year employees decided to do two projects in the company-wide community improvement effort — the Boys and Girls Club and the adult day care center.

At the Boys and Girls Club, employees, who either take a day off or join the effort before their shift, replaced cabinet knobs, painted the basketball court and did other projects.

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At the day care center, which was a two-day job, the employees fixed steps, changed landscaping timbers, “a lot of little projects that add up,” Milligan said.

The concept behind the Heroes program is to find something worthy and “to help people love where they live,” he said.

Milligan estimated the savings to the day care center to be around $10,000 including the labor and materials and around $1,500 for the Boys and Girls Club project. “We're very excited,” he said. “We do it every year.”

Gwen Kearney, who works at the day care, told the Lowe's employees, “I think it's wonderful. We couldn't have done it without you. It's a blessing to us.”

Lowe's employee Jeff Brown, who is from Weldon, said, “It's great giving back. There's still good people helping out.”

Terri Sykes, also a Lowe's employee, knows Edwards. “Personally, anything to give back I'm all for it.”

Milligan said one of the most important parts of the day care project was to improve the memorial area where the names of those who have died are listed. In that area the store donated two new benches, improved the area where the American flag flies and put in new pavers. A new American flag will also be raised in the memorial area.

“We have a place where grandchildren and family can come out and reflect,” Edwards said. “It's been a 10 to 12 years work in progress.”

As far as the overall project, which included parking lot improvements, new patio furniture and shoring up an area for trash cans, Edwards said, “It's amazing to see the community involvement. It looks like Christmas in October for us.”