Wal-Mart is a good contributor to the community

I would like to take a few minutes and speak about Wal-Mart and our relationship with our communities.

Wal-Mart is headquartered in the small Ozark mountain town of Bentonville, Ark. Mr. Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, chose Bentonville because he believed in the values and opportunities in small towns.

Those beliefs and values have not changed and are still an important aspect of how we do business today. Our heritage and roots are small town America. Mr. Sam and his brother, Bud, managed variety stores in several small communities in Arkansas and Missouri.

However, as more customers had cars and easier means of transportation, customers began traveling to stores in larger areas where prices were better and greater variety was available. The lower prices and expanded selection made the trip worthwhile.

Sam Walton believed that small communities could support the same kind of store that larger towns had and he believed that the people in small towns deserved the same quality merchandise at low prices that was available in the cities.

Our associates are hired from the local area. They are your friends and neighbors in your community. In fact, according to Norman Crampton's book, "100 Best Small Towns in America," Wal-Mart is in 65 of them, providing jobs, a 40-hour work week making an average of $9.59 an hour.

There are stock options available for everyone from the day they start with us.

Medical, dental, life and other insurance is also available to all associates. There are 401K profit sharing and other performance-based bonuses.

We are committed to the communities in which we live. We are good corporate neighbors, getting involved in the Chamber of Commerce, contributing to many local nonprofit organizations and encouraging associates to become active in their community.

Wal-Mart locally has donated through cash and in-kind donations to Mission Valley Aquatics, City of Polson Library, Polson Skate Park, Polson Business Community, 4-H, American Legion, Polson Schools and associated PTOs, Valley Cruisers, Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, and the list could go on for a very long time.

I am proud of my company and proud of every one of my associates that work here. I am not going to sit back idle while certain members of the community try to dictate to the people of Polson what Wal-Mart is. I understand with the announcement of a potential Wal-Mart Supercenter in Polson, there may be legitimate concerns or fears about our community.

There are a lot of good business people in this community, and I have great respect for [them], and I honestly feel they will benefit from our Supercenter being here. It will draw people from the surrounding areas in Polson to shop instead of the ever increasing trips out of county to either Missoula or Kalispell. A day does not go by when I don't hear someone say [something] about making a "Costco run."

Our dollars are leaving our community, that is a fact. Is it better for us to employ people here in Polson and give them good jobs with benefits, and residents a great shopping experience, or are we resigned to the idea of letting our tax dollars and other money leave the community to support other cities' infrastructure and people?

I hope that the average person in Polson and Lake County realize what is at stake here.

Don't be swayed by a few individuals and organizations' selfish attempts to keep the retail and grocery markets to themselves while taking advantage of you, the consumer.