A big laurel goes to Food Lion, which announced this week an incredibly ambitious goal of providing 500 million meals to food banks over the next six years.
The 500 million figure seems incomprehensible, but it’s a pledge the company hopes to fulfill through “Food Lion Feeds” by the end of 2020. The meals will go to food banks in the 10 states in which Food Lion does business, and close to home, Rowan Helping Ministries will benefit because it’s part of the Second Harvest network of food pantries.
In making its commitment, Food Lion is leading the way in something that should be solvable in this country — ending hunger.
You can do your part. Buy a reusable Food Lion shopping bag for $1.19, and Food Lion will provide five meals to local food banks through its partnership with Feeding America.
In this case, it’s good to be left holding the bag.
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The town of Granite Quarry deserves a laurel for listening to some fresh-faced youngsters about opportunities for retail growth, aesthetic improvements and attracting visitors to its central business area.
Earlier this week, graduate students from the University of North Carolina’s School of Government presented their market analysis and project feasibility for a specific site on North Salisbury Avenue — the former Eastside Kwik Stop.
They gave the town’s planning board evidence of retail “leakage” — dollars going elsewhere because Granite Quarry does not have a grocery store. The students also looked at the size of a grocery store and other retail development the site might support, based on numbers.
Town officials came away from the presentation impressed and no doubt cognizant any new retail development on that site, especially if it included a grocery store, would improve the town’s appearance, attract people from elsewhere and fill a void left by Winn-Dixie’s departure a decade ago.
The students’ study — part of their course work — was free to boot.
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Tonalist, the winner of last Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, receives a dart for robbing America and the sport of thoroughbred horse racing of its first Triple Crown winner in 36 years.
California Chrome, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, lugged over the finish line fourth to demonstrate once again how tough it is for a 3-year-old horse to have the strength and stamina to win all three of these grueling races against the toughest competition.
With Chrome an also-ran, Americans turn back their attention to the National Basketball Association Finals, the Stanley Cup hockey championship series, U.S. Open golf and World Cup soccer.
NCAA Baseball’s College World Series also is on the horizon, so there’s a lot on our collective sports plate to digest. It just would have tasted better had California Chrome made history. A year from now, will we even be able to recall the dastardly Tonalist’s name?