11-16-2010, 12:55 PM
At the risk of sounding like a pro-business republican (which I most certainly am not), may I remind you that the new Longs will probably employ 10 times the number of people as the old Pahoa Pharmacy and probably offer a wider range of name and generic drugs than the smaller pharmacy. The new Longs is bringing lower Puna lower prices on a wide range of products, which may encourage Malama to reduce its prices too. By offering products in lower Puna, Longs is probably reducing the number of shopping trips to Hilo (taking cars off busy stretches of highway and reducing car-created pollution). There are numerous folks who worked on construction of the new Longs who I'm sure appreciated getting a paycheck. And Long's parent company, CVS, is active in many national and local non-profit activities related to children and health services.
From their website: The CVS Caremark Community Grants program awards funds to nonprofit organizations for programs targeting children with disabilities, programs focusing on health and rehabilitation services, public schools promoting a greater level of inclusion in student activities and extracurricular programs, and initiatives that give greater access to physical movement and play. Additionally, some contributions are made to organizations that provide uninsured individuals with needed care, in particular programs where the care received is of higher quality and delivered by providers who participate in accountable community health care programs. The grant application process runs from January 1 through October 31. Qualifying organizations are eligible for grants of up to $5,000.
Is Pahoa Longs managed by Mother Theresa? No. But to say that Longs "hasn't done diddly for Puna" is far from accurate. And given the fact that the Pahoa store has been open all of three weeks or so, it seems premature to disparage their record of support to the Puna population.
From their website: The CVS Caremark Community Grants program awards funds to nonprofit organizations for programs targeting children with disabilities, programs focusing on health and rehabilitation services, public schools promoting a greater level of inclusion in student activities and extracurricular programs, and initiatives that give greater access to physical movement and play. Additionally, some contributions are made to organizations that provide uninsured individuals with needed care, in particular programs where the care received is of higher quality and delivered by providers who participate in accountable community health care programs. The grant application process runs from January 1 through October 31. Qualifying organizations are eligible for grants of up to $5,000.
Is Pahoa Longs managed by Mother Theresa? No. But to say that Longs "hasn't done diddly for Puna" is far from accurate. And given the fact that the Pahoa store has been open all of three weeks or so, it seems premature to disparage their record of support to the Puna population.