[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 162 (Wednesday, October 24, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S13359]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TRIBUTE TO WALGREENS' 6000TH STORE IN NEW ORLEANS

 Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, Walgreens, a leading national 
drug store chain, is today hosting a celebration for the opening of its 
6,000th store, which is located in New Orleans, LA. I am thrilled that 
for this milestone the company has chosen my hometown, which is 
enduring a long recovery from Hurricane Katrina.
  The greater New Orleans area is one of Walgreens' oldest and most 
distinct markets. The first store in the region opened in 1938, and the 
new store in the historic Carrollton neighborhood is the city's 48th. 
The company currently employs nearly 1,400 people in the area who serve 
thousands of patients and customers every day. Walgreens will become a 
wellness resource for Carrollton residents, some of whom have 
underserved health care needs.
  In honor of the grand opening, Walgreens is today offering free blood 
glucose screenings in every New Orleans store to drive greater 
awareness of the diabetes epidemic and get more people on the path to 
prevention or early detection and treatment.
  The Walgreens wellness tour bus will also travel to locations 
throughout the area today to provide a variety of tests, including 
cholesterol, blood pressure, bone density, and body mass index for 
individuals who otherwise may not have access to basic health 
screenings.
  Immediately following Katrina, 74 Walgreens stores had to close 
because of physical damage and loss of power. It was the most 
significant operational challenge in the company's 106-year history. 
More than 700 Walgreens employee volunteers traveled from across the 
country to help with recovery efforts, filling hundreds of thousands of 
emergency prescriptions and providing vital supplies to evacuees. 
Walgreens was one of the first retailers to reopen, proving New Orleans 
was on the road to recovery. I am grateful for their great help to our 
region during the extremely challenging days following the storm and 
the flood that followed.
  Through its investment, Walgreens is demonstrating its continued 
commitment to our great city and region. By next summer, Walgreens will 
have more stores in the New Orleans area than it did prior to the 
hurricane. I ask the Senate to join me in congratulating Walgreens and 
New Orleans for this longstanding and growing relationship.




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