Huron Wal-Mart Supercenter to Open Doors and Hearts with Donations

$30,500 given to local schools and organizations; grant to purchase life-saving equipment for Huron Regional Medical Center

HURON, S.D., July 15, 2006 – The new Wal-Mart Supercenter in Huron will celebrate its grand opening on Wednesday, July 19. The new store, designed as a convenient one-stop family shopping center, will announce an initial $30,500 in donations to help neighborhood schools and area organizations. A grand opening celebration will be held at 7:30 a.m., and doors will open to the public at 8 a.m. The store is located at 2791 Dakota Ave. S.

Charitable Donation to Save Lives

The new Huron Wal-Mart Supercenter will provide the area community grants throughout the year, and will start off with several that will make immediate impacts. A $17,000 donation will be used to purchase heart defibrillators for the Huron Regional Medical Center. “As the newest neighbor in Huron, we are providing a total of $30,500 to organizations in our community right from the start,” said Store Manager Darrell Seurer. “When we learned the hospital was in dire need of defibrillators, our team of associates determined this was a specific area we for which we needed to provide support. For Huron, we intend to continue Wal-Mart’s commitment to the grassroots support of its communities,” added Seurer.

“Wal-Mart’s generous contribution will allow Huron Regional Medical Center to purchase two new defibrillators which will be used in our Emergency Room and Intensive Care Units,” said Rob Timm, executive director of the Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation. “These machines literally save the lives of cardiac arrest patients. What a fitting way for Wal-Mart to begin its long-term commitment to the Huron area and its residents.”

Huron organizations can contact their local Wal-Mart stores to inquire about grants, matching grants and opportunities to raise dollars outside store locations throughout the year.

Editor’s Note: To review a full list of grant recipients, please see page three of this press release.

Grand Opening Ceremony Details

The store welcomes the community to attend its celebration at 7:30 a.m. on July 19. Pastor Mark Lafreniere of Huron Baptist Church will lead the invocation and representatives from the local Veterans of Foreign Wars will present the colors. Brittney Bragg, a Wal-Mart associate, will perform the national anthem and members of the Chamber of Commerce will cut the ribbon to officially open the new Supercenter.

Other activities planned include character appearances by Chester Cheetah, the Keebler Elf, Cat in the Hat and the Colgate Robot. Numerous product samples and giveaways will be distributed throughout the day. On Friday, July 21, Joey Browner and other Minnesota Vikings legends will be at the store to sign autographs.

Store Features

According to Seurer, the new 158,070-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter features 36 general merchandise departments including apparel and accessories, fine jewelry, a lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, and a full line of electronics. In addition, the store offers a bakery, a delicatessen, a frozen food section, meat, dairy and fresh produce sections, and an expanded Hispanic food section.

It will be open to customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will include 11 full-service and seven express check-out lanes. The pharmacy is also located near the entrance for added convenience to customers.

Other store features include a Tire & Lube Express, a Subway restaurant, a one-hour photo lab, a vision center, a pharmacy and a Smart Style hair salon. The store will have an American Bank and Trust branch and a Wal-Mart Connect Center for wireless phone sales.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The store features local supplier stories such as Dakota Provisions, Clearly H20, Morning Song Birdseed, Jack Links Jerky, Dakota Style Sunflower Seeds and James Valley BBQ Sauce, all located in Huron and outlying areas. Please call or e-mail contact above for further details.

295 New Jobs

The store will employ approximately 295 associates. More than 795 people applied for jobs at the new store. The national average wage at Wal-Mart for full-time hourly associates is approximately $10.11 per hour.* “It has always been my experience that people are interested in Wal-Mart based on the opportunities and careers we provide,” said Seurer. “The large number of applicants for jobs at our store tells me they have heard what a special place this is to work.”

Wal-Mart Economic Impact in South Dakota

EDITOR’S NOTE: See www.walmartfacts.com for more information about Wal-Mart in South Dakota.

As of May 2006, Wal-Mart employed 4,673 associates and owned and operated the following facilities in the state of South Dakota:

• Supercenters: 10

• Discount Stores: 1

• SAM’S CLUBS: 2

Wal-Mart collected on behalf of the state of South Dakota more than $48.7 million in sales taxes in 2005 and paid more than $1.3 million in state and local taxes in the state of South Dakota in 2005.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. operates Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM’S CLUB locations in the United States. The company has operations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The company’s securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and NYSE Arca, formerly the Pacific Stock Exchange, under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting www.walmartfacts.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com

EDITOR’S NOTES

• Wal-Mart store employees are called associates.

• Darrell Seurer, store manager, can provide details about the grand opening, offer quotes for interviews and arrange for photo opportunities or preview tours. He can be contacted at 605-353-0891.

• An invitation-only open house for VIPs, Wal-Mart associates and their families is scheduled for Sunday, July 16, at 6 p.m. Preview tours will be provided. Reporters and photographers are welcome.

* Average wage taken yearly (December 2005). See www.walmartfacts.com for more details.

FACT SHEET

Huron Wal-Mart Supercenter

Store fast facts

• Location: 2791 Dakota Ave. S., Huron, S.D.

• 158,070-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter

• Store opening 8 a.m., Wednesday, July 19; 7:30 a.m. grand opening ceremony

• Store manager: Darrell Seurer

Charitable giving

• $30,500 in donations to local schools and organizations; $17,000 grant to the Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation to purchase defibrillators:

o American Cancer Society (Midwest Division)

o American Legion Post 0007

o City of Alpena Fire Department

o City of Hitchcock Volunteer Fire Department

o City of Huron Police Department

o City of Huron Volunteer Fire Department

o City of Iroquois Fire and Rescue Department

o City of Wessington Volunteer Fire Department

o H O P E Therapeutic Riding Center

o Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation

o Huron Area Senior Center

o Huron Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau

o Huron High School - Huron Music Parents

o South Dakota Community Foundation

o Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1776

o Young Women’s Christian Association

Store features

• Full line of groceries, bakery goods, deli foods, frozen foods, meat and dairy products and fresh produce, apparel and accessories, fine jewelry, lawn and garden center, health and beauty aids, full line of electronics, a Tire & Lube Express, a Subway restaurant, a one-hour photo lab, a vision center, a pharmacy, a Smart Style hair salon, an American Bank and Trust branch and a Wal-Mart Connect Center

• The store will also feature an expanded Hispanic food section.

• Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

• 11 full-service and seven express check-out lanes

Employment

• 295 new jobs; 795 applicants

• The national average wage at Wal-Mart for full-time hourly associates is $10.11 per hour.*

• Approximately 76 percent of Wal-Mart store managers started as hourly associates.

* Average wage taken December 2005. See www.walmartfacts.com for details.

For more information

• Store manager: Darrell Seurer, 605-353-0891

• Wal-Mart information online: www.walmartfacts.com; merchandise sales: www.walmart.com

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