Wilson's Lakeside Market summer sales assist Wounded Warrior Project

Beginning on Memorial Day Weekend (May 28) and ending on Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 3), local grocery store Wilson's Lakeside Market joins other IGA independent retailers to donate a portion of certain products' sales to the Wounded Warrior Project.

The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization that serves to raise general awareness of the nearly 48,000 servicewomen and servicemen who have been injured during the U.S.' ongoing military conflicts. WWP also offers injured servicewomen and servicemen resources to increase their educational, economic and social opportunities.

Jerry Kadryna, owner of Wilson's Lakeside Market, recognized a valuable opportunity to contribute to IGA's efforts to help the Wounded Warrior Project. The Independent Grocers' Alliance, an international network of independent grocery stores, began its initiative to assist the Wounded Warrior Project in 2011, and is continuing the program this summer. Wilson's Lakeside Market has been involved with the charitable drive both years.

When Kadryna heard about IGA's plans, he realized that he "definitely wanted to be a part of this cause." He set forth to become involved with IGA's important project.

Wilson's Lakeside Market will advertise WWP and IGA's branded water, hot dog buns and hamburger rolls. Items that are co-branded by IGA and WWP donate a portion of their proceeds to the WWP. Kraft Foods also contributes to the cause with contributions from products such as MiO drink, Crystal Light, Kool-Aid, and Country Time.

As soon as the project began at Wilson's Lakeside Market, it met great success with the general public and increased sales.

Kadryna said the store hopes to raise even more money for the WWP project this year, optimistically noting that "we are probably going to sell about seven pallets of water during the promotion, and triple hot dog and hamburger bun sales from a year ago."

To meet its goals, the store will offer important promotions, sales and prices to increase revenue for the project. Ashley Price, an IGA marketing representative, explained that the different IGA retailers participating in the project will offer different promotions and events. At the Wilson Lakeside Store, Kadryna said a front display honors IGA's drive until the end of the summer.

"As soon as shoppers enter the store, they will see a display of the products that they can purchase to support the project," he said.

Plenty of special discounts and promotions will further encourage shoppers to support the charitable cause. Kadryna said shoppers will find advertisements published in Niagara Frontier Publications (publisher of the Sentinel) and other local publications about sales on the products that support the WWP project.

Last year's trial season for the IGA initiative proved a great success. IGA raised $100,000 alone on its branded water (which was expanded this year to include hot dog and hamburger buns), and Kraft Foods contributed an additional $20,000 from the Kraft-branded products listed, raising the entire drive's donation to WWP to $120,000. This year, IGA states that it will donate as much as $200,000 to WWP if it can raise the funds.

Kadryna is hopeful Wilson Lakeside Markets can make a valuable impression on this goal, finding it a vital, honorable goal based on his own experiences.

He said, "I am proud to be a part of this important project. Myself being a veteran, I am extremely glad my store can support this cause."

Look inside local newspapers and stop at Wilson's Lakeside Market to find sales on the products in support of this cause.

The Wilson's Lakeside Market is located at 337 Lake St.

To learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project, visithttp://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/. To learn more about IGA's involvement with WWP, visithttp://www.iga.com/corporate/default.aspx.