January 30, 2007

Oakwood, Virginia – K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc., the parent company of Food City, presented the University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy (“UACP”) with a check for $25,000 in support of UACP’s scholarship fund. The gift is the second installment of a $100,000 promise made to UACP when the college opened its doors in 2005.

Food City is a faithful and generous supporter of Buchanan County and its citizens. Therefore, when UACP began operations, Food City naturally became an active and committed partner and supporter. “Food City currently operates pharmacies within 65 of our locations, and we fully understand the need for additional pharmacists, especially in some of the more rural areas where pharmacists are less plentiful,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer. “We see this as an opportunity to assist in educating pharmacy professionals to better staff our area pharmacies.” Mr. Smith is also a member of the University of Appalachia Board of Trustees.

Food City has partnered with UACP to have a full-time clinical faculty member establish student advanced practice rotations within Food City Pharmacy’s wellness sites. Director of Pharmacy Operations, Don Clark, stated that "Food City Pharmacy is committed to providing our customers the best in Pharmaceutical Care. Partnering with UACP is a natural extension of that goal." Also, first and second year UACP students perform weekly early experience practice rotations in several Food City Pharmacies around the region.

“Food City’s assistance is key, without generous community and corporate support like that of Food City, UACP would not be here,” said Eleanor Sue Cantrell, University of Appalachia President and dean of UACP. Whitney Caudill, UACP Director of Development, noted that “Food City’s $100,000 promise has made it possible for the college to begin to establish a fund that will assist pharmacy students for years to come in funding their educations.”

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. is comprised of 95 supermarkets throughout the tri-state region of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.

Contact:

Eleanor Sue Cantrell, MD
Dean
University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy
Oakwood, Virginia 24631
276.498.4190

Tom Hembree
Vice-President, Marketing
K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc.
P.O. Box 700 P.O. Box 1158
Abingdon, Virginia 24212
276.623.5100

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