SOP’s Eddington Attends Grand Reopening Ceremony for Local Pharmacy

Rite Aid pharmacy devastated by riots celebrated its grand reopening in a special event attended by School of Pharmacy Dean Natalie Eddington and city and community leaders.

By Malissa Carroll
October 23, 2015

Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FCP, FAAPS, dean and professor of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, watched excitedly alongside U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Maryland State Senator Catherine Pugh, Baltimore City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young, Baltimore City Councilman Eric Costello, and Baltimore City Councilman Nick Mosby as officials from Rite Aid cut the ribbon across the door of its store at 300 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. on Oct. 20, reopening it to the community after rioting in the city earlier this year devastated the facility and forced the pharmacy to operate out of a temporary trailer.

“It was an honor to be invited to help reopen this Rite Aid store to the residents of the West Baltimore community who depend on its services to lead healthier lives,” says Eddington. “The School of Pharmacy is proud to partner with community pharmacies like Rite Aid to provide cutting-edge medication therapy management and other services to citizens across the state of Maryland and beyond. As pharmacists ourselves, we recognize the vital services that pharmacies like Rite Aid provide to their neighbors, and we are thrilled to witness Rite Aid’s return.”

“Rite Aid is proud of its longstanding commitment to the Baltimore community,” adds Bryan Everett, MS, executive vice president of operations for Rite Aid. “Reopening and rebuilding our store at 300 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard has been a priority for our company, as we know local community residents depend on us for both their health and everyday needs. We look forward to welcoming back our customers and delivering on our mission to improve the health and wellness of Baltimore.”

To help further celebrate the store’s reopening, the Rite Aid Foundation presented a $10,000 donation to Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Elementary School. Located less than a half-mile from the rebuilt Rite Aid and only one mile from the School of Pharmacy, the school serves nearly 500 students and plans to use the donation to purchase athletic equipment for its physical education classes to help support the physical fitness and wellbeing of its students.

“In the wake of the unrest that has recently swept across the country, we have seen many companies choose to shutter their businesses, disinvest, and move on,” said Rawlings-Blake as she expressed her appreciation for the company’s commitment to the community. “What we are celebrating today with the grand reopening of this Rite Aid is a promise of tomorrow and a commitment to stay.”

Pugh added, “Rite Aid, along with the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, whose dean is present with us today, does a lot of work in our community to ensure not only that there are prescription drugs available, but that our community remains vibrant and healthy. Without these institutions in our neighborhoods, this type of work would not be possible, so today we commend them for their continued service and commitment to the city.”

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