I live in Andover Minnesota and must admit I was not a fan of having Walmart built right across from Target on Bunker Lake Blvd. It just didn't seem right. I have lived in Andover for almost 20 years and have been a loyal customer to Festival as well as Target. I felt the need to share with everyone the UNBELIEVABLE experience I had my first time visiting the Walmart in Andover. First of all, I am a. volunteer with the Special Olympics and was working as a fundraiser for the first time seeking out donations for this years annual Christmas Party honoring the 250 Special Olympic Athletes in Minnesota zone 10. This event is in its 22nd year and is solely supported and put on by donations and volunteers as myself. From the moment I entered the Walmart Store in Andover Minnesota and introduced myself and my cause I was treated just like family ! Employees shared with me their own personal experiences of working with Special Olympics as well as sharing that they had a friend or family member that was a participant in the program. EVERY employee I spoke with proceeded to tell me what a GREAT manager they had and how much he would want to support the Special Olympics. They told me he was at the store everyday before dawn and because it was night time he would not available until the next morning. Before I left the assistant manager spent an hour with me talking about what was still needed for our event. Prior to my leaving she handed me a $50 gift card and said I want you to have this for your cause. I came back the next morning and there are no words to explain the way I felt after meeting with Todd and receiving the GENEROUS donation he gave to The Special Olympics. He was not only the biggest donor we had this year, he encouraged me and made my belief in The Special Olympic cause even stronger and what I was doing.. It is hard to cold call on businesses for donations. After a while you get beaten down and lose that passion that drives you. After talking with Todd and having him share his own personal experience with a Special Olympic Athlete it so touched me that when I walked out of the store with my husband I had not only had my passion for advocating for those less fortunate than me rejuvenated, I became a believer. A Walmart believer. A believer that Walmart truly cared about the community and the people in the community that they are in. I felt like I had just made a lifetime friend. Before I left the store Todd requested I come see him in his office. When I went to see him he thanked me for giving him the opportunity to help Special Olympics and assured me he was here to help this community and he wanted everyone to know it. I knew right at that moment why it was his employees were singing his praises the night before. Thank You Walmart and Thank You Todd for making this Christmas Extra Special this year for the 250 Special Olympic athletes in Minnesota ! Welcome to Andover :)