Alumni featured in “DG Story”

You wouldn’t expect to see anything about Due West or Erskine College or Covenant Way Retirement Community in the monthly news publication of Tennessee-based corporation Dollar General.

Nevertheless, in a photo on page 7 of the January 2012 issue of “DG Story” is the smiling face of Covenant Way resident Winnie Phillips, a member of Erskine’s Class of 1941 who served as Erskine’s first alumni director. The accompanying article begins by describing Due West as “a tranquil town just 12 miles north of Abbeville” and “the home of Erskine College, which was founded in 1839.”

Matthew Diggs, who wrote the story, notes in its first paragraph: “The college features many historic buildings including the Philomathean Literary Society Hall, which was built in Georgian Revival style in 1860 and contains a ceiling mural painted by Italian artists in 1912.”

In addition to spotlighting Erskine’s historic campus, the story, titled “Retirees Count on DG,” stresses the significance of Dollar General for retirement center residents, who invited Dollar General employees to Covenant Way. Residents decorated the center for the occasion in “DG colors” and with collages from photos they had taken while shopping at the Due West store.

John West, regional director for Dollar General’s Region 83, noted that Covenant Way residents “really do call us their ‘mall’” and Tiffany Demint, store manager, said that both college students and local retirees bring in a lot of business.

Kim Ferguson, wife of Erskine Alumni Director Buddy Ferguson, serves as director of guest services at Covenant Way. She took photos of residents with Dollar General officials and was quoted in the story.

“Life is much better for the people in our retirement community because Dollar General is so friendly, convenient and well-stocked,” she said. “We are forever grateful and truly blessed to have your presence in the village of Due West.”