Ken Glover of Ken Glover’s Cordova Drugs was honored with a Health Mart Diabetes Care Excellence Award. He was one of 10 pharmacists across the country to receive the award.
Chuck Wilson, Health Mart vice president, said the award was given because Glover went above and beyond the call of duty to provide service to the people of Cordova after the April 27 tornadoes that destroyed most of city’s downtown area.
When the storms hit, it left residents of Cordova without access to many core services, including medicine distribution. The 100-year-old building that was previously home to Ken Glover’s Cordova Drugs was destroyed. Only 16 days after the tornadoes hit, Glover began filling prescriptions out of a large temporary trailer.
“Our pharmacy is a place people can come to and see a familiar face,” Glover said. “We’re providing old fashioned care and love. It’s the best kind of medicine.”
Since April, Glover, who has two pharmacies in Jasper and one in Dora that were also damaged in the storms, has worked around the clock, delivering medicine to area residents after his pharmacies close for the night.
When a woman with diabetes was stranded at home because of downed trees, Glover said he was rushed to her home by a local law enforcement officer to deliver the insulin she needed. He said he also delivered medicine to nursing homes and to stranded residents in the aftermath of the storms.
Glover also started a program at the pharmacy that he dubbed R3, meaning “Respond, Rebuild, Revive.” The pharmacy now sells armbands and t-shirts at all locations, with all proceeds going directly to storm victims to help with the recovery process.
“If we can be one of the first pieces of stability in Cordova, then maybe other businesses can come in as well,” Glover said.
Glover’s pharmacies also frequently hold free education events for the public. A controlling diabetes seminar is scheduled for today at 6:30 p.m. at Ken Glover Drug in Dora. The event will also be streamed live on www.gloverdrug.com.