From store to more, vendors lined the doors to Wareham's Walmart in a celebration with music, balloons and the Macarana. 

On Friday, July 18, the Walmart at 15 Tobey Road held its grand re-opening ceremony. With new updates to the store, the ceremony acted as a chance to honor employees with a  community celebration.

A blue Walmart-branded ribbon was cut “to symbolise the new chapter,” said Store Manager Brianna Moniz, of Rhode Island. 

“This is your store, Wareham,” she said. 

Moniz explained how the remodeling began about three months ago. The renovations include updating customer and associate spaces as well as bringing in new products.

Walmart gave the Wareham store an opportunity to donate to non-profits of their choice through the renovation process.

“They give us grants that we all get to go through, we read all of the mission statements of the nonprofit organizations around and we find the ones that truly connect with us on a business and personal level,” said Moniz. 

The Wareham Walmart chose A Helping Paw, the Veterans Association of Bristol County and PAW Ministries of New Bedford.

A Helping Paw received $1,000 from Walmart’s Spark Good Grant program. A Helping Paw is a Humane Society dedicated to saving and caring for pets set to be euthanized, with possible medical or behavioral problems. 

$2,000 was awarded to the Veterans Association of Bristol County and PAW Ministries of New Bedford. 

The Veterans Association provides support for military veterans and their families during and after active duty. PAW Ministries of New Bedford feeds and clothes the homeless located in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

While presenting the grant to PAW Ministries of New Bedford, Community Champion JR Quinones, of Taunton, said change doesn't happen overnight and that he was, "thrilled," to present the check. 

As Community Champion of the Wareham Walmart, JR Quinoes builds connections with different organizations and branches out into the community.

”But it does happen when people care enough to show up and do the work," he said. “We don’t just donate money, we donate our time. We volunteer,” he said. 

Music continued to blast while vendors like Coca-Cola and Celsius set up their tents and tables.  Many Walmart associates took to the parking lot with dance moves making the pavement their dance floor. 

Walmart associate Mabel Raimondo of New Bedford said she worked for the company for 26 years.

“It means a very new start for us — we get to have a nice, new store,” she said.