- Lynchburg, Virginia Man Selected as First National Hero During Black History Month -

(BLACK PR WIRE) -- GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dollar General (NYSE: DG) is launching Honoring Our Every Day Heroes, a year-long program to honor the heroes among us – from firefighters and veterans to teachers and caregivers.

“Dollar General is pleased to launch the Honoring Our Every Day Heroes program to recognize our customers - the everyday heroes who are making a difference,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief merchandising officer. “Through this program, we will celebrate heroes who make our communities a great place to live and work, while encouraging others to honor the heroes in their own lives.”

Throughout 2012, Dollar General, along with its vendor partners, will celebrate and recognize its customers through the Honoring Our Every Day Heroes program.

Sterling Wilder of Lynchburg, Va., is being recognized as an “Every Day Hero” by Dollar General, and its vendor partners Coca-Cola®, Kraft® Foods and Procter & Gamble®. Wilder is committed to making a difference in his community through his work with the Jubilee Family Development Center.

Wilder started the Jubilee center to provide children and their families in Lynchburg with a structured haven away from drugs and violence. The Jubilee center provides youth and family-development services, including: after-school tutoring, computer training, cultural activities, mentoring, community service activities, and access to health screening.

"So many times our children have low self-esteem,” Wilder says. “They might think, 'I can't do anything. I can't be anybody.' But once you get that talent motivated, and spark that interest in children, then they'll be focused. All the kids are special."

Wilder received the It Takes a Village Award from VIBE 100, was recognized as Alpha Man of the Year from the Gamma Nu Lambda Chapter, received the Humanitarian Award from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities and was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show where he received the Use Your Life Award. As part of his recognition as an “Every Day Hero,” Wilder will receive a Dollar General gift card and be featured in a 90-second vignette that will air throughout the month on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network for Black History Month in February.

“Sterling Wilder is a great example of an everyday hero,” said Vasos. “His selfless actions, positive impact on the community, especially young people, exemplify what the ‘Honoring Our Every Day Heroes’ program is all about.”

To learn more about the Honoring Our Every Day Heroes program, visit www.dollargeneral.com/everydayheroes.  

About Dollar General Corporation

Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for more than 70 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. With more than 9,800 stores in 38 states, Dollar General has more retail locations than any retailer in America. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America's most-trusted manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, Kellogg's, General Mills, Nabisco, Hanes, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola. Learn more about Dollar General at www.dollargeneral.com.  

Editor’s Note: B-roll footage from OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is available upon request.

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This press release has an accompanying Smart Marketing Page providing further details about the organization, products and services introduced above. You can access the Smart Marketing Page via the following link: http://www.businesswire.com/smp/DollarGeneralEDHforBHM/  

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