Employees of the local Walgreens were recognized Friday for raising the largest sum of money out of 365 regional stores during the Light The Night Retail Partnership.

“The store’s managers and associates helped raise more than $1,600 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to fund lifesaving research and support programs and services,” said Darby Berthelot, the campaign director of the Mississippi/Louisiana chapter of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

The final total reached from all participating retailers was $105,182.07, Berthelot said.

The campaign also raised awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Berthelot said.

When someone was asked to donate, it gave them the opportunity to share their own stories or the stories of someone they knew who is affected by leukemia or lymphoma.

Store manager, Shauntoka Moore attributed the success of the Vicksburg Walgreens fundraising endeavors to the generosity of the locals and its employees.

The staff of the drug store was focused on making transactions and developing a relationship with the customers, Moore said.

“We asked employees and customers to donate, and you would be surprised at how many donated,” she said.

When paying cash, customer service assistant Louis Parson said many of the customers would just tell them to keep the change.

“If a customers was paying with a $20 dollar bill and the total was less, they would just donate the remainder,” Parson said.

“These guys did a great job,” Walgreens director Jim Pelquin said.

Walgreens has been a partner with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for four years, Berthelot said.

For more information about the Mississippi chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, call 601-956-7447