MARQUETTE — Officials from Meijer, Northern Michigan University and local municipalities gathered at Meijer in Marquette Township Friday when Meijer donated two semi-trucks and trailers to Northern Michigan University’s Commercial Driver’s License Truck Driving Program, which will begin this summer.

“As part of the community, we enjoy giving back … We delivered two full semis, tractors and trailers to Northern Michigan University’s CDL program so they can begin to train students on truck driving,” John Spaulding, store director at Marquette Meijer said.

NMU President Fritz Erickson said he was grateful for Meijer’s donation and support of the university.

“I’d really like to thank John and his entire Meijer team for being here in Marquette, and their immediate reach out to us as a university and as a community, looking to make great community partnerships,” Erickson said. “And the fact that we have this wonderful donation is really a testament to their commitment.”

Erickson said the CDL program, which is slated to begin this summer as a five-week course, is expected to be of interest to many students.

“We think this kind of program really represents our commitment to serving a broad community and we know we have a lot of students interested in the program, those students (that) are going to come just for this five-week training program to get their CDL but also existing students who are interested in having this added on to their degrees,” Erickson said, noting that receiving the vehicles from Meijer “makes it all come together.”

The two vehicles, valued at an estimated $100,000, were previously part of the Meijer fleet. The vehicles have been reconditioned and prepared for their next use at NMU with a maintenance inspection, as well as new tires and new graphics, officials said.

Spaulding noted that the donation and delivery of the trucks to NMU’s CDL program by two of Meijer’s CDL truck drivers, who have 76 years of combined experience, makes things come “full circle.”

“Where this comes full circle, we are donating these trucks to the program to create the future drivers of America. And hopefully, one day, those drivers will work for Meijer as well,” Spaulding said.

He added that Meijer’s partnership with NMU started long before Friday’s donation, but views the donation as a next step in the partnership with the university.

“There have been students from the university in the building while we’ve been building it, both in the general administration constructive programs and advanced electrical (program),” Spaulding said. “So this partnership has begun months and months ago, it just didn’t start today, but today, we’re going to ramp it up. Today, we’re going to take our partnership further and we’re going to donate these two semi trailers to the program for the university.”

Erickson said that the university was happy to have Meijer in Marquette as a community partner.

“We’re just so delighted to have Meijer here, their long tradition of being a strong community partnership, we were well aware of that when they came up. Before they even started building, they were with us and other community members to talk about how they could be part (of the community). To see this very tangible gift come together, we couldn’t be happier or more excited,” Erickson said.

Spaulding said giving back to the community is one of his favorite parts of his job with Meijer.

“It’s the right thing to do and I love doing it,” Spaulding said.

Meijer has donated 93 tractors and 33 trailers to their community partners across the Midwest since 2010, according to a news release from Meijer.

“It’s part of our company’s philosophy to get deeply involved and help and give back wherever we can,” Spaulding said.

The donation comes just one day after Meijer’s gas station opened on Thursday.

“Our gas station is open right now, so stop by. You can begin to see the Meijer brand and the value of the Meijer brand,” Spaulding said, noting that when the Meijer store opens, the gas station will offer fresh-cut fruit and fresh bakery items for customers daily.

In preparation for the store’s May 24 opening date, staff members are currently being trained and the store is being filled with merchandise.

“(It’s) looking more like a Meijer store every single day,” Spaulding said. “So we’re right on pace and we will open, as we said, on May 24 and we’re really excited about that.”

Cecilia Brown can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is cbrown@miningjournal.net.