When health complications arose for Wayne Bowyer twice in a matter of weeks, he didn't know if he'd be able to return to his job at the Ace Hardware in Verona, Virginia. The response from Verona Ace, which is part of the Rockingham Cooperative of retail farm and consumer products stores based out of Dayton, Virginia, was overwhelmingly supportive.

As a Verona Ace Hardware associate, Wayne loves connecting with and serving the customers who come into the store looking for help. Those who know Wayne describe him as friendly, helpful and dedicated.

On July 1, 2020, one day away from his one-year anniversary with Ace, Wayne suffered an accident where he fell and broke one of his legs while riding his motorcycle. This mean he would be out healing for ten to twelve weeks minimum.

Even though Wayne hadn't been at Ace for very long, his manager told him to come back whenever he was ready. Knowing he had the full support of Verona Ace helped Wayne along in his recovery. He was able to return, but only for a matter of weeks before hardship struck again.

An echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart, revealed that Wayne's previous heart complications had returned, and he would need surgery. Wayne didn't come out of the surgery well, and he wound up staying in the hospital for about a month.

Once again, Verona Ace gave their unwavering support by telling Wayne to take his time and come back to work when he felt ready. Verona Ace sees being there for employees as more than just an ideal; it's in the store's DNA.

"Part of the Rockingham Cooperative mission statement states that we invest in our valued employees," said Neil Knicely, Verona Ace Hardware Store Manager. "We try to have an atmosphere of helpfulness, and that goes for helping each other as well as the customers. It feels like a community working here."

"I don't think I've ever worked for a company that has more integrity or a company that truly cares about its employees and the people that they serve as well as they do," said Wayne. "And for all of that, I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, 'thank you very much.'"