The associates at the region’s Walmart and Sam’s Club stores collected more than $1 million again for the children at CHKD during their annual campaign.

The stores enjoyed a friendly competition through creative fundraising ideas and a lot of hard work. Locations generated funds through voluntary customer donations at the cash register and a variety of other voluntary fundraising activities.

The Walmart on Phoenix Drive in Virginia Beach broke records and ranked as the number two fundraising store in the nation for the amount of money raised during the campaign, beating out more than 4,500 other locations.

Both Suffolk stores ranked among the top two percent nationwide.

Like all in-store Children’s Miracle Network fundraisers, all donations raised from the Walmart and Sam’s Club campaign stay local and help fund needed medical care, equipment and therapy programs that save and improve the lives of children in the region — in this case Hampton Roads. Since the partnership began 21 years ago, the campaign has generated more than $8,740,000 for CHKD.

“Walmart and Sam’s Club employees in this community embrace our partnership with CHKD so enthusiastically because it has such a direct impact on improving the lives of so many children experiencing medical issues,” said Chuck Richards, market manager for Walmart.

“We appreciate the generosity of our customers, the community, and the hard work from our associates that helped make this possible. Together we are helping to support the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff that work miracles in the Hampton Roads area on a daily basis.”

As the only freestanding children’s hospital in Virginia, CHKD serves the medical and surgical needs of a region with more than 450,000 children, including greater Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore of Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.