Enterprise, Ala. (WDNews) — A $35,000 Lowe’s Community Impact Grant is helping Enterprise firefighters renovate the kitchen and two bathrooms at Eastside Fire Station on Rucker Boulevard. According to the city, the work is expected to be finished by Dec. 15.
When crews took down the old kitchen cabinets, they uncovered the station’s original light blue walls. The color brought back memories for Enterprise Fire Chief Christopher Davis, who once worked out of the station. Eastside opened in 1989.
The renovation includes new kitchen cabinets, countertops and appliances, along with new cabinets, mirrors and toilets in both bathrooms. Crews will also add three food-storage cabinets, one for each shift.
“What a lot of people don’t understand is that firefighters spend a third of their lives at their stations. Every third day they are here for 24 hours,” Davis said. “So, the more we can improve their environment while they’re at the station, the more they can focus on the work when they get a call. And that’s our goal.”
Davis, who has served with the department for more than 30 years, helped remove cabinets and clear debris. He was among six Enterprise Fire Department personnel who worked alongside nine Lowe’s Store 281 employees on Veterans Day. The volunteers removed kitchen and bathroom cabinets and helped plan where the new cabinets would go.
“Lowe’s is absolutely ecstatic to be here. This is my team. They’re all out here on Veterans Day and excited to be here. It was not hard finding volunteers for this,” Lowe’s Store 281 Manager Lucas Richardson said.
District 4 City Councilman Scotty Johnson helped unload materials and carry debris. Four-year-old Maggie, the daughter of Enterprise firefighter Chris Wise, held the dustpan and gathered packing materials. She finished her shift with a bowl of ice cream.
“I want our firefighters to be comfortable and have a good environment to come to every third day. They spend a lot of time here, and they deserve a space that feels like home,” Davis said. “I’m grateful to Lowe’s for recognizing that and for being so generous with their time and resources. It’s exciting to see these improvements come together, especially knowing the difference they’ll make for the firefighters who serve here.”
According to the city, Eastside was one of two Alabama projects selected for the 2026 grant program, which received more than 5,000 nominations.
“We are very fortunate to have the support of our local Lowe’s team and Lowe’s corporate. These improvements would normally have to be funded with taxpayer dollars. By pursuing grants and building partnerships like this, we’re able to improve our facilities and make our resources go further, allowing us to move forward with other projects that benefit the department,” Davis said.
Mayor William E. Cooper Sr. thanked Lowe’s and the volunteers who helped with the renovation.
“Our firefighters give so much of themselves to take care of others, and they deserve to have a good place to work and a comfortable place to call home while they’re on duty,” Cooper said. “We’re thankful to Lowe’s for stepping up to help make these improvements possible. Partnerships and grants like this allow us to do things for our first responders that might otherwise have to wait. We appreciate everyone who gave their time and effort to make this happen.”
