Dowagiac Union Schools accepted a $2,500 donation from the ShopKo Hometown Foundations Thursday during the grand opening of the Dowagiac store.

The store, which converted to ShopKo from Pamida over more than 17 weeks, welcomed community officials, customers and Dowagiac Union Schools Supt. Mark Daniel and DUHS Principal Pieter Hoekstra Thursday to celebrate the donation and open the new store.

“It was something the foundation (ShopKo Hometown Foundation) did for schools in towns where they were converting to ShopKo,” Stephanie Bundy, merchandise supervisor and community relations specialist, said.

Bundy said the foundation didn’t specify what the donation would go to since many schools have different needs.

“The general idea was for anything educational,” Bundy said. “It’s something they wanted to do to give back to the communities they serve.”