Plantation, Fla. – November 29, 2012: DHL Express, a leading international express shipping provider, is partnering with the New York community to send hundreds of fresh-cut Christmas trees along with thousands of holiday letters, menorahs, decorations and gifts to U.S. servicemen and women serving their country in Afghanistan and Bahrain.
“We’re honored to join with the local community for this wonderful annual tradition, so our U.S. servicemen and women can receive a dose of holiday spirit,” said Ian Clough, CEO of DHL Express U.S. “Although many New York communities are still recovering from Hurricane Sandy, it’s encouraging to see the resiliance of those hardest hit and heartwarming to see their continued support of our troops this season.”
The holiday bounty was generously provided through donations from New York businesses and community organizations, including Dees’ Nursery, Adelis International Security, Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon and Proctor-Hopson Post 1896 Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
All the goods will be packed and shipped courtesy of DHL Express from Long Island-based Dees’ Nursery, with a send off celebration on the nursery grounds at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 3rd. Local community and veterans groups, schools and Nassau County dignitaries will help send off the shipment of holiday cheer – along with a special appearance by Santa bearing DHL gifts.
From Dees’, the trees and trimmings will proceed via official police motorcade to the DHL Gateway facility at JFK International Airport for loading onto a DHL 777 aircraft that travels non-stop directly from the U.S. to the Middle East.
DHL Operation Holiday Cheer began in 2004, when the mother of a son stationed in Iraq, asked Dees’ Nursery if she could buy a Christmas tree and send it to him. The nursery wanted to donate the tree, but needed help shipping it overseas. Dees’ owner, Tom Di Dominica Senior, mentioned his dilemma to local businessman, Jim Adelis, whose son was also stationed in Iraq. After Jim reached out to DHL Express and the community, DHL Operation Holiday Cheer was launched. That first year, lights, decorations, menorahs, holiday cards and 135 trees were sent to troops. Since then, DHL Operation Holiday Cheer has shipped more than 6,000 trees provided by Dees’ Christmas tree farm in Maine, along with thousands of ornaments, decorations, gifts and menorahs.
DHL:
DHL is the global market leader in the logistics industry and “The Logistics company for the world”. DHL commits its expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services to its customers. A global network composed of more than 220 countries and territories and about 275,000 employees worldwide offers customers superior service quality and local knowledge to satisfy their supply chain requirements. DHL accepts its social responsibility by supporting climate protection, disaster management and education. DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL. The Group generated revenue of 53 billion Euros in 2011.
