DHL Delivers The Spirit Of The Holiday Season To U.S. Troops In The Middle East

Express Delivery Company Partners with New York and Southern California Communities for Annual Trees for Troops Charitable Program

DHL, the world’s leading express delivery and logistics company, is partnering with local communities in New York and Southern California to deliver live holiday trees and decorations to U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East through DHL’s annual Trees for Troops charitable program. Since 2004, DHL’s Trees for Troops program has collected and shipped thousands of holiday trees, lights, ornaments, menorahs and messages of support to the brave men and women serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain and Kuwait.

This year, local businesses, organizations, private citizens and nurseries on the east and west coasts of the country will join forces with DHL in donating and delivering 750 trees and holiday decorations overseas. DHL will host official send-off events for this year’s Trees for Troops shipments on December 3rd in New York and on December 7th in Riverside, Calif.

“DHL is pleased to utilize its extensive U.S. and global network to deliver the spirit of the holidays this year to U.S. troops serving in the Middle East,” said Hans Hickler, CEO of DHL Express in the U.S. “It’s wonderful to see local communities coming together and helping uplift the spirits of those away from their loved ones this holiday season.”

On the east coast, DHL has teamed up with Dee’s Nursery in Oceanside, New York, the New York State Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and other members of the local New York metro community to donate hundreds of trees and holiday decorations to the program. In addition, “Santa Sacks” filled with thousands of holiday cards written by local school children will accompany the shipment. The December 3rd send-off will commence at Dee’s Nursery followed by the movement of the shipment to DHL’s gateway at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

On the west coast, DHL has partnered with the March Joint Powers Authority in Riverside, local businesses and community residents to collect donations for trees and holiday decorations, as well as care packages provided by the Family Readiness Group, an all-volunteer organization that assists troops and their family members as they are deployed. The entire shipment, which will receive a special send-off on December 7th at the DHL hub at March Air Reserve Base, will be transported from Riverside to Los Angeles International Airport then onto New York before reaching troops in the Middle East.

DHL launched its annual Trees for Troops program in December 2004, when Jim Adelis, a New York businessman whose son was stationed in Iraq at the time, reached out to DHL to assist in transporting a shipment of trees to the Middle East. In November and December 2004, with the help of the U.S. Army Reserve 77th Regional Readiness Command, Dee’s Nursery and the local New York metro community, DHL delivered two shipments featuring a total of 135 trees and holiday decorations from JFK to troops stationed at Camp Anaconda in Balad, Iraq.

DHL was the first international air express carrier to provide service to Iraq and Afghanistan following the lifting of sanctions and operates the most extensive logistics service into these countries. DHL announced the start of operations to Afghanistan in March 2002 and Iraq in March 2003.

For more information on how DHL is preparing for the 2007 holiday season, visit www.dhl-usa.com/holiday/. Members of the media may access free multimedia, including DHL video content and print-quality stills, by visiting www.thenewsmarket.com/DHL. Media may also request interviews, site visits and more information on the DHL Trees for Troops events in New York and Riverside by contacting the DHL USA Press Office at (954) 888-7114 or usa.pressoffice@dhl.com.

About DHL
At DHL, Customer Service is back in shipping. Our mission is to provide the most flexible, personable and enjoyable experience in the shipping industry for our customers.

DHL is the global market leader of the international express and logistics industry, specializing in providing innovative and customized solutions from a single source. DHL offers expertise in express, air and ocean freight, overland transport, contract logistic solutions as well as international mail services, combined with worldwide coverage and an in-depth understanding of local markets. DHL’s international network links more than 225 countries and territories worldwide with over 300,000 employees dedicated to providing fast and reliable services that exceed customers’ expectations.

Founded in San Francisco in 1969, DHL is a Deutsche Post World Net brand. The group generated worldwide revenues of $80 billion in 2006.* For more information on DHL, visit www.dhl.com.