DHL, the world’s leading logistics company, Special Olympics and the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG) Airport are teaming up again for the 3rd annual DHL Plane Pull event to raise funds for Special Olympics Kentucky and its programs for local athletes.
On Saturday, starting at 9 a.m. at the DHL Americas Hub, more than 25 local businesses and civic groups will compete in the ultimate tug of war, pulling one of the DHL Boeing 757s – weighing over 140,000 pounds – across the tarmac. The team that pulls the aircraft 12 feet in the shortest time wins.
Each team has to raise a minimum of $1,000 to participate and all proceeds help provide sports programs, health services, early childhood programs and community building programs serving children and adults in Kentucky with intellectual disabilities.
Some of the programs include Young Athletes Program and the Healthy Athletes screening initiatives.
“This is an opportunity for all of us in the local community to show that we’re coming together for the athletes of Special Olympics Kentucky,” said Joanie Arias, Vice President, DHL Express CVG Americas Hub.
“We expect a lot of good-natured competition and invite all organizations and businesses to take part with a pull team of their own. It’s not every day that you get to test your team’s strength against a 147,000 lb. aircraft while helping a fantastic organization that does great work each and every day. It will be a fun event that makes a difference.”
At the event, a men’s team, women’s team and a co-ed team will be crowned champions for being the fastest to pull the DHL plane 12 feet. Prizes will also be awarded to the top individual fundraiser and top fundraising team as well as the team that has the best team spirit (usually in the form of a team cheer) and the team with the best team t-shirt.
The DHL plane pull will take place on the ramp of the DHL Express Hub. The CVG hub, one of three global hubs, sits at the heart of the DHL Americas network with 50 arriving and departing flights daily connecting customers from over 220 countries and territories worldwide.
The DHL Plane Pull is part of the Deutsche Post DHL Global Volunteer Day activities which encourages employees to support their local communities during the month of September and throughout the year. The Global Volunteer Day projects deliver against the Group’s three core Corporate Responsibility programs, which focus on environmental protection (“GoGreen”), improving educational opportunity and employability for young people (“GoTeach”), and providing humanitarian logistics support (“GoHelp”).
“We are very excited to bring the Plane Pull back to DHL this year and with last year’s success, we feel confident that 2015 will bring in more funds for Special Olympics Kentucky,” said Julie Goodpaster, special events director at Special Olympics Kentucky. “There are many new teams and sponsors supporting this event this year, which is a testament of a job well done last year. We look forward to a great event.”
It’s not too late for the public to sponsor their favorite pull team participant, or submit a tax-deductible donation by visiting the contribution page of Special Olympics Kentucky’s website at: http://www.soky.org/individual. The public is also invited to the DHL hub on Saturday to view the competition and share in the fun.
The DHL Plane Pull is sponsored by DHL Express, Southern Air, CVG Airport, CVG Airport Police, The Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run, Chuy’s, AVI Foodservices, Apex Environmental Services, Air Transport Cargo Group, the Holiday Inn Airport, Integrated Deicing Services, Kalitta Air and Polar Air Cargo.
Plane Pull Event Details Include:
· When: Saturday, September 26, 2014 – Teams must register on-site between 9-10:30 a.m. EDT, turn in all funds raised, and sign a waiver before pulling. Non-stop plane pull action will begin at 11:00 a.m. and continues all afternoon.
· Where: At the DHL Americas Hub located at 236 Wendell H. Ford Boulevard in Erlanger. More than 90 percent of everything shipped in the Americas by DHL travels through CVG on its way to countless international locations and more than 100 DHL gateways in the U.S.
· Awards: Teams will be awarded in a number of categories, including the fastest in the co-ed, men’s and women’s divisions, as well as the top team for fundraising, team spirit and best team t-shirt. The top fundraisers, including the top fundraising Special Olympics Athlete, will also be recognized.
From CVG