Wal-Mart Joins Unilever - for Their Fourth Year Sponsoring the National Parks America Tour, Helping Our Nation's Parks With Volunteer Power
BENTONVILLE, Ark., May 17 / -- For the fourth consecutive year, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) has joined Unilever (NYSE:UL) (NYSE:UN) , the longest-standing corporate partner of the National Park Foundation and a Proud Partner of America's National Parks, the National Park Foundation, and Take Pride in America in supporting the National Parks America Tour.
Wal-Mart is committed to community stewardship and service. The National Parks America Tour service-to-the-land activities enable volunteers to earn service credits while giving something back to America's treasures -- its 388 National Parks.
The National Parks America Tour provides parks with much-needed manpower resources to complete important projects from building boardwalks, painting fences to cleaning up beaches and seawalls. As visitor use increases and National Parks budgets decrease, volunteer manpower is essential to sustain parks for the future.
Recently, revitalization efforts drew over 500 volunteers to the Statue of Liberty National Monument/Ellis Island National Monument where Wal-Mart associates along with Unilever employees and their families came together to volunteer at one of our nation's most visited National Parks.
"The National Parks America Tour provides a tremendous benefit to National Parks. The amount of volunteer resources dedicated to improvement projects at the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island National Monument is an invaluable contribution," commented Cynthia Garrett, Park Superintendent. "We need volunteers year-round and the National Parks America Tour sets the stage to foster volunteer engagement."
The National Parks America Tour is a volunteer-driven initiative designed to provide National Parks with manpower resources to complete important projects and engage communities in the National Parks experience. This year with 26 events the Tour will enable Wal-Mart volunteers and communities to supplement National Parks park resources. The result is an in-kind manpower donation of over 100,000 volunteer hours valued at $1.7 million dollars.
Earlier, in March, our volunteers cleared historical roads and fences, removed exotic vegetation and participated in other beautification projects along the roads and property of the Mission San Juan. "This is the third year that the San Antonio Missions have hosted a National Parks America Tour event," commented Steve Whitesell, Park Superintendent. "The benefits of volunteer power are seen throughout the park. Much of the work that volunteers accomplish could simply not be done with only our present park staff," Whitesell notes.
In April, in Yucca Valley, California, more than 200 volunteers rolled up their sleeves at Joshua Tree National Park enabling the park to complete important projects, including nature trail clean up, exotic weed pulling, working on a split-railed fence and other beautification projects. The National Parks America Tour welcomed Wal-Mart Associates, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Club volunteers and area community school groups from the Southern California-area.
"This is the second year that Joshua Tree National Park has hosted a National Parks America Tour event," commented Curt Sauer, Park Superintendent. "The value derived from the National Parks America Tour is increasingly important as our park is faced with great visitor use and resource demands. Private support is essential and Wal-Mart Stores and Unilever are setting the threshold for partner support," notes Sauer.
The Tour wants to engage and rededicate people in the National Parks experience through meaningful volunteer service leaving an imprint and a promise that together we will work to protect and preserve these resources.
This year the National Parks America Tour hosts 26 events across the country beginning in March and continuing through November. Volunteers across the country can join Wal-Mart Associates at a National Park near them.
About Unilever
Unilever, one of the world's largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life.
In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Eternity by Calvin Klein, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of Unilever. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs more than 15,000 people in 74 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -- generating approximately $10 billion in sales in 2004. For more information visit http://www.unileverusa.com/ .
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM'S CLUB locations in the United States. Internationally, the company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The company's securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting http://www.walmartfacts.com/ . Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com/ .
About the National Park Foundation
The National Park Foundation (http://www.nationalparks.org/ ), chartered by Congress in 1967, is the official non-profit partner of America's national parks. The National Park Foundation strengthens the enduring connection between the American people and their national parks by raising private funds, making strategic grants, creating innovative partnerships and increasing public awareness. Over the past seven years alone, the Foundation has contributed more than $135 million in total grants and program support to national parks across the country.
About the National Park Service "VIP" Program
The National Park Service's Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP) program has grown over the years to reflect the dedication of people to their national parks. VIPs range in age from young children to senior citizens. They come from all over the United States, and the world, bringing different backgrounds, skills, and talents that enrich our park programs. Volunteers-In-Parks are Very Important People, visit http://www.nps.gov/volunteer to learn more about becoming a VIP today!
Source: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
CONTACT: Susan Tatum, Tour Director of National Park Foundation,
+1-843-795-9292; or Tara Stewart of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., +1-479-277-7013
Web site: http://www.walmartstores.com/
http://www.unileverusa.com/
http://www.walmartfacts.com/
http://www.walmart.com/
http://www.nationalparks.org/
http://www.nps.gov/volunteer
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos available.