SEATTLE,
June 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The
Boeing Company (NYSE: BA)
partnered with Shenzhen Airlines and the Washington-Sichuan Friendship
Association
June 6 to load 5,872 pounds of vented cone masks and coveralls
into the airline's new
Boeing 737-800.
The newly purchased materials, which will help earthquake relief workers
in their recovery efforts, were then flown over the weekend to the Chengdu
Shuang Liu Airport to benefit the earthquake-damaged area of Sichuan Province
in China. This effort marks the second "Flight of Hope" humanitarian relief
initiative in response to the China earthquake.
"The Boeing Company is working with our airline customers and nonprofit
partners to bring new materials to China to help rebuild some of the hardest
hit areas damaged by the earthquake," said Fred Kiga, vice president, State
and Local Government and Global Corporate Citizenship for the Northwest
Region, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "It is our greatest hope that our
collective efforts will bring comfort to the Chinese people during this tragic
and challenging time. This collaborative work and ongoing efforts reflect our
company's commitment to improve the communities around the world in which we
live, work and support."
On June 7, Boeing employees and several elected Washington state
officials, including Lt. Gov. Brad Owen and State Sen. Jim Kastama, joined
Jimmy Chen, vice chair of the Washington-Sichuan Friendship Association, and
others to celebrate the delivery of the humanitarian-relief materials.
One highlight of the event came when Shenzhen Airlines accepted an
additional delivery named the "Bag of Love," a sack containing more than 800
greeting cards and letters written by Pierce County schoolchildren for their
counterparts in the earthquake-affected region.
Chen said he hopes the Washington-Sichuan Friendship Association's
contribution, which was sponsored by Seattle-based Trident Seafoods and
Tacoma-based Chinese Community of Tacoma, will result in an educational and
cultural exchange program with China.
"The event was sensational," Chen said. "The citizens of Washington state
share the sadness of the Sichuan people and send encouragement and hope for
recovery in the coming days."
Jiang Pan, vice general manager of Shenzhen Airlines' Flight Department
and captain of the 737-800 delivery airplane, said it was important to him to
be able to personally deliver the relief supplies back to China. "We want
relief for all the people in the earthquake area," Pan said.
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