CALGARY, AB – More than 1,800 Calgarians gathered on the UPS tarmac today, showing their love to #DoLocalGood by pulling together to solve our city’s #UNIGNORABLE issues.
The annual Plane Pull, hosted by UPS Canada in partnership with United Way of Calgary and Area, saw 45 teams compete to pull a 200,000 pound Airbus A300 across the tarmac the fastest. This year’s event raised more than $125,000. Since its inception eight years ago, Plane Pull has raised more than $750,000 to help address #UNIGNORABLE social issues like poverty, mental health, social isolation, and domestic violence.
“The #UNIGNORABLE issues we tackle are community issues requiring community solutions,” says Karen Young, president and CEO, United Way of Calgary and Area. “But we can’t do it alone. Plane Pull illustrates our belief that when we all pull together to do local good, we can achieve great things.”
The Kids Pull, led by team captains from the University of Calgary Dinos and cheered on by Dinos mascot Rex, demonstrated that kids have strength in numbers too. 133 kids between the ages of 7 and 17 showed their love for doing local good by hauling an 11,000 pound Beechcraft 1900D.
“The determination shown by these kids makes me proud, not only that they accomplished such a challenging feat, but also that they get the point that by working together, we can do big things,” says John Dumigan, transportation division manager, UPS Canada. “That is a lesson we should all take to heart – whether solving issues at work, at home, or in the community.”
While teams tested their mettle, attendee supporters enjoyed circus style performances, face painting, BATL axe throwing, community booths, live music, and food trucks.
Alberta Utilities Commission and Canadian Natural Resources advanced to the finals with times of 24.06 and 22.75 seconds respectively. The title of champion went to Alberta Utilities Commission with a pull time of 34.22 seconds followed by Canadian Natural Resources with 40.25 seconds in the final round.
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About United Way
United Way of Calgary and Area is a social impact organization that brings together agencies, donors, corporations, volunteers, and governments to create lasting social change in the communities we serve. We do this by investing in local programs and collaborations, convening key partners to coordinate systems change, and building innovative solutions to address root causes of #UNIGNORABLE social issues.
About UPS
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. UPS was awarded America’s Best Customer Service company for Shipping and Delivery services by Newsweek magazine; Forbes Most Valuable Brand in Transportation; and top rankings on the JUST 100 list for social responsibility, the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, and the Harris Poll Reputation Quotient, among other prestigious rankings and awards. The company can be found on the web at ups.com or pressroom.ups.com and its corporate blog can be found at longitudes.ups.com. The company’s sustainability eNewsletter, UPS Horizons, can be found at ups.com/sustainabilitynewsletter. To get UPS news direct, follow @UPS_News on Twitter. To ship with UPS, visit ups.com/ship.
For more information:
Yvette Biggs
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
United Way of Calgary and Area
yvette.biggs@calgaryunitedway.org
Lisa Rushka
403-816-1038
lisar@momentumcommunications.ca
Whilna Franklin
UPS Canada
403-479-3275
wstewartfranklin@ups.com