For Immediate Release
November 2, 2005

Media Contact:
Evergreen International Aviation
Blythe Berselli
Tel: 503.472.9361
blythe.berselli@evergreenaviation.com

Evergreen International Aviation, Comcast, and Northwest Medical Teams request donations for Gifts of Hope effort to benefit hurricane victims

McMinnville, OR—Evergreen Humanitarian and Relief Services has announced that it will partner with Comcast and Northwest Medical Teams to bring Gifts of Hope to needy children affected by the devastation of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. The companies are requesting contributions to this effort be made from Nov. 2-15.

Those wishing to contribute should bring new toys, clothes, children’s books, and hygiene products (such as shampoo, toothpaste and deodorant) to any Comcast service center in Oregon and Southwest Washington or to the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.

Following the donation time, volunteers from Evergreen, Comcast, and Northwest Medical Teams will sort, palletize, and load the donations at Northwest Medical Teams’ headquarters, 14150 SW Milton Ct. in Tigard. Donations will be shipped to Louisiana and Mississippi in early December via a donated Evergreen 48-foot freightliner truck and driving team. Upon arrival, volunteers with Northwest Medical Teams will distribute the toys, clothing and personal care products to devastated communities in the region.

"We are proud to partner with Comcast and Northwest Medical to help people affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita," said Blythe Berselli, president of Evergreen Humanitarian and Relief Services. "Our hearts go out to these communities and particularly the children during this holiday season."

Bas Vanderzalm, president of Northwest Medical Teams added, "We’re grateful to Evergreen and Comcast for helping us reach thousands of families…these gifts will make a wonderful difference to children who have lost so much."

Visit www.comcastnw.com for a suggested list of gifts and other information on how to bring Gifts of Hope to children this holiday season.


About Evergreen
Evergreen has been involved in Gulf Coast rescue and relief efforts since early September when a large fleet of Evergreen helicopters was dispatched to support rescues, transport aid, and bring relief crews in and out of the area. Evergreen also organized the collection and delivery of relief supplies to the Gulf Coast immediately after Hurricane Katrina.

Evergreen Humanitarian & Relief Services is a non-profit organization founded by Delford M. Smith to expand Evergreen International Aviation’s ongoing legacy of supporting local and international humanitarian projects.
The foundation’s goals include: partnering with other nonprofit organizations, corporations, and governmental agencies, providing aviation and transportation support for relief projects, and assisting developing countries to improve/deliver healthcare, eradicate disease, and promote economic development. For more information, visit www.evergreenaviation.com.

About Northwest Medical Teams
Northwest Medical Teams has sent more than 90 relief workers and $891,000 in supplies to the Gulf region during the last two months. The relief agency has long-term programs in Louisiana and Mississippi designed to help rebuild communities affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, including trauma counseling, housing reconstruction and food assistance. For more information, visit www.nwmedicalteams.org.

About Comcast
Headquartered in Philadelphia, Comcast Cable is a division of Comcast Corporation, a developer, manager and operator of broadband cable networks and provider of programming content. Operating in 17 of the United States' 20 largest metropolitan areas, Comcast is one of the leading communications, media and entertainment companies in the world. Providing basic cable, Digital Cable, high-speed Internet and telephone services, Comcast is the company to look to first for the communications products and services that connect people to what’s important in their lives. The company’s 55,000 employees serve more than 21 million customers nationwide. Comcast serves more than 600,000 customers in Oregon and Southwest Washington and employs more than 1,400 people in this area.
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