Sep. 24, 2009 (Business Wire) -- On the eve of the premiere of the highly anticipated new Ken Burns documentary, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation will co-host a nation-wide celebration in the parks, sponsored by Unilever. The national celebration will take place in America’s national parks, and will include volunteer service projects, free admittance to the parks, and a special sneak preview of the new film. Unilever is a longtime, proud partner of the National Park Foundation, and the premiere sponsor of the September 26th celebrations.
“Adding vitality to America’s National Parks through volunteer service is paramount to Unilever’s sixteen-year partnership with the National Park Foundation,” commented Fiona C. Laird, SVP HR & Communications, Unilever Americas. “For more than a decade, Unilever’s volunteer efforts have contributed more than 325,000 service hours representing an in-kind donation of $5 million to the National Park Service. The America’s Best Idea day of service provides us with an opportunity to help sustain our National Parks for future generations.”
“Each of us is a part owner of America’s national parks, and the celebration on September 26th is a chance for everyone to participate in the enjoyment and preservation of the parks,” said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO, National Park Foundation. “Thanks to Unilever’s sponsorship, we are proud to extend this one of a kind invitation to the nation to reconnect with the national parks.”
Unilever’s premiere sponsorship includes support of kick-off events in New York on Ellis and Liberty Islands today and Friday respectively, where park-goers will enjoy a first-ever opportunity to see the parks at night and see sneak previews of the documentary. Unilever is also supporting the signature event in Washington, DC on the Ellipse in President’s Park, where filmmakers Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan will attend a screening of the preview on Saturday evening.
Other events featuring Unilever volunteers around the nation as part of the September 26th celebrations include:
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (GA): Trail improvement and invasive species removal.
- Fort McHenry National Historic Site and Shrine (MD): Sea wall clean-up and grounds work in partnership with the National Aquarium.
- Gateway National Recreation Area (NY): Beach clean-up at Jamaica Bay.
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IN): Beach clean-up at Mount Baldy and Central Beach.
- Mammoth Cave National Park (KY): Trail maintenance and invasive species removal.
- Pea Ridge National Military Park (AR): Historic Fence Restoration and Ranger-led interpretive programs.
- Shenandoah National Park (VA): Beautification activities, invasive species removal and litter clean-up in the Big Meadows area.
- Valley Forge National Historical Park (PA): Trail maintenance, boundary clean-up and invasive species (crayfish) removal from the river.
For a complete listing of parks and activities, please visit www.nps.gov/september26
About Unilever
Unilever’s mission is to add Vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products.
In the United States, the portfolio includes major brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs nearly 12,000 people in both the United States and Puerto Rico – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2008. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.
