Dow Recognizes Employee Volunteers for 2006 Contributions

Louisiana - February 20, 2007

Dow Louisiana Operations volunteers are the heart of community outreach efforts. Every year Dow volunteers give their time to numerous community projects to improve the quality of life in the surrounding community.  In 2006, approximately 600 Dow and contract employee volunteers gave more than 20,000 hours to support more than 45 area community projects. 

Dow Louisiana Operations recently honored its employee volunteers at a special recognition breakfast, held at the Dow Conference Center, for their contributions and support in 2006.

Special guest Victor Howell, Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross Louisiana Capital Area Chapter said, “On behalf of the American Red Cross, on behalf of the community in which Dow is such an integral part of, but most importantly on behalf of the thousands of lives that you have touched, thank you and God bless you all.”  Howell spoke to the crowd about Dow’s giving spirit and the importance of companies like Dow to The Red Cross. 

Highlighted at this year’s recognition breakfast was Dow receiving the 2006 Capital Area United Way Top 5 Award and Mike Matlock, Dow Louisiana Operation’s Site Maintenance Leader, being honored as Volunteer Baton Rouge’s Executive Volunteer of the Year in 2006. 

“Dow’s Human Element comes to life through the contributions that our volunteers make each day to help the world be a better place to live –through our products, our innovation and most importantly, our passion,” Dow Community Relations Manager Stacey Chiasson said.  “Whether it’s building a house for Habitat for Humanity, teaching a Junior Achievement lesson in a local school, or handling household hazardous materials for clean up day, you can count on our volunteers. That’s what sets Dow apart.”

Among the activities in which Dow and contract employees gave of their time and talents in 2006:

• Blood Drives conducted in 2006 collected nearly 1,300 pints of blood & platelets from Dow employees, contract employees and retirees. As a result, the Ruth Gandour Memorial Blood Bank was again recognized as the most successful blood drive in the capital area by Our Lady of the Lake Blood Center.
• Science is pHun demonstrations at the Dow Conference Center and schools reached nearly 1,600 students
• More than 4,700 high school juniors in Iberville, WBR, Assumption & EBR parishes learned about what happens when their education meets the “real world” at Career Connections.
• Volunteers made Door-to-Door visits to approximately 1,700 neighbors living near Louisiana Operations and Grand Bayou Operations. In addition, Volunteer Baton Rouge recognized LAO’s door-to-door project as the most outstanding business volunteer project in the capital area community.
• The Toy Drive committee enjoyed their most successful year ever, providing 25 large barrels of toys and 45 bikes for needy children in Iberville and WBR parishes. In addition, the committee raised more than $3,400, which was used to purchase hundreds of additional toys. This project benefited approximately 1,400 students in the two-parish area.
• Dow volunteers partnered with community businesses and organizations to provide a “Back to School” program for approximately 500 students and parents in Assumption, Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes.
• More than 100 United Way volunteers raised over $448,000 for Capital Area United Way in 2006. Dow also made a corporate gift to the campaign totaling $120,000 – bringing the LAO total contributions for United Way’s 2006 campaign to $568,964.

About Dow

For Editorial Information:

Gary Cambre
The Dow Chemical Company
(225) 353-8265