Louisville Ford Employees Share Cheer With Less Fortunate

LOUISVILLE, December 17, 2001 -- With Christmas cheer to share, Ford Motor Company and UAW Local 862 team up with Louisville Assembly Plant (LAP) and Kentucky Truck Plant (KTP) employees to continue the yearly tradition of giving to the community during the holiday season.

For the first time, both LAP and KTP employees will participate in "Adopt-A-Child" programs. The programs provide workers with an opportunity to reach out to children in surrounding counties who might not have a very bright Christmas otherwise.

This year KTP employees have created the "Sharing the Blessing" program. Approximately 600 children ages 4 – 12 from The Home of the Innocence and surrounding counties in Kentucky and Indiana will be "adopted" by teams of KTP employees.

The employees will purchase gifts for the adopted children and invite them to the plant for a holiday party. Activities will include: a magic show; Christmas caroling by YPAS; lunch/dinner; gifts and a visit from Santa, a.k.a. retired KTP employee Walter Hayes.

There will be three separate celebrations with the A, B and C crews. The A and B crews will host the children on Thursday, Dec. 20 at 10:45 a.m. and 6:45p.m. respectively. The C crew will host a holiday celebration on Friday, Dec. 21 at 10:45 a.m.

KTP employees will spend approximately $120,000 this year to brighten the Christmas holiday for some very deserving children in the Louisville and Southern Indiana area.

LAP employees will once again participate in the plant's annual "Adopt-A-Child" program. This year's festivities will be held at the Louisville Assembly Plant on December 21 in two sessions. The day shift party will be from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and the night shift party will start at 6:30 p.m. Approximately 450 children will enjoy visits with employees on the plant floor, food, a chance to sing their favorite Christmas carols on a karaoke machine, and a puppet show by local puppeteers.

Of course both LAP parties will end with a visit by Santa (retired Ford Kentucky Truck Plant employee Bill Fox), who will bring gifts for the children to take home.

LAP employees donated more than $100,000 this year to buy presents for children from Bullitt, Jefferson, Nelson Shelby, and Hardin and counties in Kentucky and Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties in Indiana.

This is the 18th year for the Louisville Assembly Plant's "Adopt A Child" program. Lear Seating, a supplier to the Louisville Assembly Plant, also will spread holiday goodwill by "adopting" 35 additional children for the holiday season.