[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2186-E2187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. VIRGINIA FOXX

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 8, 2006

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Weyehaeuser 
Corporation and its wonderful community service in assisting in the 
relief efforts and the rebuilding of the gulf coast that was devastated 
by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. This outstanding company has gone 
well beyond the call of duty, truly exemplifying what community service 
is.
  The Weyehaeuser Company was incorporated in 1900 and is one of the 
world's largest integrated forest product companies, headquartered in 
Federal Way, Washington, employing 5,000 people in over 40 locations in 
18 countries. In 2005, they recorded sales of $22.6 billion and the 
company manages more than 2.4 million acres of timberlands in three 
States. I am pleased to note that of the many locations of the 
Weyehaeuser Company, two are in the Fifth District of North Carolina.
  In recognition of their outstanding community service and dedication 
to helping those who need it most, Weyehaeuser Corporation has been 
recognized with the Ron Brown Award. This is the only Presidential 
award to honor companies ``for their exemplary quality of their 
relationships with employees and communities,'' This award is presented 
to companies that have set forth strong initiatives to strengthen their 
employees and the community that surrounds them as well as promote 
pioneering business initiatives. The Ron Brown Award was originally 
established by President Bill Clinton after the late Secretary of 
Commerce, Ron Brown, who believed that ``businesses do well by doing 
good.'' In my opinion, there is no better choice for this award than 
the Weyerhaeuser Company for its outstanding work and dedication to our 
country.
  On December 4, 2006, the chairman, president and CEO of Weyerhaeuser 
accepted the Ron Brown Award from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. 
Gutierrez at a ceremony

[[Page E2187]]

in the White House. Mr. Rogel accepted the award and dedicated it to 
Weyerhaeuser's Disaster Relief Coordinator Katy Taylor, along with the 
partners and volunteers who attended the ceremony.
  Also recognized in the White House ceremony was the North Carolina 
Baptist Builders, with whom Weyerhaeuser teamed up in the gulf coast 
relief efforts. The North Carolina Baptist Builders is a faith-based 
organization that set forth a large mission to rebuild 600 homes along 
the coast. To the credit of the Baptist Builders, the Weyerhaeuser 
Company recognized their ``smoothly-run rebuilding operation to keep 
projects moving.'' It is this kind of forward thinking and teamwork 
that makes the Weyerhaeuser Company so deserving of the Ron Brown 
Award.
  I am honored to have such a wonderful and dedicated company that 
operates in North Carolina in places such as Charlotte, Greensboro, 
Newton and many other places, including Elkin and Winston-Salem in the 
Fifth District. Weyerhaeuser Company has been operating in North 
Carolina since 1957 with approximately 3,090 employees.
  The dedication of Weyerhaeuser to the community is astounding and 
sets a shining example to other businesses about the importance of 
community service and helping the less fortunate. To date nearly 300 
employees and retirees from across the United States and Canada have 
volunteered more than 42,000 hours of their time and helped rebuild 50 
homes. Weyerhaeuser has a truly generous policy of allowing employees 2 
to 4 weeks paid leave to help volunteer in the rebuilding efforts of 
the gulf coast. Not only does it pay its employees while they are 
volunteering their time, but it also pays their way and their spouses' 
way down to the coast for the rebuilding efforts. Now, over a year 
later, Weyehaeuser employees are still participating in reconstruction 
efforts and have contributed a combined disaster relief to date 
totaling more than $2.8 million. This is nothing short of 
extraordinary.

  While I can mention some of the accomplishments of the Weyerhaeuser 
Company's contributions, it is the people Weyerhaeuser has touched and 
the response it has received that truly shows the difference it has 
made not just to individuals, families and the community as a whole. As 
one family wrote in response to the help from Weyerhaeuser volunteers, 
``Because of all of your efforts, we are home! Words cannot truly 
express the outpouring of love we have received. We are eternally 
grateful to our Weyehaeuser family.'' This shows how the assistance of 
strangers can truly touch one's spirit, make their life better and give 
true meaning for caring in the community.
  A sign of the high caliber of individuals Weyerhaeuser employs is 
some of the comments of the volunteers that went to the gulf coast to 
help. One man noted, ``The days were long and hot, the work was 
intense, but the rewards were immeasurable. This has been an experience 
I won't soon forget.'' Another volunteer employee commented, ``This 
experience was such a blessing. I got so much more from it than I felt 
I gave.'' Even Weyerhaeuser's retirees participated and one reflected 
of the occasion to assist those in need saying, ``Having once more the 
opportunity to work side by side with other Weyerhaeuser employees and 
retirees made me realize anew why I enjoyed working for Weyerhaeuser so 
much. It's all about the people and the values the company ascribes to. 
Thanks again!''
  Testimonies such as these speak volumes of Weyerhaeuser Company and 
its dedication to its employees and others. It goes beyond helping 
those who are under its employment, but it extends a helping hand to 
strangers to make the world a better place to live. I am pleased that 
Weyerhaeuser has had a long standing tradition in North Carolina and 
especially in the Fifth District. It is without question an admirable 
and outstanding company that lives up to the highest meaning of 
community service.
  Weyerhaeuser's dedication to helping others is immeasurable and I 
cannot thank the company enough for the work they have done and 
continue to do. It is truly deserving of such a prestigious award, and 
I am delighted to see Weyerhaeuser's efforts have been recognized by 
the administration. The work of its employees and retirees shows that 
there is no one more deserving.

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