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Kenworth Trucks Provide Logistical Support for 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho
BOISE, Idaho, March 12, 2009 – Before 2,000 athletes from more than 100 countries recently competed in Idaho during the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, hundreds of volunteers spent countless hours building stages, award podiums, wheelchair ramps and floor hockey courts for the competition.
Once the athletes arrived, they competed in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding, snowshoeing and speed skating at seven different competition venues located from several miles to more than 150 miles apart in Boise, McCall and Sun Valley, Idaho. This presented the Games Organizing Committee with a logistical challenge – how to get donated supplies and equipment to the competition venues.
Playing a key role in the logistics effort were 14 Kenworth heavy and medium duty trucks provided by Kenworth Truck Company, Trebar Kenworth Sales in Boise, and Kenworth Sales Company in Salt Lake City.
Don Schaff, logistics warehouse manager for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, said an extensive support and logistics operation was able to successfully transport equipment, supplies, food and beverages to the various venues. Employee and volunteer drivers, including personnel from the Idaho National Guard, moved equipment and supplies before the gamesstarted, and then throughout the one-week event.
“Many different organizations and businesses donated the tools, supplies and building materials used to construct several of the competition venues, and we had to collect and distribute these supplies days before the competition began,” said Schaff. “We also moved the ski fencing, scoreboards, sports equipment, and other supplies to the different venue sites weeks before the competitions. The Kenworth trucks were a huge help in this major transportation effort.”
To support the logistical effort, Trebar Kenworth Sales contributed a total of 10 Kenworth heavy and medium duty trucks, Kenworth Sales Company provided three Kenworth medium duty trucks and six trailers, and Kenworth Truck Company provided the use of a Kenworth T270 diesel-electric hybrid.
“We’re celebrating our 50th anniversary this year and we thought there was no better way to commemorate that milestone than by providing reliable Kenworth trucks for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games,” said Ed Barrett, manager of Trebar Leasing PacLease Division of Trebar Kenworth Sales. “I’m pleased that we could be part of the volunteer effort that helped to make the largest multi-day winter sporting event ever held in Idaho a success.”
One mission of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games was to minimize its environmental effect by encouraging athletes and fans to “leave no record on our environment.” The Kenworth T270 diesel-electric hybrid truck was used at the festival and several other events in McCall to help fulfill that mission. “We were especially excited to realize our environmental goals for the games by having the use of one of the first Kenworth T270 hybrids,” said Schaff. Kenworth’s goal for the T270 hybrid is to enhance fuel economy by up to 30 percent in pickup and delivery applications and up to 50 percent in utility operations, while also reducing emissions.
The 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games were held Feb. 7-13, 2009, in Idaho.
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best(R) heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is an industry leader in providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The company’s dedication to the green fleet includes aerodynamic trucks, medium duty diesel-electric hybrids, liquefied natural gas trucks, and the Kenworth Clean Power(R) no-idle system. In addition, Kenworth is the recipient of the 2008 J.D. Power and Associates awards for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Over the Road and Vocational Segment Class 8 trucks. Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. A PACCAR Company.
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