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Embassy of Ukraine
Washington, D.C.
December 4, 2002
WASHINGTON, D.C...........The Ukrainian made Antonov 225, an
airplane originally built to carry the Soviet space shuttle, will airlift
80,000 Shoebox Gifts from kids in America to hurting kids in Africa.
When kids want to accomplish something big, they know just what to
do. Find a superhero! But Operation Christmas Child, an international
kids-helping-kids project by Samaritan's Purse, isn't turning to Superman or
Wonder Woman for help.
This is a job for the Antonov 225, the world's LARGEST aircraft,
built by Ukrainian designer bureau ANTONOV!
NEXT WEEK: The Antonov 225 will airlift 80,000 shoe box gifts of
hope from kids in America to kids suffering the affects of HIV/AIDS in
Uganda and war in Sudan.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has distributed more than 18.5
million shoe box gifts to children who suffer from disease, war, poverty,
famine, and natural disaster in 120 countries.
THIS YEAR: Some 6 million shoe box gifts filled with toys, candy,
school supplies, necessities and hand-written notes of encouragement will be
hand-delivered to hurting children worldwide, including 80,000 kids
suffering the affects of HIV/AIDS in Uganda, and war in Sudan.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's Purse, an
international relief organization headed by Franklin Graham.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Dec. 10th, the Antonov 225, loaded with 80,000 Operation
Christmas Child shoe box gifts bound for hurting kids in Africa, will be
available for viewing/tours at JFK International Airport Hanger 12 (former
TWA hanger) in New York City.
CREW INTERVIEWS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE:
· DECEMBER 10, Tuesday, 10:30a.m. - Kid-hosted press conference
followed by kid-assisted loading of 80,000 shoe box gifts onto the Antonov
225
· DECEMBER 10, Tuesday, 12 noon - 5:00 p.m. - The Antonov 225 will
be open to the media for tours.
· DECEMBER 11, Wednesday, 12:00 noon - The Antonov 225 is scheduled
to take off from JFK International Airport, bound for Entebbe, Uganda
(E.T.A.
2:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12)
ABOUT THE UKRAINIAN ANTONOV 225 AIRCRAFT:
· Stands 7 stories high
· 8 average size houses could fit inside its body
· 276 ft. long
· 290 ft. wingspan
· Has a potential flying range of 8,000 miles
· Maximum take-off weight is more than 650 tons
· Owned by Antonov Airlines in Ukraine, the Antonov 225 was
originally built to carry the Soviet space shuttle
Hennadii Nadolenko, Press Secretary, hnadolenko@ukremb.com
Embassy of Ukraine, 3350 M Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007
Tel.: (202) 333-0606, FAX (202) 333-0817, e-mail: letters@ukremb.com
Samaritan's Purse, International Relief, Operation Christmas Child
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.asp?section=Operation+Christmas+Child
ArtUkraine.com Information Service (ARTUIS)
Kyiv, Ukraine and Washington, D.C.
ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net
http://www.ArtUkraine.com
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