Perdue Continues Holiday Giving Traditions

Perdue Farms, a 105-year-old fourth-generation family-owned food and agriculture company, continued its flurry of holiday initiatives this month with the return of two long-held community traditions to kick off a flurry of holiday initiatives this month. These events, alongside Perdue’s ongoing holiday giving efforts across the country, highlight the company’s long-standing commitment to support its neighbors.

For the 40th year in a row, Perdue truck drivers decorated their rigs and rallied at the Holly Center in Salisbury, Maryland to deliver holiday cheer—and memorable rides—to residents with mental and physical disabilities. Known as Operation Teddy Bear, the initiative marks the official start to the holiday season for the Holly Center, a State of Maryland residential facility. With residents on board, a caravan of Perdue trucks takes an 11-mile loop in Wicomico County, providing a thrilling experience led by Perdue’s professional, safety-focused drivers.

Operation Teddy Bear was inspired by the late country music artist Red Sovine’s 1976 song “Teddy Bear,” which tells the story of a CB radio conversation between a trucker and a disabled boy who wishes to ride in a rig after losing his father, a trucker. At the end of the song, the boy’s street is filled with rigs and drivers who heard the conversation over the radio and answered his call. Inspired by the song, two Perdue associates launched the Operation Teddy Bear program in 1985.

Jim Perdue, Chairman of Perdue Farms said:

“Operation Teddy Bear is led by our drivers and fuelled by their commitment and dedication to our values. We’re proud of the way they continue to show up for the Holly Centre, its residents, and our community.”

Perdue Farms also recently marked the return of an annual event recognizing fallen heroes during the holiday season, in partnership with Wreaths Across America™. On Monday, December 8, Perdue Farms and its professional truck drivers held a public wreath-laying ceremony at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Centre. This event is part of Perdue’s broader holiday efforts to honour, remember, and support people across the communities where associates live and work.

Perdue drivers presented seven ceremonial wreaths during the service. Next, they will deliver more than 25,000 wreaths to cemeteries from New York to Florida as part of National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, December 13.

Kevin McAdams, CEO of Perdue Farms said:

“Wreaths Across America asks us, in the midst of all the holiday activities, to remember our fallen military, including those from our community who are memorialized at the Wicomico War Veterans Memorial. This time of year, we also think of the thousands of people who are serving in the military and their families. Our drivers’ participation in Wreaths Across America encourages us all to share and show our respect.”

Wreaths Across America™ was born in 2006 out of a desire to remember and honour American service members for their contributions in preserving our freedom. It has since become an annual tradition to lay wreaths at the grave-markers of our fallen veterans during December to pay tribute for their sacrifices.

Perdue’s partnership with Wreaths Across America and ongoing Operation Teddy Bear program are part of our Delivering Hope to Our Neighbors® outreach to improve quality of life and build strong communities. Together, these efforts reflect Perdue’s belief that strong communities are built through service, compassion, and supporting our neighbours, especially during the holiday season.