Fikes Truck Line has donated its transportation services to Weyerhaeuser to help with disaster relief in Haiti. After Weyerhaeuser approached the company to take loads at a reduced rate, Fikes offered to donate the services.


Fikes owner-operators Harold Horn of Mobile, Miss., and Jimmy King, Perry, Ga., kicked-off the effort hauling two loads of lumber from Bruce, Miss., to the port in Jacksonville, Fla.

"We are quite humbled that Weyerhaeuser approached Fikes to haul their lumber donation to Haiti," said Rick McCain, vice president of sales at Fikes Truck Line. "So often when disasters occur, you want to help out and do the right thing but don't know where to start. When we heard about the Weyerhaeuser opportunity, we were immediately onboard to haul loads in support of the international relief effort."

Weyerhaeuser employees worked with Habitat for Humanity to finalize the design of the temporary housing structures and determine the type and quantity of lumber needed. They then translated the material list into orders for Southern Pine lumber from its mills in Silver Creek, Bruce and Philadelphia, Miss. The challenge was finding a way to minimize the shipping costs so they could maximize the $100,000 product donation.

"At first, it looked like we would only be able to donate six loads, given the $1,500 per load carrier charges," said Gary Everett, Weyerhaeuser sales center leader in Hot Springs, Ark. "But we were able to increase our donation to eight loads, for a total of 20,000 pieces that will be used to build 500 structures, thanks to the generosity of our transportation customers."