LONGVIEW, Wash., May 11, 2011 - Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging, Inc. and The Daily News were recognized by the Association of Washington Business with an AWB Community Service Award in the category of Projects that Mobilize People into Action. The award, presented yesterday evening in Spokane, Wash., recognized the co-sponsorship of the Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta.

"The regatta is a great opportunity for our employees to demonstrate their commitment to the local community," said Randy Nebel, president. "We are proud to cosponsor this event. The community response was more than anticipated. Who would have thought you could generate so much excitement from brown box stock?"

In a community where unemployment has rarely dropped below 12 percent for the past several years, this free event has brought additional excitement and entertainment to the annual Fourth of July festivities around Lake Sacajawea in Longview.

Organizers expected 10 boats the first year and were surprised when donated corrugated cardboard materials disappeared in under an hour. Longview quickly produced more for all would-be boat builders' needs. The first year, 2009, was an instant hit with 51 human-powered boats racing three heats around a 200-yard course on the lake. Last year the number rose to 53 entries. Distribution of materials for 2011 is already underway.

Winning the race isn't the main point -- it's about creative problem solving, with a focus on fun, family, creativity and ingenuity. The race does however recognize the top three from each category with a corrugated trophy created by Longview's graphic department.

The event is organized and run by employee volunteers of both The Daily News and Longview. At the event, held on Saturday, July 3, 2010, Longview donated t-shirts which The Daily News sold to spectators, participants and volunteers. The revenue generated from the sale of the t-shirts went to The Daily News 'Newspaper in Education' (NIE) program. The NIE program encompasses three components that work to complement literacy at all levels. The program includes: classroom print newspapers, classroom access to the electronic edition, classroom tours of the newspaper building and a youth writing program that showcases student-written articles and photography once a month in a special section that appears in Fresh Ink called Young Journalists of the Lower Columbia Region.

Results at a glance...

Currently, more than 5,000 print and electronic edition licenses are provided to classrooms every school day at no charge. If these papers were purchased at a newsstand, it would cost the school $1 a newspaper, or $30 a day; $150 a week; $5,640 a school year.

The Daily News NIE program serves hundreds of classroom settings in more than 52 schools, community programs and home schooled children in its delivery area.

106 kids have visited The Daily News for a tour of the building so far this year.

Twenty-five student written articles have been published in five Young Journalists editions this school year.

Twenty Associated Press style guide books were distributed to schools participating in the Young Journalists program.

In addition to the AWB Community Service Award, Longview brought home an AWB Environmental Excellence Award in the category of Green Enterprise & Technology, recognizing development of three new products - FibreShield®, FibreGreen® and FibreLok®, each created to meet demanding customer requirements with environmentally conscious products.

The Association of Washington Business is Washington's oldest and largest statewide business association, and includes more than 7,400 members. You can read more about the awards on AWB's website (www.awb.org) under "Headline News."

Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging, Inc. produces light-weight, high-performance multiwall and complementary specialty kraft papers for an established domestic and global customer base. The company also produces containerboard and corrugated boxes. Longview operates a pulp and paper mill at Longview, Wash., and a network of seven converting plants in the western United States.

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