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Baseball Legend Cal Ripken, Jr., Soccer Gold Medalist Abby Wambach Join Returning Fort Stewart & Hunter Army Airfield Troops at Dedication Ceremony FORT STEWART & HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga., March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The recent return of 20,000 U.S. Army servicemen and women from Iraq to American soil at Fort Stewart & Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, will be all the sweeter when they hit the dirt on their newly refurbished sports field, thanks to sister Army Post Fort Benning, Georgia, and Wisk Laundry Detergent. The field was dedicated today at an event attended by senior military officials and kids from both installations. Baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr. and soccer gold medalist Abby Wambach were also on hand as Wisk team members to donate the field and to conduct sports clinics. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060329/NYW135 ) Fort Benning won the top prize in the Wisk "Win A Dream Field Makeover" contest, worth $10,000 in ball field improvements, in 2004 and again in 2005. In an impressive display of goodwill, they decided to donate their latest contest win to fellow soldiers and families 250 miles away at Fort Stewart & Hunter Army Airfield. Major General William Webster, of Fort Stewart & Hunter Army Airfield, speaking at today's event, said, "We work hard here on the base, but we also like to play hard. This is the kind of wonderful day our soldiers, who served in Iraq for the past year, have dreamed about. This field refurbishment will ensure that our kids enjoy playing at a top-notch facility for years to come." Fort Stewart & Hunter Army Airfield is the Army's largest armor training base east of the Mississippi, covering 280,000 acres over parts of five counties in Georgia. Edward S. Jones, Deputy Director DeCA East remarked, "The improvements to the Fort Benning field last year added significantly to the quality of life for our stateside kids and soldiers. In fact, historic Gowdy Field hosted more than 75 community-level games since last year's makeover. Fort Benning is delighted to share their good fortune with Fort Stewart & Hunter Army Airfield." Wisk Laundry Detergent, Ripken and Wambach are working together to encourage kids to play hard, get dirty and have fun outdoors. Studies shows that children have lost 12 hours per week of playtime since the 1970s and Americans spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. Furthermore, a recent Wisk survey conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. determined that playing fields in disrepair often prevent kids from participating in organized outdoor sports, even though most parents recognize the benefits of these activities. "The poor quality of many public parks and play areas is one of the hurdles we face in trying to get our kids to be more active," said Ripken, a 21-season veteran of the Baltimore Orioles. "I'd rather see kids of any athletic ability out on a sports field hitting the dirt than just hitting the couch at home. As a parent and a player, I realize that a high quality field can be a great source of pride for a community and motivate kids to participate in team sports." Wambach, who scored the winning goal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, added, "Kids today are not active enough because they spend too much time in front of the computer and television. The more they get outside to play baseball, soccer and other sports, the less time they'll spend on pastimes like computer games and television." Initially, the Wisk "Win A Dream Field Makeover" contest was developed to help improve baseball fields. But due to the overwhelming response in 2005, when 965 teams in 49 states registered, Wisk decided to extend the opportunity to all outdoor boys' and girls' sports teams. The Grand Prize has also been increased to a $25,000 athletic field refurbishment, as well as a hometown visit from Ripken and Wambach. There are also five runners-up prizes of $10,000 field refurbishments to improve youth playing fields and every team has a chance to win hundreds of dollars worth of sports equipment. Entrants earn points when teammates, friends, family and fans purchase specially marked bottles of Wisk Laundry Detergent and register their purchases online at http://www.wiskpoints.com/ between March 1 and June 30, 2006. "Last year Fort Benning demonstrated that a community can rally together to make dreams happen and improve the quality of children's lives," said Helayna Minsk, marketing director, Unilever Laundry. "By generously giving their prize this year to Fort Stewart & Hunter Army Airfield, Fort Benning is helping to underscore the importance of youth sports and the value of playing outdoors on quality fields." In recognition of Cal Ripken's contribution to youth sports, Wisk Laundry Detergent donates to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation to further promote the value of sports activities to parents and children. About Wisk The Wisk family of liquid detergents [Wisk with Stain Dissolving Power, Wisk Dazzling Whites and Colors, Wisk High Efficiency (HE)], Wisk Free Clear and Wisk Morning Breeze with a Splash of Softness) has recently been improved with a formulation that enhances the products' stain dissolving power. Wisk liquid detergents are packaged in pearlized, translucent blue bottles that allow consumers to view how much detergent remains. About Ripken Baseball Ripken Baseball was established in 2001 by former major leaguers Cal and Bill Ripken. Its goal is to grow the game of baseball worldwide. Ripken Baseball's focus includes youth baseball, the Aberdeen Project, Ripken Management & Design, Youth Camps and Clinics, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and the Aberdeen IronBirds. About Unilever Unilever (NYSE:ULNYSE:UN), one of the world's largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting with everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life. In the United States, these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of Unilever. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs more than 15,000 people in 74 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -- generating approximately $11 billion in sales. For more information visit http://www.unilever.com/. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060329/NYW135 http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Wisk Laundry Detergent CONTACT: Tori Rappold, +1-212-614-4201, , or Stacie Bright, +1-203-625-1130, Web site: http://www.wiskpoints.com/ http://www.unilever.com/

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