General Cigar Makes Sizeable Contribution to Flood Relief in D.R.

Source from:  NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE) 06/08/2004

On Friday, May 28, 2004, General Cigar Dominicana donated 4.2 million pesos worth of food and supplies to aid flood victims along the border separating the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Last week, torrential rain washed away villages and claimed more than 1,700 lives in the area, and left as many as 11,200 families homeless, and without food, clothing and shelter. General Cigar Dominicana's donation, which included medicine, food and bottled water, was one of the largest Dominican donations made to bolster the relief effort. The supplies were purchased by General Cigar Dominicana and shipped to the flood-ravaged area, out of funds contributed by General Cigar Company (the parent company of General Cigar Dominicana), and O.J. Thrall, a company which acts a partner with General Cigar in growing Connecticut Shade wrapper tobacco, as well as by General Cigar Dominicana employees who each donated what amounted to an entire day's worth of pay to aid flood victims. Ms. Modesta Fondeur, General Cigar Dominicana's senior vice president of tobacco and operations comments, "We are deeply saddened by the recent tragedy that has affected the Dominican Republic and our neighbors in Haiti. At the same time, I am especially pleased by the way in which our employees voluntarily decided to donate a day's wage to the relief effort, although none of us lost family or friends in the tragedy. General Cigar Dominicana is planning to make an additional donation to the flood relief effort and, together with our staff, will do whatever we can to help our fellow Dominicans." The flood-ravaged area is about six hours by car from Santiago, where General Cigar Dominicana is headquartered. General Cigar Co., Inc., markets and manufactures handcrafted cigars for the premium market. The company also grows its own Connecticut Shade wrapper tobacco. In addition, the company grows long filler tobacco, as well as natural and candela wrapper tobacco in the Dominican Republic. Headquartered in New York City, General Cigar operates Club Macanudo(R), a cigar bar, and sells through tobacconists nationwide. Enditem