Today 100 Lockheed Martin employees each walked new, brightly colored bicycles through their company's main office building and across the adjoining aircraft factory, as they prepared to deliver the bikes to the Toys For Tots project sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps.

The procession was led by a Marine Corps color guard and flanked by cheering Lockheed Martin coworkers.

At the conclusion of the "bicycle parade," an additional 50 tricycles were already waiting in a large assembly area where hundreds of employees assigned to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program were gathered for a pre-holiday luncheon -- and also to view the bikes and celebrate their collective contributions to those in the Fort Worth-Dallas area who are less fortunate.

Each year employees at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company's Fort Worth site pursue holiday charity projects that raise thousands of dollars for local organizations and individuals. In addition to Toys For Tots, beneficiaries this year include the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities Adopt-A-Family, Child Protective Services, Meals On Wheels, Women's Haven and the local YWCA.

Work groups and departments throughout the company pursue the various projects. For example, this year the employees assigned to the JSF program raised over $23,000 in donations, including $7,500 being donated to Cook Fort Worth Children's Medical Center. A total of 156 bikes and trikes were purchased for Toys For Tots, at a cost of about $13,000.

"It's significant that these bikes came not from a foundation, but from individual Lockheed Martin employees who either donated their own money or in some cases bought the bikes themselves and brought them to the plant," said Dan Crowley, executive vice president and general manager of the JSF program.

Lockheed Martin has approximately 15,000 employees at its Fort Worth location. The site manufactures F-16 and F-35 aircraft and produces major portions of the F/A-22 Raptor and Japan's F-2 fighter.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2004 sales of $35.5 billion.

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company