DreamShip Hot Air Balloon, Designed by Children of America’s Military Heroes, Takes Inaugural Flight

DreamShip to Travel United States in Support of Folds of Honor, Thanks
to Support from The Rite Aid Foundation and Sponsors

Follow DreamShip on its Journey at TheDreamShip.org

CAMP HILL, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With Lady Liberty and One World Trade Center as a symbolic backdrop of
the freedoms America’s military proudly defend, today, DreamShip, a
fully operational hot air balloon will take its inaugural flight before
embarking on a year-long journey to raise awareness of Folds of Honor, a
nonprofit organization based in Owasso, Oklahoma, dedicated to providing
educational scholarships to children of fallen or disabled service
members. With a design as unique as its mission, the DreamShip, will
showcase artwork created by Folds of Honor scholarship recipients
symbolizing their hopes and dreams for the future.

The DreamShip will be officially unveiled during a ceremony today at 10
a.m. at Liberty Landing Marina inside Liberty State Park, located in
Jersey City, New Jersey. New Jersey Lieutenant Governor and proud
military mother Kim Guadagno will join Rite Aid CEO of stores, President
of Rite Aid Corporation and President of The Rite Aid Foundation Ken
Martindale and Folds of Honor Founder Major Dan Rooney at the
celebration, as well as several Folds of Honor scholarship recipients,
whose dreams are featured on the DreamShip, and area Rite Aid associates.

“Today is a very special day for Folds of Honor, but it’s only the
beginning,” said Martindale. “From here on out, with every launch, the
DreamShip will lift up the dreams of children helped by Folds of Honor,
both physically and metaphorically, and The Rite Aid Foundation could
not envision a better way to show our support of Folds of Honor, our
veterans and their children.”

Standing eight stories tall, the DreamShip is comprised of more than 400
fabric panels, 130 of which uniquely feature drawings of the dreams of
children helped by Folds of Honor. With an internal volume of 105,000
cubic feet, it would take approximately 405,000 standard sized
basketballs to completely fill the fully inflated balloon. Fully
operational, the DreamShip will be operated by a licensed balloon pilot
and is able to fly just like any other hot air balloon.

“I am honored to be here today with families of service members who have
sacrificed so much for our country,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno.
“Through Folds of Honor, Major Rooney has made a commitment to support
the children and families of the fallen and disabled heroes long past
their darkest hours. Without the involvement of The Rite Aid
Foundation’s KidCents program, the DreamShip would not be able to serve
as an important visual reminder, one which people often forget, that
sacrifices are also made by the families when their loved ones go to
war.”

The launch event will also include special exhibits including a virtual
reality hot air balloon ride and a virtual reality art station, where
kids can use Tilt Brush technology to draw their dreams. Event goers
will also be able to watch videos showcasing children helped by Folds of
Honor, purchase Folds of Honor merchandise and learn how they can
support the organization.

“We cannot think of a better way to showcase the stories and dreams of
our scholarship recipients than to lift them up with the DreamShip for
the world to see,” said Rooney. “Folds of Honor is so fortunate to
partner with The Rite Aid Foundation in our mission to educate the
legacy of our fallen and disabled service members. We look forward to
following the DreamShip on its journey across the country and sharing
the stories of our deserving scholarship recipients.”

Follow the DreamShip

With support from official DreamShip sponsors including The Rite Aid
Foundation’s KidCents program, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., maker of
Tylenol®, Nestlé Waters, maker of Nestlé Pure Life, and Unilever, maker
of SUAVE®, the DreamShip will travel the country, serving as a constant
symbol of the commitment made by Folds of Honor, its partners and
donors, to honor the nation’s fallen and disabled service members and
their families.

Immediately after today’s launch, the DreamShip will begin its year-long
tour of the United States. To learn more about the DreamShip, including
upcoming appearances and the children being helped by DreamShip, visit www.theDreamShip.org.

Support Folds of Honor

In addition to supporting Folds of Honor as the DreamShip travels the
country, people can also support Folds of Honor by texting #dreamship to
364-13 (FOH-13) or visiting www.theDreamShip.org.
Additionally, people can join Rite Aid’s free loyalty program, wellness+
with Plenti
, and sign up to participate in The Rite Aid Foundation’s
round-up program, KidCents. Through KidCents, members of wellness+
with Plenti
can round up their in-store or online purchases to the
nearest dollar and give their change to Folds of Honor. For more
information, visit www.kidcents.com.

Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) is one of the nation’s leading
drugstore chains with nearly 4,600 stores in 31 states and the District
of Columbia and fiscal 2016 annual revenues of $30.7 billion.
Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press
releases, is available through the company’s website at www.riteaid.com.

Folds of Honor is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization that provides
educational scholarships to families of military men and women who have
fallen or been disabled while on active duty in the United States armed
forces. Our educational scholarships support private education tuition
and tutoring for children in grades K-12, as well as higher education
tuition assistance for spouses and dependents. Founded in 2007 by Major
Dan Rooney, an F-16 fighter pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard who
served three tours of duty in Iraq, Folds of Honor is proud to have
awarded more than 10,000 scholarships in all 50 states, as well as Guam,
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, including more than 2,500 in 2015
alone. For more information or to donate in support of a Folds of Honor
scholarship, visit www.foldsofhonor.org.

Contacts

Rite Aid
Ashley Flower, 717-612-0136
or
Folds of Honor
Kelsey
Costales, 562-552-2597

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