News

We talked about the holidays this month, with Juneteenth and Father’s Day coming up. But before we go to them, let’s get to the holiday Nature gives us – the Summer Solstice. We’re quickly approaching the longest day of the year, and chances are every one of us has noticed… yes, the days are getting longer!

First, let’s look into the differences between the equinox and the solstice. Our AI search tells us that the equinox is the time of the year when the sun is nearest to the equatorial plane, giving us days and nights of equal length. The Solstice, on the other hand, is the time of the year when the sun is farthest from the equatorial plane. The Summer solstice gives us long days, and the Winter solstice long nights.

Unique Celebrations

Since we’re looking into long days and many hours of sunlight, let’s take a look at what happens in the far North regions of the Earth. Believe it or not… there are places where the sun is still lighting up the world at midnight! We found some information in the Smithsonian magazine [LINK] about longstanding celebrations of the sun taking place around the solstice. The events include a baseball game, a festival and concert, an ocean plunge, a huge bonfire, and a golf game where the players tee up at midnight! We’ll begin with Alaska… the land of the midnight sun!

Alaska

“The Fairbanks Midnight Sun Baseball Game is a 118-year-old tradition that began in 1906 as a bar bet. Teams play on June 21 each year, with the first pitch thrown around 10 p.m. No artificial lighting is used—that far north, the sunlight lingers past midnight on the solstice. While different teams have participated over the years, today the Alaska Goldpanners, a collegiate summer baseball team founded in 1960, carry on the tradition. This year, the Goldpanners will take on the Michigan Monarchs.

“Fairbanks also hosts the Midnight Sun Festival (this year on June 24), with 12 hours of celebration, featuring live music on three stages, vendors and an assortment of activities.”

Puerto Rico

“At the stroke of midnight on June 23, some people in Puerto Rico plunge backward into the ocean to stave off negativity and bring luck. This leap of faith is part of Noche de San Juan celebrations, which mark the eve of Saint John the Baptist’s Nativity. Puerto Ricans disagree on how many times you should submerge yourself in the water, with some arguing three times is sufficient, and others preferring 7 or 12 backward plunges for the desired results. Before the midnight dip, the holiday features a busy beach day with cookouts, music, games, swimming and dancing.”

Norway

“Bonfires are a common way to celebrate Midsummer, but Ålesund, Norway, takes them to the next level. Slinningsbalet, scheduled for June 24 this year, is one of the world’s tallest bonfires. (It held the world record at over 155 feet tall in 2016 before a taller Austrian bonfire took the record a few years later.) Generally, teens and young adults build a massive structure out of stacked wooden pallets a few miles from town. The conflagration can be seen from Ålesund, from the nearby Mount Aksla viewpoint and from the harbor, where Queen Sonja and King Harald sometimes watch from the royal yacht.”

Iceland

“Iceland’s midsummer celebration, Jónsmessa, is a time of positivity and goodness. Folklore says cows can talk and elves can interact with people during this time, and some Icelanders roll around naked in the morning dew to supposedly promote good health.

“Others prefer playing golf into the night. The annual Arctic Open tournament, held at Akureyri Golf Club in northern Iceland, began in 1986. Steindór Ragnarsson, the club’s general manager, says the sold-out event sees 260 participants play 36 holes each (18 per night). “It’s a unique experience teeing up at midnight with sunlight,” Ragnarsson says. “And since the sun never disappears, we play all night with daylight.”

United States

We wondered if there are solstice or midsummer celebrations in the U.S., and surprisingly… there are. Apparently, most of them are rooted in Scandinavian traditions and they feature maypole dancing, flowers in the hair, and folk music. In New York City there is an event in Battery Park featuring music and Swedish food. There is also an event with maypole dancing on the National Mall in D.C. Other locations doing midsummer festivals include Estes Park, Colorado; Lindsborg, Kansas; and Indiana Dunes National Park where people gather at the historic Chellberg Farm to learn about Swedish midsummer traditions and enjoy food and dance.

It’s June 21^st

The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will take place on Sunday, June 21^st at 1:24 a.m. The 21^st is also Father’s Day, so we get to celebrate two beautiful things… the longest day of sunshine and the beautiful sunshine of the fathers among us. Happy Solstice to our Clients, our Associates, our Friends and all readers. Have fun!!

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

This Friday, the 5^th of June, has been declared by the United Nations to be World Environment Day. The UN campaign points to evidence that our Earth is experiencing rising temperatures, extreme weather and wildfires. The UN, in its declaration, highlights nature-based solutions, and points to issues with plastics pollution. According to the United Nations [LINK] millions of people, communities and schools will be participating in clean-up activities.

These environmental concerns are very much shared by AMS Fulfillment. As our readers know, we have been committed to environmentalism for some years now, and we have taken responsibility in a number of ways, including how we handle plastics.

Climate Action

Let’s focus upon the UN website for more information on the changes that are taking place:

“The Earth is already speaking to us—through record-breaking temperatures, more intense wildfires, extreme storms and glaciers disappearing before our eyes. For years, we have said that limiting global warming to 1.5°C is essential to avoiding the worst impacts of climate change. Today, that threshold is dangerously close to being exceeded—and every fraction of a degree matters.

“Climate change is no longer a future threat: it is reshaping life across the planet.

“Plastic pollution has been increasingly highlighted as a major environmental concern during World Environment Day observances. The issue involves the accumulation of plastic waste in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, where it can persist for decades and pose risks to wildlife, biodiversity, and human health.

“Environmental research indicates that reducing plastic pollution requires coordinated efforts involving policy measures, corporate responsibility, and behavioral change. As a result, plastic pollution has become a recurring theme in environmental awareness initiatives associated with World Environment Day.”

AMS Is Committed

It has been some months since we spoke about what a fulfillment service can do to protect the environment. Certainly, among the commitments AMS has made, there is a commitment to recycling plastics. Single-use plastics have been identified as a significant contributor to waste generation worldwide.

AMS has been recycling and encouraging our associates to utilize the recycling bins for years. We provided the proper containers for all associates in the various facilities, so that they could take the first step in recycling their own cans, bottles, food and so forth. This has been a very successful effort, as our associates are very much aware of and in support of sustainability. [LINK]

Even though we have been recycling for years, we were challenged to find the means of recycling stretch plastics. The AMS Green Team was determined to keep the stretch plastic we dispose of out of the landfill, and in the hands of a company that recycles plastic. After a great deal of searching, they found a recycling company that was willing to recycle stretch plastics if we accumulated large enough amounts. AMS purchased containers and our associates were more than happy to accumulate the plastic on site at every warehouse. After the stretch plastic was accumulated, it was properly bound and stacked until it reached the amount required. At that point, it was turned over to the recycling company, and we breathed a sigh of relief.

The Responsibility

For some years, AMS has made sustainable packaging available to our clients. Traditional packaging materials, including plastic or Styrofoam, are not encouraged by AMS. We are happy to replace plastics with recycled paper, biodegradable peanuts, recycled cardboard and even recycled air pillows. Of course, our clients make the decisions on the packaging they want their products shipped within, and we are proud to make sustainable packaging available to them, offering a variety of options.

Rather than ‘just talk’ about protecting the environment, at AMS we make every effort to respect our Earth, and we encourage others to do so as well. World Environment Day reminds us that the Earth is sending us signals. This is a responsibility, and we accept it with gratitude.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

There are some special commemorations coming in June. We’re looking forward to Father’s Day on the 21^st and giving some very much deserved recognition to the fathers among us. That will be fun. We’re also going to be able to celebrate Juneteenth on the 19^th, taking our minds to thoughts of atonement, liberation and justice. And… here comes the Summer Solstice in June as well! On June 21^st it will officially be Summer!

This week we’re going to celebrate a very special June commemoration – Pride Month. Along with all of the other celebrations, June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month! It’s time for us to remember the painful past and appreciate the evolution and growth of our human family. At AMS, every person belongs, and every associate, regardless of how they identify, is appreciated and valued. We enjoy a culture where no one is excluded or shamed because of who they wish to love and partner with.

What the Law Said

Looking into the painful history, we know that LGBTQ+ individuals were severely treated within the American culture, but we didn’t know if their lives were made illegal in the U.S., so we asked AI. Here is what we found:

“Yes, consensual same-sex sexual acts were crimes in the United States until the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all remaining state sodomy laws on June 26, 2003, in the landmark case Lawrence v. Texas. Prior to this ruling, the criminalization of homosexuality had a long history in the country:”

Apparently, the earliest laws, brought from Europe in the Colonial era, were so severe as to call for the death penalty. Over the years the laws against the LGBTQ+ community were mostly enforced at the state level. We’re told that Illinois was the first state to decriminalize and that took place in 1962. Finally, in 2003 the US Supreme Court made it clear that States could no longer criminalize LGBTQ+ relationships. Here is their decision:

“The 2003 Supreme Court Ruling: In Lawrence v. Texas, the Supreme Court ruled that state laws criminalizing consensual sexual activity between adults violate the liberty protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This decision immediately invalidated the remaining sodomy laws in 13 states and established that homosexual acts could no longer be classified as criminal offenses nationwide.”

Pride Month

As our readers likely know, Gay Pride as a movement was brought into being by a violent police raid at a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village called the Stonewall Inn. We went to Wikipedia [LINK] for some information on this momentous time:

“Pride Month is observed in June in the United States, coinciding with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests. The first pride marches were held in four US cities in June 1970, one year after the riots at the Stonewall Inn. The New York City march, promoted as “Christopher Street Liberation Day”, alongside the parallel marches in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, marked a watershed moment for LGBTQ rights.

“An organizer of some of the first marches named Fred Sargeant stated the goal was to commemorate the Stonewall riots and further push for liberation. He noted that while the first marches were more akin to a protest than a celebration, they helped to remind people of LGBTQ communities and how they may include one’s family and friends.”

We Celebrate Our Humanity

At AMS Fulfillment we see equal beauty and value in every human being – yes, the entire rainbow of humanity is beautiful. We are proud of all of our associates and of our culture as well. AMS is a B Corporation, and we made the commitment some years ago to “B The Change”. We have been, and we continue to be committed to inclusion with zero tolerance for discrimination. As a result, we thrive and we retain exceptional talent. We are grateful for the remarkable people who bring their whole selves to work at AMS.

For AMS, Pride isn’t just a month, it’s a reason for gratitude. Pride Month is very much worthy of celebration, and we wish for all readers a very happy and successful LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

There is a federal holiday coming up on Monday the 25^th of May. The purpose of this upcoming holiday is to give honor and gratitude to all of the men and women who have served in the U.S. military and have given their lives in service. Surely there is no greater offering.

In reading how this holiday came to exist, we were touched by the fact that it was a group of formerly enslaved people who organized one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865. As horrible as war is, we must conclude that there is such a thing as a righteous war. The Civil War brought an end to slavery in the U.S. and we are grateful.

The Civil War claimed the lives of some 620,000 soldiers. Communities were devastated by the loss of their loved ones and there were commemorations across the nation. In the years that followed the commemorations expanded, and as we know, there have been more wars and loss of life.

Decoration Day / Memorial Day

It was 1971 when Memorial Day became a federal holiday. Prior to that date the men and women who died in war were honored across the nation by communities that came together to put flowers and other decorations on the graves of their loved ones. The term “Decoration Day” was used to describe the holiday. We visited the History [LINK] website for more clarity on how this holiday came to be.

“The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. It is unclear exactly where this tradition originated; numerous different communities might have independently initiated the memorial gatherings.”

The man whose activism led to a recognized day of remembrance was Major General John A. Logan. He led an organization for veterans that called for a designated day. He suggested that the 30th of May, 1868, be designated for the purpose of putting flowers on the graves of veterans across the U.S. He called the occasion Decoration Day in a nod to the tradition of decorating soldiers’ graves.

The article concludes: “Nevertheless, in 1966, the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. Waterloo—which first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—was chosen because it hosted an annual, community-wide event, during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.”

The Wars

We mourn every life lost in every war, including wars that are fought for a righteous cause. The following is a list of wars in which the U.S. has engaged since the Civil War:

American Civil War: 1861–1865; Spanish–American War: 1898; World War I: 1917–1918; World War II: 1941–1945; Korean War: 1950–1953 Vietnam War: 1961–1975; Gulf War (Desert Shield/Storm): 1990–1991; War in Afghanistan: 2001–2021; Operation Iraqi Freedom: 2003–2011.

Traditions and Rituals

On Monday the 25^th there will be Memorial Day parades in cities and towns across the U.S. Veteran organizations often join in these parades. There will also be visits to cemeteries and memorials, and most likely there will be people wearing a red poppy in remembrance of those fallen in war.

Finally, we sincerely thank our AMS Associates and members of their families who have served, and we offer condolences to those who have lost a loved one in service to our country. Some of our AMS Associates are currently serving in the reserves and we salute them and thank them as well. Please enjoy the weekend and join us in a heartfelt prayer for a world at peace.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

Our readers know that for AMS, the safety and well-being of our Associates is a top priority. We focus on training and on other safety measures, and as a result we have one of the best safety records in the fulfillment industry.

This week, from May 17-23 is the 52^nd annual recognition of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel. Paramedics and EMTs are a special group of heroes who are dedicated to community health and safety. None of us wants to face a crisis wherein we have to dial 911 and depend on these heroes to save our friend or family or ourselves. But oh how grateful we are to have such highly trained and dedicated individuals who respond to our call for help. This week we put our attention on them and we thank them sincerely and deeply.

EMS Week

Our initial search gets us the following information: “EMS Week 2026 runs from May 17–23, celebrating the 52nd annual recognition of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel with the theme “Improving Outcomes, Together”. Sponsored by the American College of Emergency Physicians [LINK] and the National EMT organization, this week honors paramedics and EMTs for their dedication to community health and safety.”

The 2026 theme is “Improving Outcomes, Together” and the path to improvement is presented as follows: “Focus: Highlights collaboration between 911, public health, fire, law enforcement, and EMS, with a special emphasis on advanced care initiatives like prehospital blood transfusion.”

Safety at AMS

We offered a blog about safety a few months ago [LINK] and in that writing we pointed to the various ways that injuries happen in a warehouse. We cover AMS’s focus and training in order to avoid work injuries, and basically eliminate the need to call the EMS Professionals:

“As readers can see, working in a fulfillment warehouse has its dangers built in. AMS is well aware of the importance of safety training and we strongly encourage employees to bring any safety concerns to the attention of their supervisor – don’t wait – see something, say something immediately.

“We want to have the best safety record in the industry among fulfillment warehouses, and we are definitely doing our best to achieve it. AMS has few lost-time injuries and when we do experience an accident resulting in injury, we learn from it.”

Improving Outcomes

At the EMS Week website [LINK] we find there is a focus for each day in the week. Sunday the 17^th is “Health, Wellness and Resilience Day”, Monday is “EMS Education Day”, Tuesday is “Safety Tuesday”, Wednesday is “EMS for Children Day”, Thursday the 21^st is “Save-A-Life Day”(CPR & Stop the Bleed), Friday and Saturday encourage recognition and remembrance.

Some of us have experience with EMS professionals. We have memories of having to dial 911 and we have deep gratitude for the help that came to us. We are more than happy to honor Emergency Medical Technicians, and if possible, find a way to thank them for the incredible service they provide. The following quote pretty much says it all.

“Every EMS clinician carries one call with them forever, not for its heroism but for its humanity. A child whose breathing finally stabilized, a grandmother whose hand was held until her family reached her side, or a stranger who, despite fear and pain in their eyes, chose to trust them.

“These moments seldom make headlines, yet they influence outcomes and change lives. These outcomes go beyond just vital signs. They include people returning home, families remaining united and communities feeling safer because someone was there when it mattered most.

“Today’s EMS clinicians bring advanced skills and innovative tools to these moments: evolving models of care that serve patients in big cities, tribal lands, rural plains and everywhere in between: prehospital ultrasound, early stroke recognition, and whole blood transfusion. These advancements are creating a measurable difference well before the patient reaches the hospital.”

Thank You EMS

First of all, to every AMS Associate who has undertaken CPR training, we say Thank You. The knowledge you have gained is a treasure, and it is appreciated. And we conclude with a heartfelt Thank You to every Emergency Medical Technician for choosing to save lives and serve the public in such a profound way. It’s difficult to express how much you are Appreciated – we thank you for choosing a life of service to others. It matters.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

We’ve been looking forward to this commemoration! YES – May 10^th is Mother’s Day and let’s just say… there’s a whole lot of love and gratitude going on! Let every Mom, from the young one bringing her first to birth to the great grandma hugging her precious ‘grands’ – let every Mom have a beautiful day on Sunday, May 10^th.

We always like to look and see who created the commemoration, and our first search took us to the following statement: “This date was officially established in 1914 by a proclamation from President Woodrow Wilson to honor mothers, following a campaign by Anna Jarvis, who sought to commemorate her mother and honor all women’s roles in the family.”

Our second search was a bit surprising: “Mother’s Day was originally rooted in a “Mother’s Day for Peace,” initiated by Julia Ward Howe in 1870 through her “Appeal to womanhood throughout the world,” also known as the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” which called for women to unite for peace, specifically asking mothers to stop their sons from participating in war.”

Julia Ward Howe wanted to establish an annual “Mother’s Day for Peace.” Let’s just embrace them both. Apparently, Ms. Howe advocated for peace and the “amicable settlement of international questions”. Seems a very Motherly thing to do, so let’s go to the bottom line: Mother LOVES the life she brings into the world, including the precious the life of our sons and daughters threatened by war.

Mother’s Day is a Commemoration of LIFE

Yes, both Mother’s Day (May 10^th) and Father’s Day (June 21^st) are days in which we celebrate LIFE. We’re grateful to be able to lift up our voices on May 10^th, and give our smiles and hugs, and offer some flowers or gifts to the Mothers we love.

In order to “lift up our voices” we did a search for the best Mother’s Day poems, and we were rewarded with an offering from Rudyard Kipling, one from Robert Louis Stevenson, and one from Edgar Allen Poe. [LINK]

          Mother O’ Mine by Rudyard Kipling

If I were hanged on the highest hill, Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine! I know whose love would follow me still, Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea, Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine! I know whose tears would come down to me, Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

If I were damned of body and soul, I know whose prayers would make me whole, Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

          To My Mother by Robert Louis Stevenson

You too, my mother, read my rhymes

For love of unforgotten times,

And you may chance to hear once more

The little feet along the floor.

           To My Mother by Edgar Allan Poe

Because I feel that, in the Heavens above, the angels, whispering to one another, can find, among their burning terms of love, none so devotional as that of “Mother,” therefore by that dear name I long have called you—

You who are more than mother unto me, and fill my heart of hearts, where death installed you in setting my Virginia’s spirit free.

My mother—my own mother, who died early, was but the mother of myself; but you are mother to the one I loved so dearly, and thus are dearer than the mother I knew. By that infinity with which my wife was dearer to my soul than its soul-life.

Happy Mother’s Day!

To all of our clients who are Mothers, to all of our associates who are Mothers, and to all of our readers who are Mothers… today we commemorate Life and we Thank Mothers. Have a beautiful day… thank you and we wish you Love… every one!

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

Our readers know that we like to look into commemorations. Looking at the month of May we see a commemoration we all like – Cinco de Mayo! What does Cinco de Mayo commemorate? We’ll look into that. Maybe we’ll see our AMS Activities Committee planning some fun on the 5^th of May!! But before we go there, let’s take a look at the other May commemorations.

The month of May is Jewish Heritage Month, it is Asian American Pacific Isander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and May 1^st is Buddha Day, also referred to as Vesak Day. And then… we have a super big deal on May 10^th… it’s Mother’s Day. It’s the biggest day of the year for Mom, so be sure and give her some love.

May 21-23 is known as Shavuot, which is a Jewish holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah, and that’s a pretty big deal. The next holiday is the Hajj. It takes place from May 25 to 30, and it’s a major holiday in Islam.

The 5^th of May

What happened on the 5^th of May? The History website gives us some really interesting information. It has to do with war and debt and greed. We recommend that readers go to the History website for the full story [LINK]. We’ll give you a glimpse of the story:

“Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large force of troops and driving President Juárez and his government into retreat. Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, President Juárez rounded up a ragtag force of 2,000 loyal men—many of them either Indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry—and sent them to Puebla.

“The vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans, led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza, fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez gathered his army—supported by heavy artillery—before the city of Puebla and led an assault.

“The Battle of Puebla lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated, they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash.”

Cinco de Mayo celebrates a battle won, against the French – i.e. Napoleon. It wasn’t a small victory – it was a battle for freedom – a battle won!! Here’s a little more from the History information:

“Cinco de Mayo, meaning “the fifth of May,” is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862, victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. The day—which falls on Tuesday, May 5 in 2026—is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. Although it is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican American populations.”

Have a Happy Cinco de Mayo

On May 5^th we’re going to have some fun here at AMS during the break. AMS is more than just a place to work… we’re a culture of fairness and integrity and respect, and we like to give meaning to our work lives. So… we definitely see Cinco de Mayo as a holiday deserving of recognition. That was a significant victory and we’re into celebrating freedom, so we’re happy to recognize the soldiers who fought and won!

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

We use the phrase… Supply Chain… quite often. It’s time to take a close look and see exactly what a supply chain is. How many links are there in this chain, and what are those links. We’re curious since a fulfillment service is considered a link of the chain. Is it one link, or could it be more than one? Let’s look and see.

As usual, we went to AI to tell us what it says a supply chain is. “A supply chain is the entire network of individuals, organizations, resources, activities, and technology involved in the creation and sale of a product, spanning from the sourcing of raw materials to the final delivery to the consumer. It covers sourcing, manufacturing, storage, transportation, and distribution, with the goal of maximizing customer value and reducing costs.”

Okay… that chain has quite a few links so this could be interesting.

The Chain’s Links

The explanation continues as follows: “Supply chains generally involve five main steps: planning (forecasting demand), sourcing (procurement), making (manufacturing), delivering (logistics), and returning (customer service/returns).” Apparently, AI decided to skip past the warehousing, storage, picking and packing that comes between manufacturing and delivery.

The next paragraph gets interesting. It points to “steps” in the chain. “Product Flow: The movement of goods from supplier to consumer, including manufacturing, storage, and transport. Information Flow: The exchange of data such as demand forecasts, order status, and purchase orders. Finances Flow: The movement of money, including payments, credit terms, and invoicing.”

The Chain’s Flow

We found even more interesting information about what the truly functional supply chain provides for the people who use it: “Efficiency: An optimized supply chain reduces production costs and speeds up delivery cycles. Customer Satisfaction: It ensures products are available when and where needed. Competitive Advantage: Effective management helps businesses avoid risks and maintain profitability.”

Let’s pick a product and follow the chain. Mother’s Day is coming up soon and Mom has her heart set on a gorgeous silk blouse she saw online. We’ll follow the blouse along the supply chain from its start to your Mom’s hands. Raw silk is obtained by harvesting silkworm cocoons and reeling the long, continuous filament, and most silk fabric is created in China, so this is where Mom’s blouse begins.

The next link in the chain would be the company that purchases the silk fabric and creates the blouse. There would be some paperwork and money involved in this link, and in all the links to follow. Let’s say that this manufacturer creates and offers 20 different silk blouses to companies that sell clothing online. The manufacturer ships hundreds of their blouses to a fulfillment service where the blouses are warehoused and packaged for shipping when the online orders come in.

The fulfillment service receives the order, packages the blouse and ships the package to your Mom. And there we have it… product flow, information flow, and finances flow, ending in efficiency, customer satisfaction and profitability. If your Mom is dissatisfied and she wants to return the blouse, the fulfillment service can be that link in the chain too.

A supply chain is a network that connects various companies and individuals in the process of creating and delivering a product to consumers, starting with raw materials and ending with order fulfillment, and there we have it.

AMS Fulfillment is a LINK

AMS serves as a link in a whole lot of supply chains. And for some valued clients we do more than warehouse and pick, pack and ship. AMS provides customer service for those who need it, and we provide returns management as well. There are also value-added services, which can be something as simple as putting your Mom’s silk blouse on a nice hanger before shipping it. AMS is often referred to as a 3PL, which means third-party logistics company. Let’s conclude with a look at supply chain management and logistics [LINK].

“The terms supply chain management (SCM) and business logistics management or simply logistics are often used interchangeably but logistics is one link in the supply chain. Logistics deals with the planning and control of the movement and storage of goods and services from their point of origin to their final destination. Good logistics management prevents delivery delays and ensures products arrive in good condition, helping to lower costs.”

Okay, we should now have a better idea of what a supply chain is, and the role of a fulfillment service as a link in the chain. Now let’s hope Mom’s silk blouse travels safely through all of the chain links and arrives right on time and in excellent condition.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

 

Last week we closed our message with this statement: “AMS Fulfillment enjoys a very positive work culture.” Today we’re going to look into what it means to have a very positive work culture. How can our company’s culture benefit all stakeholders, i.e. our Clients, our Communities, our Associates and our Mother Earth? To begin, let’s see what AI says about a company’s ‘culture’.

“Company culture is the shared environment, behaviors, and atmosphere within an organization, while company values are the foundational beliefs—like integrity, teamwork, and growth—that guide decisions and actions. Together, they improve employee retention, engagement, and business performance. Strong cultures thrive on transparency, trust, and leadership living these values daily.”  

We know that Peoples have in common a developed culture, tribes have a culture, families have a culture, and governments operate within and adhere to a culture. The culture of a place of business can have an incredibly positive effect, experienced not only by the Associates who work there, but also experienced by the clients who depend upon the quality of the business. Culture also impacts the community in which the business operates, so we can say… without doubt… culture matters.

Where AMS Culture Begins 

We have spoken before about values-based leadership, and once again we thank the executive and managerial teams of AMS for their focus on values. It is through the decisions of these teams that AMS functions as a corporation with a positive, and unique culture.

What are the elements of a positive corporate culture? First, we see transparency and open communication from the leadership of AMS. The environment created is respectful and inclusive, with the company’s values apparent. At AMS we strive for continuous improvement and growth, with the leaders modeling their values in their decisions.

What this means is that we act honestly and build teams focused on serving our clients. When values are woven into a company’s culture, the results are simply… a very positive work culture.

Values-Based Leadership

In October of 2025 we offered a writing on values-based leadership wherein we listed the key characteristics of our leaders. We will quote [LINK] as follows:

“Authenticity: Leaders are true to their core values and beliefs, acting consistently with them. Integrity: Decisions and actions are guided by ethical and moral principles. Purpose: Leadership is driven by a clear sense of what matters most, providing direction and meaning. Alignment: The leader’s personal values and the organization’s shared values serve as a framework for all behaviors and decisions. Transparency: Values are openly communicated, creating a shared understanding and commitment within the organization.”

AMS is a B Corporation

As a B Corporation, we have stakeholders that we are committed to serve. Those who have a stake in our decision making are… our Clients, our Communities, our Employees and our Mother Earth. Yes, we are committed to respect and serve, and that commitment is the foundation of our company’s culture.

What would be the purpose of developing a positive work culture? What would be the purpose of becoming a B Corporation? Can we offer a simple statement in response to the purpose question? Here it is: At AMS we want our labor and our efforts to make the world a better place. That’s it. AMS puts this purpose before financial profit and that, in simple terms, is our company culture.

Our clients choose us not only because we can ‘get the job done’, but also because we focus on sustainability and transparency. We are proud to be the fulfillment service that offers integrity.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

Our readers are accustomed to an occasional focus on ‘commemorations’. This week we’re going to look a little closer and see if the monthly ‘commemorations’ have some value. Who knows… we might just have a little fun while we’re looking.

Last week we focused on an upcoming celebration of ‘Earth Day’. The week before we focused on ‘Stress Awareness’. It’s easy to see the value of commemorations as these special “days” bring our minds to awareness, and strengthen our resolve to protect the environment and value ourselves and our peace of mind.

AMS Commemorates

At AMS, some of our Associates like to participate in the awareness days in special ways. This month they are creating awareness of Stress on April 8^th by wearing the color blue, and doing a walk while on break.

April is also Autism Awareness month and this too is a subject we can learn more about… how to help and assist individuals with autism. The day for the walk while on break is April 15, and the color is rainbow.

The Earth Day celebration is on the 22^nd and the color is green. Earth Day is another gift of awareness – there are things we can do to care for our Mother Earth and the ‘day’ is a very good reminder.

The Commemorations List

A search gets us the following list: Earth Month, dedicated to environmental awareness. Stress Awareness Month focuses on mental well-being. National Autism Acceptance Month promotes inclusion. Celebrate Diversity Month honors diverse backgrounds. National Financial Literacy Month promotes financial education. National Garden Month celebrates gardening. Arab American Heritage Month recognizes contributions.

Those are some very good subjects to think about, read about, and by doing so, expand our awareness of ways that we can help make a better world.

Just a Little Fun

We mentioned that we might be able to have some fun. So, where is the fun? Under the title of “Other Notable Days” we find the following: National Find a Rainbow Day is April 3; National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day is April 16; Husband Appreciation Day is also April 16; National Day of Silence is April 17 and National High-5 Day is April 23^rd.

Just the list itself is fun! April 16 is a double up day. Wear pajamas on the job and appreciate the husband on the 16^th. Then, amazingly, the very next day we are silent – no talking. We wait a few days and Victory arrives – it’s National High-5 Day. It seems that the creator of these ‘Days’ has a sense of humor.

Enjoying Awareness

Yes, there is value in placing our awareness on things we can improve and learn from. We truly appreciate our AMS Associates for bringing our attention to how stress affects our lives, and how we can decrease the stress and increase the peace. Our Associates are also bringing our attention to Autism and to the environment on Earth Day. We thank them.

AMS Fulfillment enjoys a very positive work culture.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

We’re all very well aware of the environmental or conservation movement. More than a few businesses today practice environmentalism, putting a strong focus on recycling, conserving, respecting, protecting… doing everything possible to Not be detrimental to the natural environment. AMS is one of those businesses, and we don’t do it ‘for show’. We do it out of respect for Life and our beautiful Earth.

April 22^nd is the anniversary of the environmental movement’s founding – Earth Day. Earth Day has been celebrated since 1970, when the environmental movement began in earnest.

There was a book published in 1962 that brought awareness to what was happening to the environment. That book, written by Rachel Carson, was entitled “Silent Spring”. The Silent Spring book truly raised awareness of the environment, and what damage was being done through pollution.

When it Began

The Farmer’s Almanac [LINK] tells us some of the details about Earth Day: “In the decades leading up to the first, Americans were consuming vast amounts of leaded gas through massive and inefficient automobiles. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of the consequences from either the law or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Until this point, mainstream America remained largely oblivious to environmental concerns and how a polluted environment threatens human health.”

San Francisco activist John McConnell and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson are credited with getting the environmental movement started. They spoke out on toxic drinking water, air pollution, and the effects of pesticides and called for a demonstration. The demonstration turned out to be very successful, with 20 million Americans taking to the streets in the protest. From that beginning we now have Earth Day and much more.

The Farmer’s Almanac tells us what happened next: “President Richard Nixon led the nation in creating the Environmental Protection Agency, which was followed with successful laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.”

Nowadays on Earth Day communities get together to clean up their parks and pick up litter on their streets; they plant trees or flowers and gardens to add to the beauty and the health of their environment, and basically use the anniversary to make a commitment once again to care for the Earth.

AMS and the Environment

Some years ago, AMS established a Green Team to monitor and manage operational waste and recycling programs. From the Reporting Year 2023 we find the following data: 5,750 lbs. of scrap metal; 1,482,156 lbs. of cardboard; 50,800 lbs. of plastic stretch film; 6 tons of co-mingles plastic bottles and aluminum cans; 30,000 lbs. of chipboard; 3,000 lbs. of paper; 8 pallets of IT equipment.

Our efforts at AMS are to create environmental management practices that reduce any negative impact on the air, climate, water, land, and biodiversity. This includes the direct impact of our operations and, when applicable, our supply chain and distribution channels.

AMS is a B Corporation, and as such, we have a legal commitment to extensive recycling. We also use biodegradable packaging, and we keep sustainability at the forefront with regard to our warehouses and offices. On Wednesday, the 22^nd of April we will join in gratitude with all other Earth Day celebrants… gratitude for our beautiful Mother Earth.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

 

Today we’re going to create and embrace the human being’s most desired state … a mind at Peace. Our subject is the opposite state of being we’re all quite familiar with … Stress. We know what it means to be stressed. Looking into April commemorations, we begin by examining ‘stress awareness’ to see if we can lift it off of our shoulders. Here’s how AI describes it:

“April is Stress Awareness Month, recognized annually since 1992 to raise awareness about the causes and cures of our modern stress epidemic. It focuses on recognizing symptoms—such as fatigue, irritability, and physical aches—and adopting healthy coping mechanisms like exercise, proper sleep, and counseling to manage, rather than eliminate, daily stressors.” 

Stress is a very broad subject. When we look for what causes stress, we can easily come up with lots of causes… everything from poor health to not enough money to a storm on the horizon to the freeway traffic to the global ‘news’ threatening nuclear war. Basically, stress is triggered by fear thoughts and fear messages. Nowadays we’re inundated with negative news. One solution can be to turn off the news reporter. Sometimes that’s the best choice.

Stress at Work = No Injuries

The stress-free environment in an AMS warehouse has to be safe, with no threat of injuries to our associates. AMS has operated for years with a strong focus upon safety in our warehouses and offices, and because of our training and precautions we very rarely see injuries.

Some of our associates have to lift heavy objects from time to time. Our associates tasked with that job, are specifically trained in how to lift a heavy object without musculoskeletal strain of the back, shoulder and neck. Safety is #1.

Our walkways in the warehouse are closely monitored to avoid slips, trips and falls due to spills or clutter. We also give new associates extensive training on avoiding injuries caused by forklifts, conveyors and other industrial equipment. At the AMS warehouses there will be no items falling from high shelving due to poorly stacked pallets. Not at AMS.

In other words, we care about our associates, and we absolutely take every step we can take to make sure they don’t have to deal with work-related stress. In fact, we hope that their time and duties at work serve to relieve stress. And finally, we hope the traffic, in the drive to and from work, just moves right along… no worries, just a comfortable flow.

AMS Benefits

We are told that exercise triggers a happy feeling due to endorphins, and we’re encouraged to utilize natural supplements and essential oils. Other recommendations in dealing with stress include deep breathing and soothing music. These things help, and at AMS we encourage healthy living. And… we go the extra step to make sure there is more help available if needed.

AMS has a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This program gives every associate and their entire household access to licensed mental health professionals 24/7. This is such a valuable benefit and we know that benefits really matter. Employees want to stay in good health and have access to what they need, and we want this for them. The EAP provides access to a therapist, and a phone number that gets answered day and night.

Symptoms of Stress

Let’s look at what the Internet tells us are the symptoms of Stress: headaches, rapid heart rate, anxiety, and trouble sleeping. We can add to that our ‘fear’ thoughts.

The first method of relieving stress has to be 100% common sense… let go of situations you cannot control. We mentioned everything from poor health to not enough money to the storm on the horizon to the traffic to the global ‘news’ threatening war. We can’t control the weather, so storms will come and go and we’ll make it through. We also can’t control the global ‘news’ threatening war.

Here is what AI says are commonly recommended stress management tips:

“Manage What You Can: 1) Let go of situations you cannot control. 2) Practice Self-Care: Focus on the “Big Three” — regular exercise (walking/swimming), nutritious diet, and proper sleep. 3) Connect: Discuss problems with friends, family, or a professional counselor. 4) Relaxation Techniques: Utilize techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to calm the mind.”

We wholeheartedly agree with these suggestions. Self-care matters a lot and we encourage utilizing the meditation and breathing methods of calming the mind. We also encourage use of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to help out if the stress gets to be a burden. And, if the stress creates the need to take time off work, we encourage our associates to request paid time off (PTO).

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.