Save the Date – Company Christmas Party – December 11th!
This year’s Company Christmas Party will be held at a new venue – Costa Sorrento in Markham – on Friday, December 11th!
Stay tuned for the formal invitations and more details in the next couple of months and plan on attending!
Hockey Helps the Homeless – Employee Fundraiser
Following another fantastic Employee Fundraiser last year – we raised a phenomenal total of $33,212.95 for HHTH, 360Kids and Blue Door – this year Universal will once again support the Hockey Helps the Homeless (HHTH) tournament for the December 11th event.
We will kick off the 2026 campaign with a Lunch ‘N Learn event at Head Office on Tuesday, October 27th – mark your calendar and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!
Summerlicious Days at Universal – The Wrap-Up
Summerlicious Days across all Universal Logistics offices has come and gone so let’s wrap this up and digest what we’ve gotten to enjoy.
We closed the event off with delicious lunches on Tuesday, September 15th. The weather wasn’t the only thing that was blowing us away (literally). At Head Office, the Fire It Up food truck returned with barbecue to keep us warm! Our Canadian Branch and US offices got to enjoy lunches ordered right to their offices bringing a custom local flare to their celebration.
Thanks to Universal Logistics, and our Engagement Committee, Summerlicious Days brought everyone a chance to step away from their desks, share some laughs, and enjoy great food together. Here’s to another season of delicious traditions and moments that bring us closer as a team!
The Engagement Committee Presents… Head Office Bowling Night!
The Engagement Committee is excited to continue creating opportunities for our employees to connect, have fun, and build stronger relationships with their colleagues. As part of this initiative, we organized a Team Building Bowling Night for Head Office which is being held on Tuesday, September 29th from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at Splitsville in Richmond Hill. This will provide an opportunity for our Head Office team to step away from the day-to-day, enjoy some friendly competition, and spend time together outside of the workplace.
We are also pleased to share that planning is underway for a similar employee engagement activity for our Airport Office team. We look forward to bringing the team together for an event that provides an opportunity to connect, have some fun, and strengthen our relationships across the office.
Our goal is to extend these opportunities to all of our Canadian branch offices and our US offices. We are encouraging each office to consider an employee engagement or team-building activity that would be meaningful for their local team. The company is pleased to support these initiatives by sponsoring an activity or event for each office, helping create opportunities for employees across Universal to connect, build, and strengthen relationships within their branches.
We look forward to seeing more offices take part, and to sharing some of the great activities happening across our Universal family. Whether it is bowling, an outdoor activity, or another team-building event, the goal is the same: bring our teams together and create a positive employee experience across all of our offices.
Something's Brewing
Contributor: Alice Yan
5 Fascinating Halloween Traditions Around the World
From ancient Celtic bonfires to colourful celebrations of the dead, cultures across the globe have developed unique ways to mark the transition from autumn to winter and to remember those who have passed away when the veil between the lands of the living and the dead is said to be thinnest.
This Halloween, let’s take a quick trip around the world and discover 5 fascinating traditions with deep cultural roots
1. The Ancient Roots of Halloween: Samhain in Ireland & Scotland
- Ireland and Scotland are the most important places to begin when exploring Halloween’s history. Halloween is closely connected to Samhain, an ancient Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. Historical evidence shows that Samhain was celebrated centuries ago, although some popular stories about exactly how ancient people celebrated it are difficult to verify.
- Traditional customs include bonfires, disguises, feasting and fortune-telling games. One especially interesting tradition involved carving turnips into lanterns, sometimes called “tumshie lanterns.”
- In a precursor to modern-day trick-or-treating called “guising” in Scottish tradition, children traditionally dressed in disguises to protect them from spirits, and performed a song, poem, joke or trick in exchange for treats.
- When the Catholic church introduced All Saints’ Day in the 8th century, the evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve, later shortened to Hallowe’en.
2. The Most Famous Halloween Tradition: Trick-or-treating in North America
- Children dress as their favourite characters and walk door-to-door asking for candy. The practice has early ties to the Celtic festival of Samhain. It evolved into trick-or-treating in the 1930s in the United States with a rise in immigration. It gained popularity as a way to encourage kids to refrain from mischievous behaviour and engage with their communities.
- The familiar pumpkin jack-o’-lantern originates from Samhain traditions. When Irish immigrants brought Halloween customs to North America, pumpkins eventually became the preferred material because they were larger and easier to carve.
3. The Most Recognizable Celebration of the Dead: Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico
- Dating back 3,000 years to several ancient Mesoamerican cultures, the celebration is about remembering and welcoming deceased family members and loved ones.
- Families prepare home altars, known as ofrendas, and decorate them with flowers, candles, food, painted skulls, and personal objects. Marigold petals, used for their strong scent and vibrant colours, are scattered to create paths between cemeteries and homes, symbolically helping the spirits of the deceased find their way back to the land of the living for one night.
- UNESCO recognizes the Indigenous festivities dedicated to the dead as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The tradition represents a fusion of Indigenous Mesoamerican beliefs and Catholic celebrations introduced after European contact.
4. A Very Different Kind of Trick-or-Treating: Pangangaluluwa in the Philippines
- In some parts of the Philippines, there is a fascinating traditional practice called Pangangaluluwa, sometimes translated as “souling.”
- In the days or weeks leading up to All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2), groups traditionally went from house to house singing and pretending to be souls from purgatory. In return, households offered treats such as rice cakes or other gifts like money and most importantly, prayers for the dead.
- The tradition is particularly associated with rural communities and has similarities to modern trick-or-treating, though its original meaning was much more connected to the dead, prayer and the afterlife.
5. A Vibrant Celebration of the Dead: Fèt Gede in Haiti
- Haiti’s Fèt Gede, or Festival of the Dead, offers one of the most dramatic contrasts to the typical North American Halloween.
- The celebrations begin around November 1, when people visit cemeteries to pay their respects to deceased family members and loved ones. Graves may be decorated with candles, food and drinks, while music, dancing and colourful processions create a lively atmosphere.
- Fèt Gede is closely connected with Haitian Vodou and the Gede spirits, who are associated with death and the afterlife. One of the best-known figures is Papa Gede, a spirit traditionally associated with the transition between life and death.
- Rather than treating death solely as something sad or frightening, the tradition incorporates music, dance, humour and celebration, reflecting the idea that death is part of the continuing journey of life.
A. Canada
B. U.S.A.
C. Italy
D. The UK
Click on the question above, submit your answer to Sharon, and you’re eligible to win!
Submission deadline
Friday, October 2nd (Noon)
Prize
$25 Tim Hortons, Starbucks or Amazon gift card for the 2 winners
(If more than two contestants have the right answer, we will pick the winning names out of a hat)
Growing again
In Universal & You, we want to introduce all new employees. We have new additions at Head Office and the Buffalo office. Please join us in welcoming Dexter Lim, Isabel Paris, Erika Kimura, and Gabriella Garcia to the team!
Name: Dexter Lim
Team: Ocean Services
Start date: August 11, 2026
Name: Isabel Paris
Team: US Customs Operations
Start date: August 24, 2026
Name: Erika Kimura
Team: Customs Consulting Services
Start date: September 1, 2026
Name: Gabriella Garcia
Team: US Customs Operations
Start date: September 24, 2026
Book Buzz
Contributor: Barbara Mulatinho
Dolby Atmos – Audible Novellas
When I first started listening to audiobooks, I really struggled with absorbing the stories compared to reading them. But professional voice acting completely changes the game and offers a whole new reading experience. Over on Audible, their novellas (around 4-6 hours) with sound design by Dolby Atmos, are the ultimate gateway into each story! They are quick, fun, and work amazingly whether you’re a total book beginner or just need a palate cleanser between massive books.
The sound effects make it feel like you’re listening to a full-blown movie, letting your imagination run wild. Best of all, they have actors and actresses performing the roles, bringing unique energy and voice work that is super engaging. Their talent totally hooks you in, so even when plots get completely wild, you can go 100% along for the ride!
Barbara’s Novella Recommendations:
By Cara Bastone
By Cara Bastone
By Cara Bastone
Interested in longer form audiobooks also mixed in Dolby Atmos special audio? Type Dolby Atmos into the Audible search bar to browse titles such as George Orwell’s 1984 (starring Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and Tom Hardy), and the entire Harry Potter series narrated by a full cast (including Keira Knightley, Kit Harington, Simon Pegg, James McAvoy, and Hugh Laurie).
Culture and Entertainment
Contributor: Barbara Mulatinho
Lanterns & Obsession
Barbara’s Bit: 5/5⭐ A superhero series with a strong detective vibe might sound like a risky formula, but the new show Lanterns, part of the DC Universe, proves to be a fantastic surprise. The series begins with the original Green Lantern Hal Jordan, training John Stewart who will become his backup. However, in the middle of training, they go to a mysterious small town, to uncover a mystery. The story cleverly splits across three timelines, and builds an engaging narrative that hooks the viewer right away. The highlight of the show is the dynamic between Hal Jordan, a cynical veteran, and John Stewart, a serious, rule-following newcomer.
Their contrasting personalities create great chemistry, and leave space to have deep character development throughout the show. The best part is you don’t need to know anything about super heroes or the DC Universal to enjoy the show, as it’s very good at explaining the basics for anyone unfamiliar with the Green Lantern lore. If the remaining episodes hold the same quality as the premiere, the series is set for an unforgettable finale.
Barbara’s Bit: 5/5⭐ When the new horror movie Obsession started gaining hype, I honestly didn’t expect much. Horror isn’t really my thing. But the more people talked, the more curious I got, and I’m so glad I gave it a shot because it’s incredible! Inde Navarrette delivers an absolutely sensational performance as the lead actress. The story avoids all the usual clichés.
What sets it apart is how the director, Curry Barker, builds suspense without relying on cheap jump scares or gratuitous gore. It’s totally watchable even if you hate overly bloody movies. Instead, tense moments are stretched out until you’re sitting on the edge of your seat, keeping you guessing where the heck the movie will end up. It’s fresh, captivating, and I easily recommend it 300%!
Health and Lifestyle
Contributor: Veena Ramesh
Peptides – What’s the buzz about?
What are peptides?
Peptides are small chains of amino acids that play important roles in the human body. They are often confused with proteins, as they are both made up of amino acids, but peptides are generally much shorter chains. Proteins can be composed of several peptide bonds linked together.
Like proteins, peptides are naturally found in the body and in foods. Because they are small, they are easily absorbed into the body and can act as powerful messengers that instruct cells how to function. They are involved in many essential processes including hormone regulation, immune function, tissue repair, metabolism, and digestion.
In recent years, peptides have gained significant public attention because of their potential uses in medicine, skincare, weight management, and muscle recovery. Some peptide-based treatments, such as insulin and GLP-1 medications, are already used in modern medicine, while many newer peptide products are still being researched.
Understanding what peptides are, how they work, and their potential benefits and risks is important as interest in these compounds continues to grow.
From fall through Christmas, life tends to speed up. At work, stress comes from heavier workloads and the struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance. On the personal front, the season is full of celebrations – Thanksgiving, Halloween, Hanukkah, Diwali, Christmas, and some years even Ramadan. All of these bring joy, family time, good food, and fun memories. But they can also cause stress: hosting, entertaining, shopping, gift-giving, attending gatherings, traveling, and trying to carve out special time with children.
I’ve listed plenty of reasons stress builds up – now let’s look at how to fight back.
What do peptides look like?
Peptides can come in many forms, like foods, powdered supplements, and injections. Under a microscope, peptide bonds resemble a string of beads, where each bead is an amino acid.
Common uses for peptides
Some bioactive peptides (peptides formed by the body breaking down proteins) may have potential benefits such as lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, supporting the immune system, and acting as antioxidants.
Collagen peptides are another popular type and are marketed for benefits such as supporting skin, joints, bones, and muscle. Collagen peptides are available in supplements, skincare products, and in foods naturally high in collagen like bone broth and gelatin. However, evidence for some of these claimed benefits varies, and supplements can have risks, including allergies, depending on their source.
What are the risks?
There has also been growing interest in supplements like creatine and injectable peptides for weight loss, muscle growth, and anti-aging. However, many of these products sold online or through wellness clinics are not FDA-approved or adequately tested in humans. Their long-term safety is uncertain, and unregulated products may contain contaminants. Reported side effects can include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, fatigue, injection-site irritation, allergic reactions, and potentially more serious complications.
Finally, despite both being used for muscle growth, peptides are not steroids. Peptides are made of amino acids and enhance naturally existing processes, whereas anabolic steroids are synthetic substances made of lipids that alter hormonal pathways to mimic testosterone.
Overall, while some peptides have established medical uses, many newer peptide products require much more human research to determine their effectiveness and safety. As injectable peptides are not the most reliable, we should be interested in a diet that is rich in peptides.
Even though research about peptides is still in the early stages, there are still people who swear by the supplements. But anyone cautious about the side effects need not feel left out. They can improve their skin and metabolism and gain all the benefits, without the dangerous side effects, by consuming foods that have peptides in them.
How can you incorporate peptides safely?
Eggs, dairy products like Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, meats such as chicken, turkey and lean beef, and fish like salmon, tuna and shellfish are all excellent sources of protein that break down into peptides. For vegetarians, beans and soy products like tofu, tempeh and edamame are complete plant-based proteins.
A simple meal plan:
Breakfast — A bowl of Greek yogurt with berries, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds or hemp hearts, with honey or maple syrup. A heavy dose of dairy peptides and antioxidants helps to kickstart satiety.
Lunch — A mixed green salad with tuna or chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, cucumber and a light dressing and lemon juice. Seafood peptides with legume-based plant fibres helps in maintaining blood sugar.
Snack — Cottage cheese with a handful of nuts and a fruit, like kiwi. This provides dairy and nut peptides and Vitamin C which is a kick-starter to collagen production.
Dinner — Baked Salmon or a tofu stir-fry with quinoa and steamed broccoli. This supplies anti-inflammatory peptides, complex carbs and healthy fats. Leave the skin on the salmon for a collagen-rich meal.
Educational Achievements
“Knowledge is what can separate you from the pack. It can take you as high as you want to go if you put it into action.”
The employees of Universal Logistics regularly receive industry training that is paid for by the company. We are proud to recognize the achievement and success of our latest course and program graduates.
Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) Course
Alan Hyunh
Customs Operations
(Head Office)
graduate of the CCS course
Congratulations Alan!
Dzmitry Lutsko
Client Relations
(Head Office)
graduate of the CCS course
Congratulations Dzmitry!
IT Corner
🖥️ IT Tips
🚀 Microsoft 365 Countdown – Keep Your Inbox Organized!
As we prepare for our upcoming move to Microsoft 365, now is a good time to take a few minutes to organize your Outlook mailbox.
💡 Quick Tip – Keep Your Inbox Under Control
A busy inbox can make it difficult to find important emails. Taking a little time to clean up and organize your mailbox now can make your daily email easier to manage.
Try these simple steps:
✅ Delete emails that are no longer needed.
✅ Empty your Deleted Items folder.
✅ Move important emails into folders.
✅ Remove old emails with large attachments when they are no longer required.
✅ Review your Sent Items and clean up messages you no longer need.
💡 Start small! You don’t need to organize your entire mailbox at once. Spending a few minutes each week can make a big difference over time.
We’ll continue sharing simple tips to help everyone get ready for the Microsoft 365 transition.
Calling all Universal Employees!
We are looking for volunteers to contribute short articles for Universal & You. Topics can be team or industry-related or you might want to share a personal experience (e.g. volunteer work or travel) with your fellow employees.
Please forward your ideas to Sharon Fong.
