POWERGRAMS

POWER OF GOOD Photos by Bill Snow Former football stars get pied for 'Can Hunger' food drive Riggins, left, gives Britt a high-five after mutual smashing of pies. Wesley Britt and Quentin Riggins both took one for their college football teams on Jan. 10. That day, the two pied each other in the face outside the Power Gallery in Alabama Power Corporate Headquarters to celebrate the success of "Let's Can Hunger," a food drive headed by the Magic City Chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization. Riggins, who played linebacker for Auburn University, is Alabama Power's vice president for Governmental Relations. Britt, a former offensive lineman for the University of Alabama, works as an Economic Development representative in the Economic and Community Development Department. "Let's Can Hunger" pitted employees who are fans of the schools against each other and collected more than 2,100 pounds of food, which was donated to the Community Food Bank of Central Britt, left, Riggins share a laugh Alabama. Each of the former during celebration. football stars had agreed to be pied in the face by the other if his school came up short in the competition. But Britt made sure both received faces full of pie. When Keisa Sharpe-Johnson of Alabama Power's Public Relations Department announced the results of the weigh-in, Alabama fans had a comfortable lead: 1,076 pounds to 804 pounds for a total of 1,880 pounds of food. Riggins was prepared to meet his fate. But Britt interrupted Sharpe-Johnson and reached for the microphone. "It's great we did this Auburn vs. Alabama to encourage the rivalry, to encourage bringing in food," Britt said. "But ultimately this is about feeding people who are starving, who can't find a meal." At that point, Britt announced that he and his fellow employees in Economic and Community Development were donating enough food to the Auburn side to throw the competition into a tie. Blair King, an Economic Development representative, wheeled up a cart loaded with huge cans of vegetables. The late addition pushed the final tally for food to more than 2,100 pounds. "We'll both take a pie in the face to feed people," Britt said. "That's what it's about." To the delight of the crowd gathered in the atrium, the two didn't go easy on each other. They smeared the cream pies – provided by Greensboro's PieLab bakery and restaurant – into each other's faces and hair. Cream and crust spilled onto their shirts, pants and shoes. "Wesley said it right," said Riggins, his head slathered in cream pie. "We're having fun, but it's really for a serious cause. Next year let's try to double the output. And guess what? War Eagle!" Brian Hoffman, president and founder of the Food Bank's Junior Board, said more than 2,100 pounds of food provides more than 18,000 meals. Alabama Power employees also raised $400 by buying chances to win Birmingham designers' holiday table decorations that were on display in the Power Gallery before Christmas. The Alabama Power Foundation kicked in a $600 check, bringing the company's contribution to the Food Bank to $1,000 to combat hunger. "Alabama Power employees had such an overwhelming impact with your food drive and donations," Hoffman said after the "pieing" event. "The Food Bank is really excited about starting off 2014 in such a big way." Hoffman said Alabama Power employees should be proud of their huge contribution to the Food Bank and a successful food drive worth celebrating. Riggins and Britt made sure that celebration was memorable. By Bob Blalock PAGE55

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