Connections

6 Barry dedicated to special-needs kids Consistency counts. Indeed, that winning attribute demonstrated by Barry APSO members caught the notice of Daria Chinnis, area director of the Mobile County Special Olympics. Without a doubt, Chinnis knows she can depend on Barry APSO members: "I've worked closely with Barry and Mobile Division APSO chapters for many years," she said. "Barry volunteers are always consistently helping us," added Chinnis, who has worked at the event for 20 years. "They are the ones who come every year. We could not pull off this massive, citywide event if it weren't for our great volunteers, including Barry and Mobile Division employees of Alabama Power." Barry Power Generation Analyst Tammy Turner headed the project to assist in the Special Olympics track and field event April 14. Company volunteers signed in participants at the gate, served as timekeepers, moved athletes from the staging line to the long jump, offered hundreds of enthusiastic hugs for each child's efforts and pinned awards on every child. Every child receives an award for competing, Turner said. Employees gave 112 volunteer hours to Special Olympics. Eastern Chapter helps families rest in Our Father's Arms More than many employees realize, nonprofit groups and residents often seek assistance from Alabama Power. Such was the case with Anniston Marketing Specialist Blake Lowry, who helped Bob McLeod, founder and director of Our Father's Arms in Jacksonville. Our Father's Arms provides homes of healing and opportunity for individuals and families in crisis, McLeod said. He asked Lowry, an acquaintance, for help with improvements to their women's home. In turn, Lowry presented the project to Eastern APSO's board. "We ran with it," said Senior Clerk Adriane Burgess, Power Delivery-Anniston, who organized the project. On March 14, APSO's 12 volunteers installed laminated flooring in the conference room and placed insulation in the basement. Volunteers included Patrick Adams, Dale Castleberry, Tripp Griffis, Jeremy Hyde, Lowry, Jerry Mills, Brad Mooney, Chris Ritchie, Jeremy Smith, Jacki-Lyn Thacker, Janice Vera and Adam Vessell. "It was a big project, with a lot of manpower," Burgess said. Eastern APSO also gave a donation to help cover a portion of the materials. "Our team worked really hard that day laying the flooring and installing the insulation," Lowry said. "We are all very proud of this project and this team did an excellent job!" With that, McLeod agrees. "The floor is a blessing," he said. Gaston Adopt-A- School beautified After Wilsonville Elementary School added a new library to the premises, administrators wanted to make sure the entire campus looked just as nice. In preparation for Rosemary Live Oak Library's ribbon-cutting ceremony and Fall Festival on Oct. 16, Principal Maria Tidmore said, several Gaston APSO members in May worked to beautify the school grounds. Employees turned up at the perfect time to help, she said, following the school's big library construction. "APSO always calls us," Tidmore said. "They ask, 'What can we do?'" Grateful, Tidmore didn't hesitate: She counted off chores needed to ready the school for fall visits by parents. Seven Gaston volunteers gave the school's outdoor stair rails a fresh coat of gray paint, pressure washed the sidewalks and removed old hedges. Gaston's investment to the project, Jodi Webb reported, was 40 volunteer hours, well spent. Tidmore was impressed by employees' efforts to improve her students' surroundings. "They did a phenomenal job, they did an amazing job." Tidmore is happy the school is ready for Math Night on Sept. 25. "Gaston has helped us so much over the years," she said. Gorgas, Western make gardens royal Sometimes, a little "elbow grease and not a lot of money" can be the start of something fabulous. So says Terri Black, who, with Greg Miller and Julia Hester, headed Gorgas' project to restore Capstone Royal Health Community Garden. Capstone Royal Health, in Parrish, is a community health center. Gorgas volunteers built new raised gardens at the front of Capstone property, planting vegetables, as well as cutting trees, building a compost area and moving debris. "This is right near our neighborhood, so it made sense to be a part of this," said Black, APSO Chapter Reports Tidmore gratefully snapped memories of her Gaston "spruce up" team: Debbie Williams (left), Matt Thompson, Seibou Gounteni, Melissa Williamson, Ricky Morris, Justin Bailey and Hunter Hall. Mobile's Special Olympics was a huge success, thanks to the donation of 112 volunteer hours by Barry APSO members. Thanks to Eastern members, new floors brighten women's surroundings at Our Father's Arms, a home in Jacksonville that heals families in crisis. On Aug. 19, Miller APSO volunteers Dunaway (left) and Driver delivered school supplies donated by Plant Miller employees to children at West Jefferson and Brookville Elementary schools.

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