Issue link: http://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/745911
13 Santa delivers his stockings on Christmas Eve, but Alabama Power Service Organization elves spend all of November and December stuffing them. Indeed, the holiday season is always the biggest, busiest and best time of year for APSO members, said Gorgas Chapter President James Brown. "We have so much going this time of the year," said Brown, a mechanic-welder at Plant Gorgas. "We take part in the Jasper Christmas Parade. We have an Alabama Power truck, and our members distribute small toys and bears to give away at the Christmas Parade. These are plush, soft toys, and they go fast. It gives the kids something to look forward to." Gorgas APSO kicked off the season with a canned food drive, as well as providing backpack foods for needy students during Thanksgiving. "The kids will be out of school the entire week," said Gorgas Maintenance Specialist Terri Black, who has been active in APSO throughout her career. "We are providing Christmas gifts for 50 mentally and physically challenged individuals through the Tri-County Christmas party in December, too." Gorgas employees "adopt" the individuals, and buy the items on their wish lists. "We schedule a wrapping party at Gorgas, wrap all the presents and deliver them to Tri-County," Black said. "We also donate drinks and some food, and volunteer to set up, serve the food, clean up and break down tables after the party." Gorgas employee traditions include a "shop till we drop" spree to buy clothes and toys for Christmas Angels, sponsored by the Walker County Department of Human Resources (DHR) and the Salvation Army. Brown said that Gorgas APSO's successful golf tournament allows members to fill children's wish lists. "The tournament allows us to spend about $125 on each child," Brown said about this year's Angels. "We try to get their needs met first, then hit the wish list items. We bag up everything per child, then stop off at the DHR and Salvation Army. The parents and kids go to the location. The kids don't know what's in the bag, but they get that for Christmas." Specialists at spreading Christmas cheer Western Division APSO joins its sister chapters in making the holidays happier for the needy, said Chapter President Sarah Barnes. Western APSO, like Gorgas and other chapters, holds several fundraisers through the year. "Our main push in the Tuscaloosa subarea has always been Salvation Army Angel Tree," said Barnes, Power Delivery - Distribution engineer and project coordinator since 2008. "We usually adopt about 40 Angels to individuals or work groups within the Tuscaloosa Business Office and Tuscaloosa Crew headquarters, and APSO gives $3,000 to $5,000 to buy gifts for more Angels." Western Division Marketing Specialist Aimee APSO GORGAS, WESTERN CHAPTERS BUSY IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER by Donna Cope Eaton coordinated delivery of employees' gifts to DHRs.