POWERGRAMS

48 Keep Etowah Beautiful (KEB) honored Alabama Power, its employees and retirees during its annual awards banquet. Renew Our Rivers founder Gene Phifer and Alabama Power Environmental Affairs Specialist Mike Clelland, who coordinates the company's annual river cleanups, received the Extra Mile Award. Neely Henry Dam Superintendent Martin Windham took home the Volunteer Service award. The Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) received the Community Award, and Eastern Division and Gadsden Steam Plant were honored with the Corporate Award. The Alabama Power Corporate Office received KEB's Award of Appreciation. Since 2009, Southern Company has sponsored the National Merit Scholarship Program for the children of employees. This year, eight students will receive the scholarship, which includes an annual $1,000 stipend for four years or until completion of an undergraduate degree, whichever comes first. Alabama recipients include: • Colby Collins, son of Patricia and Joseph Collins. Patricia is a document control supervisor and Joseph is a radiation protection technician at Plant Farley. • Caleb Thomas, son of Corey Thomas, an engineer for Southern Nuclear. • Lindsey Waggoner, daughter of Thomas Waggoner, pool billing manager for Southern Company Operations. • Colby Wetzel, son of Don Wetzel, financial systems manager for Southern Nuclear. Birmingham Division Vice President Jonathan Porter presented a $100,000 check from the Alabama Power Foundation to the Birmingham Zoo's Senior Vice President of Operations Chris Pfefferkorn. The donation went toward a $500,000 pledge for the Renew the Zoo campaign. The company's external news website, Alabama NewsCenter, received a "Gold" recognition in the 2017 Hermes Creative Awards competition in the Mobile Website category. The annual awards are given by the national Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. A Gadsden-area customer called Alabama Power to thank Gary Snelling for restoring his power. Mr. Gilbert was "very pleased," and said Snelling, Gadsden local operations lineman, did a "great job." Joan Hightower, wife of Gadsden retiree George Hightower, wrote Alabama Power to commend Eastern Division Utility Fleet Master Technician Shanon Graham, who "came to the rescue" of Gadsden Rotary Club members. After an evening meeting at a home in Glencoe, about 25 Rotary Club members were unable to leave because a large oak tree had fallen across the driveway. George called Graham, a volunteer firefighter for the Glencoe Volunteer Fire Department, for help. Graham arrived in about 20 minutes with a chainsaw and quickly cut away the tree, allowing members to return home. "While most of the Rotary attendees were worried that we would be there most of the night, I had no worries," Joan Hightower wrote. "I have seen over the last 35 years how Alabama Power Company employees come to the aid of people every day. Shanon Graham went above and beyond to help a group of people who just wanted to get home. Thank goodness for power company employees like him." For the fourth-consecutive year, Miller APSO partnered with Alabama People Against a Littered State (PALS) and the West Jefferson community to clean more than 3 miles of roadway near the plant. Fifteen Miller APSO and community volunteers on April 29 collected 25 bags of trash on the road from Plant Miller's holding ponds to I-22. Miller APSO adopted the area in 2013 as part of PALS' beautification efforts to keep communities litter-free. Since then, Miller APSO volunteers have removed bottles, tires, paper, books, medicine and even a couch. "It felt good to have a part in making a difference in the community where I work," said Angie Lawson, assistant plant control operator and first-time coordinator of Miller APSO's spring cleanup. Thumbs Up! PHOTO BY ANGIE LAWSON

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