POWERGRAMS

11 In small-town Demopolis, it's not unusual for Jennifer Cassity to run into teachers and administrators from her child's school. Many of the teachers are aware that she works at Greene County Steam Plant, one of the community's largest employers and a big supporter of education. The upbeat side of seeing teachers from Westside Elementary School is they are so appreciative of help from the Western Division Chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO), Cassity added. "A teacher, Constance Cleveland, reached out to me and confided that the school had decided to return to a play-based kindergarten, using dramatic play to help kids learn," said Cassity, Compliance and Support manager and 2016 Western APSO president. "Westside Elementary has 10 kindergarten classes. With our state's allotment for schools, it would take 15 years to fully embrace this philosophy." 'Drive the Cadillac' With APSO's ongoing commitment to improving education for children, Cassity knew that members of the company's charitable service arm would want to help. "I asked, 'What would it take for everyone to get what they need,'" said Cassity, an APSO member since she began her career 13 years ago at Greene County. Cleveland demurred, offering a lower- than-required cost estimate to cover the equipment. But Cassity pressed on: "If you could drive the Cadillac on this, what would it take to handle all of it?" Finally, Cleveland gave the total investment necessary to supply 10 kindergarten classes' needs – $7,500 for equipment, including science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) kits; kitchen sets; doctor, nurse, police and firefighter costumes that promote career education; and large tables with water wheels to demonstrate energy production. Western APSO Chapter provided everything. "We ordered and bought the equipment, our members delivered and unpackaged it, and then set up everything in the classrooms over the summer so we wouldn't hinder classes or the teachers," said Power Generation Analyst Donna Marie Wilson, who helped coordinate the purchase of equipment. "We really wanted to help these teachers, and were looking for a place to make a big impact quickly. We are so happy to be able to help with projects like this." Western APSO South sub-area members assisting included Teresa Bryant, Elaine Fetzer, Mark Freeman, Cassity and Wilson. Wilson said her 5-year-old son, Dylan, looks forward to school, thanks to the play equipment. "He thinks it's so much fun to go to school," said Wilson, an APSO member for 11 years. "So far he hasn't wanted to miss a day. I think that this equipment brings so much enjoyment to the kids." Roshonda Jackson, who became principal of Westside Elementary School in August, said she and her teachers are thankful for the help from Western APSO members. "This equipment means so much to our teachers," said Jackson, former principal of J.E. Hobbs Elementary School in Camden. "Kindergarten is the building block of children's academic careers. Getting those fundamentals is critical to their development. If Alabama Power didn't do this, it wouldn't get done. I want to express my thanks to the Western group in the Alabama Power Service Organization. We owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who helped with this project. I know that our parents appreciate what was done for our 200 kindergarteners." For Cassity, the project provided fulfillment because it will long impact children and education in Marengo County. Western parking project 'runs like clockwork' There's nothing like a prime parking spot, especially on game day. Some fortunate fans of the University of Alabama are enjoying excellent real estate: "sure-thing" parking down the road from Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Thanks to the proximity of the Western Division Offices to the Crimson Tide arena, more than 100 fans park at the Alabama Power facility for every home game. In 2004, a parking fundraiser was spearheaded by APSO's Western Division Chapter. Working with then-Division Vice President Terry Waters, APSO members David Mayo and Pete Pecorino – both now retired – oversaw the fledgling Alabama Game Day/Home Day project. APSO members agreed to staff the parking lot during the games along with nonprofit volunteers, in exchange for parking fees that would benefit nonprofits in Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas. A win-win project "This is a great program," said Charles Elledge, who has worked on the parking project since 2012. "Prior to football season, every parking spot is sold. Joseph Pierson, who manages the project with Elledge, estimates that the parking nets about $23,000 annually – funds that are immediately invested back into charities. Western APSO rents 141 parking spots at the Tuscaloosa Office for seven Alabama football games, at $20 per person per game. "Best of all, most spots are prepaid before the games," said Elledge, Power Delivery (PD) engineer - Tuscaloosa. "Everyone wants to park here. If someone knows they won't be attending the game, we resell their parking spot." Every car gets a hangtag and a designated parking spot. Nonprofit volunteers who help host and work that day's event earn most of the day's profits for their group. APSO keeps a small portion to fund projects such as the recent equipment purchases for Westside Elementary School. Elledge and Pierson arrive at the Western Office well before most fans show up for the game. They ensure the process flows smoothly. At least two or three other APSO volunteers help. "The nonprofits are thrilled with the arrangements," said Pierson, PD engineer - Tuscaloosa. A week after each game, Western APSO members present a check to the designated charity. About a dozen nonprofits benefit from the APSO parking each year. "We're glad this is so popular because our chapter gets to help several benevolent groups," said Lindsey Dill, 2017 Western Division APSO president and operations assistant at the Western Distribution Operations Center. "This is what we do in APSO – we make our community better." Western Division APSO projects help children and community thrive by Donna Cope

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