POWERGRAMS

6 When Wayne King first toured the Presbyterian Home for Children, he noticed one of the cottages on campus was sorely in need of a face-lift, with its 1970s color scheme and décor. "Everything was beige," said King, Talladega Office manager. "It was tired and worn-out looking. There wasn't any color or life inside the building. My feeling was that if we could slap a little paint on the walls, liven up the place and create a happier environment, it would be easier on the kids who live there to be away from their homes." King enlisted the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) Talladega subchapter's help in bringing the cottage into the 21st century. Known as Whitfield Cottage, it's the home of eight girls ages 10-14. The cottage is part of the Presbyterian Home for Children's 88-acre campus near downtown Talladega. This residential foster care facility houses up to 40 boys and girls – many of whom are referred by the Alabama Department of Human Resources. Talladega APSO members began by working with the facility staff to formulate a plan that would meet the girls' needs. The members put together for the staff 's approval a storyboard with their chosen colors and swatches of fabric. On Feb. 19-20, 15 volunteers arrived at the cottage with paint, brushes and cleaning supplies in hand. They spent the first day painting walls of the great room a pale gray, with yellow above the picture molding. On the following day, they finished the job by painting the trim around the doors and windows. APSO members returned on March 20 for their third workday. To give the kitchen a cheery feel, the volunteers painted it bright yellow, trimmed in navy blue. The parlor, the room where girls visit friends and family, was also updated. To make the room cozier, June Johnson, the mother-in-law of Talladega Customer Service Representative Breanna Walker, sewed green and navy print cushion covers for the couches and chairs. APSO also bought and hung several pictures. "The furniture was covered with a maroon nylon fabric and looked like it belonged in a doctor's office," King said. "With the new slipcovers, it looks more like teenage girls live there and not somebody's grandma." Allen Whisenant said helping with the project was a pleasure. "We see the kids around town and they wave and holler, 'Hey, we love you, Alabama Power,'" said Whisenant, Talladega crew foreman. "They really appreciate what we are doing for them." "I wanted to be part of this project because I think it's important work they do there – taking children in who don't have anywhere else to go," said Angie Fortner, budget analyst, Eastern Division Office. "It makes you feel good to make a difference in these children's lives." Along with helping with the trim and walls, Fortner painted a bold chevron design on the partition between the great room and the kitchen, adding a special touch to the more modern look of the rooms. To further decorate the great room, King's wife, Cheryl, created fabric-covered wall hangings and lettered a rustic wooden sign with inspirational quotes. She sewed gray, yellow and blue print curtains to match the great room walls. APSO continued the renovations April 16 and 29. Using colors selected by the girls, they painted three bedrooms green and a fourth blue. They will complete the project by painting the hallways in May and June. "This has been a wonderful gift to us," said Karla Conway, director of Resource Development, Presbyterian Home for Children. "The whole cottage needed a facelift. The girls love having something that's so fresh and modern." In addition to the work in the cottage, Talladega APSO filled eight baskets last fall with towels, a set of sheets, a comforter, hangers, a Bible and a stuffed animal. The baskets are given to children entering the facility to help them feel at home. King said employees from the Talladega Office and Crew Headquarters, local operations linemen and Anniston Office volunteered for the painting project. "It has been a great opportunity for us to do something for somebody else instead of just giving money," King said. "These kids know that somebody cares enough about them to take time to paint a wall where they live." By Carla Davis Talladega Turnaround POWER TO ALABAMA Talledega PD-Distribution General Clerk Lindsay Smith paints in Whitfield Cottage. VOLUNTEERS BRIGHTEN ATMOSPHERE AT HOME FOR CHILDREN Photos by Jacki Thacker

• Cover