Power of Good

I PowerofGood.com | Winter 2014 7 it's no sEcrEt that Alabama offers some gorgeous natural scenery. From mountains to beaches, we truly enjoy a variety of outdoor amenities. But for many natives, our lakes take the prize for the best vacation spot for relaxing that this state can offer. This is what Ben and Luanne Russell thought when they created the non- profit Children's Harbor on Lake Martin, a place to offer solace to children with long-term and serious illnesses and their families, an opportunity for families with unimaginable challenges to recharge free-of-cost. Children's Harbor's campus on Lake Martin boasts 66 acres and a mile and a half of shoreline. The campus can house over 200 guests at a time and offers the families that visit not only lodging on prime Lake Martin real estate but a swimming pool, basketball court, volleyball court, water trampoline and canoes. The nonprofit partners with a variety of organizations that focus on pro- viding comfort and support for sick and disabled children and their families. Children's Harbor hosts about 30 illness-related camps, serving about 4,000 Alabama children annually. REST continued on page 8 Rest and relaxation STORy By ALLISOn SwAGLER PHOTO By JOE DESCIOSE Children's Harbor on Lake martin offers a place that children with serious illnesses and their families can enjoy. "I'm looking forward to moving into our new building because it will have more private study areas for those who are just starting out, and a computer lab and library for learn- ers like me who have been working hard and are more advanced in our studies," said Rená Bell, one of The Literacy Council's learners. "It will be nice to have everything right there at our fingertips. Overall, I'm very excited." "The physical space is so impor- tant to making a person feel com- fortable while in a tutoring session," said Cara Dawn Jones, one of the agency's tutors. "This new and improved space will be a wonderful environment for helping learners feel confident and excited to come back each week and continue their journey." The Literacy Council was formed in 1991 by the United Way of Central Alabama, the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and the Junior League of Birmingham. Since then, the agency has worked to help alleviate the problem of adult illiter- acy in central Alabama. The agency serves Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker counties, an area with more than 92,000 functionally illiterate adults – roughly 16 percent of the region's adult population. While that is a startling figure, it's also a sign of progress. When The Literacy Council was formed, that percentage was 25 percent. The Alabama Power Foundation has been a partner to The Literacy Council for more than 20 years. "The Literacy Council would not exist if not for the Alabama Power Foundation," Wilder said. "The foundation gave us our start by giv- ing us our very first check." The lighthouse at Children's Harbor shines over Lake Martin.

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