POWERGRAMS

PAG E 5 100% CONNECTED After a busy day of fishing for the first time, little Leigha Dupree was ready to move to the next level. Her mother, Christa Dupree, waited with bated breath for her kindergartener's reaction to catching a fish. Leigha exclaimed, "It's so slimy." "When Leigha caught one, she was ecstatic," said Christa, as Leigha rested at her side. "I was really hoping she'd love fishing and see what it's all about. Her uncle loves fishing, and we want to do that in June. It will be our first time to go to Orange Beach." Giving children with special needs the chance to enjoy a day of fishing and other new activities is the whole point of Exceptional Anglers, said Mike Clelland, coordinator of the stewardship program for Environmental Affairs - Alabama Power. The event drew 1,200 Jefferson and Shelby County schoolchildren to "Just Gone Fishin', Not Wishin'" at Oak Mountain State Park on May 13-15. Many kids took their first try at angling with one-on-one help from a volunteer. Others went kayaking, jumped in a bounce house, had their faces painted or sang with musicians. The children had their fill of fried fish, hushpuppies, hot dogs and snacks. Christa Dupree was thrilled. "The atmosphere is great; it's definitely inviting," said Dupree, whose daughter attends Fultondale Elementary School. "Everyone is friendly. The volunteer who helped us was very patient." Indeed, the event "takes a village" of volunteers, said Jerry Moss, coordinator of Just Gone Fishin' through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). "If the volunteers didn't help, we couldn't do this," said Moss, who is retired. "There's so much demand to allow all these students to attend. They rotate the schools because of the limitations on volunteers. The kids look forward to this all year." More than 100 Alabama Power employees from several departments, the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) and Energizers retiree organization helped. Volunteers outfitted children with life vests, baited poles and served as fishing coaches, while others cooked the fish and did artwork. Environmental Affairs Specialist and APSO member Richard Brown relishes sharing his love of fishing with youngsters. Brown, who can be found on the Coosa River nearly every weekend, passed the joy of angling to his 16-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter. "Seeing the smiles on these kids' faces and helping them do something they wouldn't otherwise be able to do" is why Brown has volunteered for 15 years. He helped seven children catch several fish each. Pam Rush, a Jefferson County adaptive physical education teacher, assisted students in fishing and twirling a hula hoop. Rush's co-workers, Wanda Westbrook and Treva McDougal, have handled the event logistics for 21 years. "You look around and see these kids having fun," said Rush, who travels between four Jefferson County schools to improve the motor skills of special-needs students. "Some of them are touching a fish for the first time. To a lot of people, this doesn't mean a lot. But to us, helping them conquer their fears and actually catch a fish, it's very rewarding. "I've seen grown men cry here before," Rush said. "It touches your heart in a way that nothing else can." Clelland has taken part in Just Gone Fishin' for nine years. It's not a job to him, though he devotes many hours planning and coordinating the event. "Our company has always given plenty of support to Exceptional Anglers," he said. An Alabama Power Foundation donation helped cover the purchase of 6,000 catfish and bass, student T-shirts, fishing tackle and bait. Clelland and ADCNR staff stocked an enclosed 1-acre area of the lake, making it easier for every child to catch a fish. The efforts of so many mean "the world to these kids," said Crystal Cotton, whose 11-year-old son, Dylan, attended for the fifth year. Dylan's specialty is "belting out country songs with the band." "He just loves this, it makes his year," said Cotton, a Morris resident. "Next year, he's moving to North Jefferson Middle School for sixth grade, and I hope he'll be able to come here again. It's an awesome day." By Donna Cope 5 Fishin', Not Wishin' VO LU NTEERS H ELP CH I LD REN EN JOY SPECIAL DAY O N TH E L AKE About 1,200 children enjoyed fishing at Oak Mountain State Park in an event sponsored by the Alabama Power Foundation. More than 100 Alabama Power employees volunteered.

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