POWERGRAMS

30 Conditioning Training Center, as the facility moves from its longtime home in Clanton. "It's not only a wonderful opportunity for Alabama Power Company, but for Jasper and Bevill State, as well," Collins says. "All of the people training there will be staying here in hotels and eating in our restaurants, bringing a boost to our school and the local economy." Last year, the heralded basketball program returned aer a five-year absence, with newly named mascot "Grizz Lee Bear," chosen through an online voting campaign. The team gained national prominence under Glen Clem, who coached 1,000 games in 37 years before dying at age 59 in 1996. The Bevill gymnasium bears his name, as does the Alabama Junior College Coach of the Year award. The Bevill baseball team, which won the state championship and finished well in the national junior college tournament in 2001 and 2003, this spring will play for the first time in six years. "We have a long history of very successful athletics," Collins says. "Everyone is excited to see that tradition return." WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE BETTER A concerted effort by nonprofit community groups has brought a brighter day for Jasper residents as new businesses open and opportunities abound. The past two years have seen more than 40 downtown renovations totaling $1.2 million, building purchases nearing $4 million and 17 new businesses creating 80 jobs. Bevill and Jasper industrial parks are home to 15 plants employing more than 500 workers. These successes derive from the efforts of the Jasper Main Street, Jasper Industrial Board, Chamber of Commerce of Walker County, Walker Area Community Foundation, Walker County Arts Alliance, Walker County Development Authority, local business leaders and elected officials working hand in hand to li their community. "I don't think a lot of communities can tell you that all of their organizations work well together," says Linda Lewis, who's been president of the local chamber for 22 years. "I love partnerships and you don't have such wide-ranging partnerships in a lot of places." Ironically, Lewis grew up geing Alabama Power customers' lights back on. Her father, 87-year-old Energizer Chuck McKellar, in emergencies let his kids answer their home phone when folks called to say they had an outage. As a young girl, Lewis would call the Jasper Crew Headquarters and report the customer names and addresses. She later worked part- time in the Dora Office. Today, Lewis tackles more and bigger issues, ones affecting the livelihood of her county's 67,000 people. The chamber's second consecutive five-year development plan, "Forward Walker County," is targeting retail growth, workforce readiness, image and community engagement. Part of the plan involves Students study for final exams inside the Jesse Student Center.

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