POWERGRAMS

44 HAPPY TRAILS In a football-crazed state, receiving kudos from a College Football Hall of Fame inductee for her life-changing impact on children's lives is a coup for Teri Terry. Former University of Alabama coach Gene Stallings called Terry a "real go-geer," adding that it is her drive and energy through the years that helped the Rise Center grow into the successful facility it is today. Both Stallings and Terry have a special place in their heart for the Rise Center, a facility on the University of Alabama campus that prepares infants and children with disabilities for the next step in their education. "Teri is one of those people who knows how to organize and how to get people to do things," Stallings said. "In fact, the first Rise golf tournament raised only $1,700, and now it makes more than $250,000. And a lot of that is because of what Teri has done." Aer becoming the Crimson Tide's coach in 1990, Stallings began lending support to the Rise program, and that's where he met Terry. She had been volunteering at the center since her son, Ian, was born with Down syndrome four years earlier. Stallings, whose son, Johnny, had Down syndrome, and Terry cemented their friendship when she helped with a capital campaign he was leading for a state-of-the-art facility to house the school. "Teri is a very unselfish person who always gives back," Stallings said. "Obviously, she was interested in Rise because of Ian, but I think she would have done that without him." Although she is deeply commied to Rise, Terry, who retired in July aer 38 years at Alabama Power, has poured just as much energy into her job and into the lives of co-workers. She believes that reaching out to other employees, especially younger ones, is her special calling. Power Delivery Distribution Manager Greg Long thinks of Terry as the "mother of the work group," and said she makes the office feel like home. "Teri fully understands how all the pieces of the company fit together and what it takes for things to run smoothly," Long said. "Because of that and her nature to make sure things get done right, Teri takes the young engineers under her wing and passes her knowledge along to them. She teaches them to think about the long-term implications of decisions they make today." Terry, PD Distribution general clerk, spent her days handling work orders, dealing with customers and answering phones. But Long said she is most known as the chief of morale, making sure birthdays are celebrated and keeping the atmosphere in the office fun and lighthearted. Terry shared her passion for Rise with her co-workers. Because of Terry, many of them volunteered to rock infants at the Rise Center, host Halloween parties for kids or assisted with fundraisers, such as the annual golf tournament. Western Division Market Specialist Karen Burklew volunteered alongside Terry at the Rise Terry's leadership helped center Rise to prominence by Carla Davis Terry was long-time PD Distribution general clerk.

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