Gulf Power Company will recognize four community service organizations Monday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.

The inaugural “Power of Service” awards will be given to Truth for Youth, STRIDE, Chain Reaction and the General Daniel “Chappie” James Academy, four organizations that work to improve the lives of young people and to promote character and public service. Each organization will be given a $2,500 grant from Gulf Power, an inscribed award, and – from the White House – The President’s Volunteer Service Award.
 

“Dr. King preached the value of community service and Gulf Power is proud to launch this award program as a way to annually honor this special day and to encourage others to give back to the community,” said Sandy Sims, Gulf Power spokesperson. “Because of the encouragement and guidance of these programs, hundreds of local youths’ lives are positively changed.”

The awards ceremony and a reception will be held at Five Sisters Blues Café on Belmont Street in Pensacola.  

Gulf Power will also observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a float in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade at 11 a.m. on Gregory Street in downtown Pensacola. Gulf Power float volunteers will distribute free books to children and teens in support of Bethel Youth Development’s MLK Parade of Books project.

Power of Service Recipients:

Chain Reaction provides students between the ages of 13 and 18 with meaningful volunteer opportunities in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Chain Reaction works with over 1,200 teens and has partnered with 130 different community agencies, providing monthly opportunities for teens to volunteer. Chain Reaction seeks to develop Escambia and Santa Rosa teens into active citizens that recognize the significance of giving back and prepare them for their next journey after completing high school. Some of the services they provide include offering teens the opportunity to volunteer, character education and monthly leadership trainings. For more information, go to http://mychainreaction.org. 

The General Daniel “Chappie” James ACE Academy is an aviation exposure program designed to introduce young boys and girls to the aviation industry at all levels. Their goal is to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) through aviation that will allow young children to embrace education in a fun and positive way. The Pensacola ACE Academy started in 1996 and is sponsored by the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals Inc. For more information, go to www.obap.org.

Truth for Youth, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is comprised of an all-volunteer staff of concerned citizens, educators, and businesses in Pensacola. Overnight lock-ins are coordinated to provide social, civic, educational and recreational activities for inner-city, at-risk, underprivileged youth, ages six to 16. The targeted population includes economically distressed, low-income areas and supports both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. For more information, go to http://www.truthforyouth.org/.

The mission of Students Taking Responsibility In Developing Excellence (STRIDE) is to provide positive male role models, academic tutoring, and character development mentoring to fourth and fifth grade at-risk male students. STRIDE believes it is critical for male, at-risk students in this age group to receive academic and character development mentoring to enhance their opportunity of a successful future. Some of the goals of STRIDE include improving students’ performance on standardized tests, helping students resist negative peer pressure and encouraging students to take responsibility for their individual actions. For more information, go to www.stridementors.com. 
 

Gulf Power Company is an investor-owned electric utility with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 430,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely deliver affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible electric service to our customers while working to improve the communities we serve. Visit online at GulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page, “Gulf Power Company.”