What:      Shelby County Habitat for Humanity, the Alabama Associated
             General Contractors (AGC) and its Young Constructor's Forum,
             Lowe's, Alabama Power and other sponsors will attempt to build
             the "world's fastest house," breaking the world record set in
             New Zealand in 2000.

  When:      Tuesday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
             Dedication ceremony: 3:40 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.

  Where:     45 New Hope Drive, Montevallo

  Homeowner: Bonnie Lilly, a nursing technician and single mother

  Sponsors:  This project has community-wide participation from
             approximately 75 sponsors, including churches, nonprofit
             organizations, professional associations, businesses, schools
             and civic groups.  Major sponsors include the Alabama AGC
             (Associated General Contractors of America) and its Young
             Constructor's Forum, Lowe's Home Improvement, Alabama Power
             Service Organization, AMICA Insurance, BellSouth Pioneers,
             Brice Building Company and Wheeler's Building Materials.

  VIPs:      Vonetta Flowers, 2001 Olympic Gold Medallist, will sound the
             starting gun for construction.  Millard Fuller, founder and
             president of Habitat International from Americus, Georgia, will
             be onsite and available to autograph his latest book, Building
             Materials for Life.

  History:   The idea for the world's fastest house came from Mark Davis, a
             local inventor and businessman who is on Shelby County
             Habitat's Board.  Davis visited New Zealand on business in 2000
             and learned the Habitat organization there had set the world
             record for building a house -- in just 3 hours, 44 minutes, 59
             seconds.  Davis challenged the Shelby County Habitat for
             Humanity chapter to beat the world record.  The Alabama AGC
             team also took on the challenge, and has spent hundreds of
             hours designing and planning the construction step-by-step.
             The New Zealand team shared a video of the house being built,
             which the Alabama AGC team has studied like a football team
             studying a play-by-play tape.  They plan to build the three-
             bedroom, two-bath home in Montevallo in 3 hours, 14 minutes.
             The last record set in Alabama for building a Habitat for
             Humanity home was 23 hours, 30 minutes, set by Alabama Power in
             April 2000 on the first anniversary of the F-5 tornado that hit
             Jefferson County.

             A storage building will be built by members of the media.

  Key events:

  9:00 a.m.   Hospitality and Information Tents open.
  10:45 a.m.  Vonetta Flowers takes post with Doug Demmons, Chad Calhoun and
              major sponsors.
  11:00 a.m.  Vonetta Flowers sounds starting gun and clock starts for
              construction countdown.
  11:30 a.m.  Mini-build of storage shed by media begins.
  Noon        Lunch is available for spectators and volunteers.
  2:30 p.m.   (or before) Build is complete.  Declaration of world-record.
  3:30 p.m    New Zealand representative presents trophy.
  3:40 p.m.   Dedication ceremony begins.
  5:25 p.m.   Santa Claus and his elves pay a visit to the Lilly residence
              and other families at New Hope Village.
  5:30 p.m.   Lowe's Home Improvement hosts Millard Fuller book-signing at
              its Valleydale Road location.
  6:20 p.m.   Christmas lighting ceremony and music at Lilly residence.

Driving directions: From Birmingham, take I-65 South to Shelby County Airport exit #234. Turn left off exit and go to Route 12, which will dead-end at Route 22. Turn right onto Route 22 and go to the stoplight at Route 119. Turn left and go into downtown Montevallo. Just past McDonald's and Subway, turn right onto Route 10 (Middle Street). Look for Habitat for Humanity parking sign.

  Contacts:
  Doug Demmons, Executive Director of Shelby County Habitat: (205) 969-3271
  Mark Davis, Board of Directors, Shelby County Habitat: (205) 663-7006
  Bill Caton, Alabama AGC: (205) 252-8021
  Chad Calhoun, Project Manager, Brice Building Co.: (205) 930-9911

Contact Erin Drummond of Shelby County Habitat for Humanity to talk with Bonnie Lilly, recipient of the "World's Fastest House": (205) 838-1009

Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company , provides reliable, affordable electricity to more than 1.3 million customers across the state. Alabama Power's average retail price is more than 15 percent below the national average. The Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) includes more than 3,000 Alabama Power, Southern Nuclear and Southern Company employees and their families. APSO members pledge their money and their volunteer labor to a variety of worthy cause across the state.

  News Media Contact:   Sandi G. Robinson
  Media Inquiry Line:   (205) 257-4155
                        sgrobins@southernco.com

                        Doug Demmons, Executive Director
                        Shelby County Habitat for Humanity
                        (205) 969-3271
                        dpdemmons@aol.com

PRNewswire -- Dec. 13

SOURCE: Alabama Power