Alabama Power, volunteers focus on stewardship, conservation this spring

Alabama Power employees will be busy this spring, volunteering with community partners across the state to work on Renew Our Rivers cleanups and other events focused on environmental stewardship, conservation and education.

Thirteen Renew Our Rivers cleanups planned for April and May will draw thousands of volunteers to help clean Alabama’s lakes and rivers. Other events scheduled include tree giveaways, fish habitat construction and installations, hands-on educational events for students and more.

"Alabama Power employees are committed to protecting the environment, on the job and in their communities," said Susan Comensky, vice president for Environmental Affairs. "We work with partners across the state to raise awareness about Alabama’s natural beauty and its biological diversity while supporting efforts to help conserve our state’s important natural resources."

Here is a list of Alabama Power, Alabama Power Foundation and Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO)-supported stewardship, conservation and education events taking place in the coming weeks:

March 29: Tree planting and spruce up, Wilmer Hall Children’s Home, Mobile

Mobile Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) members will spruce up the grounds of Wilmer Hall Children’s Home by planting, weeding, pruning and mulching, in partnership with United Way of Southwest Alabama.

April 4: Indy education event, Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Contact: Robin White 205-257-4548

Alabama Power will host an education event for high school students focused on electric transportation and career opportunities in the automotive field.

April 12-13: The Dam Ride, 2019, Coosa River, Contact: Herbie Johnson 205-257-1359

Bicycle or kayak by Alabama Power hydro dams on the Coosa River in Shelby and Chilton counties. The event supports the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Alabama-Mississippi Chapter.

April 14: Darter Festival, Cahaba Brewing Co., Birmingham

Alabama Power is supporting the eighth annual Darter Festival, which helps fund the Southern Environmental Center’s conservation projects and environmental education programs at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve.

April 15: Electrathon, Alabama Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Contact: Robin White 205-257-4548 https://skyyouth.org/

High school and college students design, build and test electric vehicles in annual competition. Students learn about alternative energy, aerodynamics, friction/resistance and energy efficiency.

April 16: Fish habitat construction and installation, Lake Jordan Bonner’s Landing, Wetumpka, Contact: Mike Clelland 205-664-6391

Alabama Power employees will build and install fish habitats on Lake Jordan with ADCNR and Lake Jordan HOBO.

April 18: Tree planting, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island

Plant Barry APSO members will plant trees at Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

April 20: Fish habitat construction and installation, Lake Mitchell Higgins Ferry Park, Clanton, Contact: Mike Clelland 205-664-6391

Alabama Power employees will build and install fish habitats on Lake Mitchell with ADCNR and Lake Mitchell HOBO.

April 20: Greener State, The Market at Pepper Place, Birmingham

Alabama Power employees will share information about the company’s Greener State renewable energy program. www.greenerstate.com.

April 20: Earth Day, Lovelady Center, Birmingham

APSO volunteers will help assemble and plant raised-bed gardens at the Lovelady Center, which supports the successful re-entry of female inmates into society.

April 25: Coastal Kids Quiz, Daphne United Methodist Church, Daphne, Contact: Valencia Chaney 251-694-2318

Alabama Power sponsors and APSO members volunteer at environmentally focused quiz bowl competition. The event is organized by the Alabama Coastal Foundation and Project Conservation Action Through Education.

May 11: Creekfest, Tricentennial Park, Mobile, http://www.creekfest.org/

Alabama Power employees will partner with the city of Mobile for an Arbor Day event and tree giveaway at Creekfest, a celebration of Three Mile Creek.

Renew Our Rivers is marking its 20th year in 2019. Since the program’s inception, Alabama Power employees and 117,000 volunteers have removed more than 15.5 million pounds of trash and debris from waterways across the Southeast. In 2018, 4,000 volunteers removed more than 268,000 pounds from Alabama lakes, rivers and shorelines. There are 13 remaining opportunities to volunteer at a Renew Our Rivers cleanup this spring:

March 24-March 30: Lay Lake (Coosa River), Contact: Judy Jones 205-669-4865.

March 31-April 6: Logan Martin Lake (Coosa River), Contact: Mike Riley 205-531-2372.

April 6: Cahaba River, Contact: David Butler info@cahabariverkeeper.com.

April 6: Plant E.C. Gaston (Lay Lake), Contact: Tanisha Fenderson tfenders@southernco.com.

April 10-11: Smith Lake (Winston County), Contact: Allison Cochran 205-489-5111.

April 19: Plant Miller (Locust Fork), Contact: Jeff Baker 205-408-2033 or jkbaker@southernco.com.

April 20: Weiss Lake, Contact: Sam Marko 404-626-8594.

April 26: Smith Lake (Cullman County), Contact: Jim Murphy 205-529-5981.

April 27: Lake Jordan (Coosa River), Contact: Brenda Basnight 334-478-3388.

April 30-May 1: Plant Barry (Mobile River), Contact: Bo Cotton 251-331-0603.

May 6-7: Smith Lake (Walker County), Contact: Roger Treglown 205-300-5253.

May 10: Gorgas Steam Plant (Mulberry Fork), Contact: Joel McCray jmccray@southernco.com.

May 18: Bankhead Lake (Black Warrior River), Contact: Buck Vines 205-226-1170.

For details about Alabama Power’s efforts to protect the environment and conserve natural resources, visit www.alabamapower.com. Click "Our Company" and then "Environmental Stewardship." To learn more about Renew Our Rivers, please visit www.alabamapower.com/renewourrivers.