Alabama Power volunteers revitalize United Cerebral Palsy building in Anniston
Volunteers of the Alabama Power Service Organization’s (APSO) Eastern Division Chapter hosted a service project in partnership with United Cerebral Palsy of East Central Alabama on Tuesday, dedicating a day of service to revitalize the building’s exterior.
Approximately 40 volunteers cleared brush and landscaped around the exterior of the building before cleaning and giving the building a much-needed coat of paint.
“The outside of the building — the façade and those things — aren’t something that I always think about,” said Shane Ruffin, ECAUCP’s executive director. “I’m busy flying in that door to find out what’s going on, who needs what and that kind of thing, so it’s easy to walk past the exterior. But this is the first impression. This is what everybody sees when they pull up, so I’m excited that we got it nailed down and that we got it figured out and the rain held off for us to be able to do it today.”
While rain initially threatened to delay the project, the dark clouds made way for beautiful, sunny skies and allowed the work to commence. Within several hours, the entire building’s façade had been painted a deep red, accented by white columns and brown doors.
“This project, UCP, we have supported them in the past, but they have a need here to do this and work on their exterior,” said Julie Couch, who serves as APSO’s Eastern Division president. “I talked with Shane, and he said, ‘We just need to bring some life back into the building because it just looks tired.’ We wanted to do that for them because what they’re doing is so important across east Alabama. They serve several communities and counties, so we’re just thankful to partner with them and that they’re giving us the opportunity.”
The ECAUCP hosts multiple programs, serving people of all ages who have intellectual disabilities. Its Early Intervention Program works with kids up to 3 years old, providing speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and sensory therapies to children. The organization also hosts an inclusive day care, where about a third of 60 kids have a developmental disability, as well as adult-oriented programs.
“We’ve got about 150 kids across seven counties, so we have a big reach and that’s important because a lot of these folks in rural counties don’t have transportation,” Ruffin said. “We go to them, we treat them in their home and work with them where they are.”
With the new coat of paint applied to the building and the landscaping having been cleared up, Ruffin is hopeful the building now appears more welcoming.
APSO offers service opportunities across Alabama through a variety of projects. Boasting more than 1 million volunteer hours since its inception, the organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Alabamians through acts of service in their communities.
“At Alabama Power, it’s amazing being able to kind of put your job on pause in a sense, and they welcome this option to serve,” Couch said. “I’m thankful for that — that we’re able to give back to the community.”
To learn more about United Cerebral Palsy of East Alabama, visit the website here. To learn more about the Alabama Power Service Organization and its efforts, click here.
