Across the Carolinas and Midwest, Duke Energy employees, including those at our nuclear stations, provide more than safe, reliable electricity this holiday season. They also provide holiday cheer throughout their communities through their holiday charitable giving campaigns described below.
Catawba Nuclear Station Efforts
To help our neighbors stay warmer this winter, Catawba Nuclear Nation employees cleaned out their closets and opened their wallets to collectively donate 85 new and gently used coats/jackets and numerous sweaters, long sleeve shirts, gloves, hats and scarves to benefit families through The Salvation Army.
Catawba employees also participated in the United Way’s Toys for Happiness, a program that gives donated toys to children in the York County, S.C. community. Employees not only contributed toys to the cause, but some even volunteered to work in the “Toy Warehouse.”
The giving doesn’t stop there. Hundreds of gifts and gift cards were happily given to nearly 50 children under the Department of Social Services care in York County Adopt a Child program. Thanks to employees’ generosity, children of all ages, from infants to older teens with developmental challenges, received bicycles, scooters, Kindles, iPods, PSPs, games, clothes, shoes, toys and gift cards.
McGuire Nuclear Station Efforts
At McGuire, participating in the U.S. Marine Corps-led program, Toys for Tots, has become a holiday tradition for employees at the site. Every year, the lobby at McGuire resembles a scene from Santa’s workshop, with several collection bins overflowing with gifts and every surface stacked high with baby dolls, soccer balls, remote control trucks and many other toys.
This year was no different. Employees came together to provide more than a thousand toys and 220 bikes to local families in the Charlotte area.
Oconee Nuclear Station Efforts
More than 140 children throughout Oconee County, S.C., will have a better, brighter Christmas thanks to Oconee Nuclear Station employees. Almost 400 gifts lined the floor of the complex lobby, awaiting pickup. Bicycles, dolls, littlest pet shop and transformers were among the most popular items.
For more than 10 years, the Oconee Chapter of Women in Nuclear (WIN) has sponsored this popular toy drive, benefiting families through The Salvation Army and SHARE, a United Way agency.
“Employees of Duke Energy at the Oconee site are overwhelmingly generous at Christmastime,” said Miranda Prater, Oconee employee and WIN member. “They have big hearts.”
Giving back to the communities surrounding our plants is important to Duke Energy employees and doesn’t stop with holiday giving. Duke Energy nuclear station workers also regularly participate in community drives throughout the year, including providing fans for seniors, coats to local families and school supplies for local schools.
