Harold Walker, 57, is known as the “creative one” at the Crystal River Nuclear Plant (CR3) in Crystal River, Fla. So anytime a special team is formed, he is often the first person picked. “I was on the diversity team for three years at CR3,” Walker said. “We sponsored many events, but I always thought we could do something bigger.”
Walker never envisioned “bigger” to literally be an 8,000-square-foot building located on the same site where the first African-American, one-room wooden schoolhouse once stood in Crystal River. “My daughter-in-law taught a class on living a purpose driven life,” Walker said. “So, when I drove by the George Washington Carver Community Center concrete slab on my way to church, I wondered if I could help.”
Help he would, quickly becoming the project’s volunteer construction manager. Now, the steel beams are up at the center, and Walker has enlisted help from his co-workers at CR3. “I do not have all of the skill sets,” Walker said. “But I know a lot of talented people who have the expertise. I’m always amazed by how they can look at what’s needed and just get it done.”
This summer, as part of the Duke Energy In Action volunteer program, nearly four dozen CR3 employees logged about 250 man-hours to advance the project and even hosted a car wash to raise money. “I’ve been so touched and humbled by the people who’ve sacrificed time with their families and even overtime shifts at the plant to help advance this project,” Walker said. “Though we are decommissioning, we still want to support the community at a time when nonprofits are stretched for resources.”
This project and CR3’s volunteerism is just one example of Duke Energy’s commitment to giving back to the communities it serves. Two other nuclear plants in the fleet participated in similar Duke Energy In Action volunteer events this summer.
Catawba volunteers renovate local shelter
Catawba volunteers renovate local shelter Catawba Nuclear Station employees volunteered their time and talent to benefit the Tender Hearts Pantry in York, S.C. Tender Hearts Pantry provides food, clothing and shelter to those in need in the York County community.
In just one day, Catawba teams assembled 18 new shelving units, cleared the loading dock of surplus material and organized the scrap metal pile. The volunteers also cleaned and painted a food pantry. In all, 16 people volunteered, logging approximately 120 man-hours.
"This was for a great cause, and we had a lot of fun working together," event organizer Teresa Wilkins said. "The work was highly appreciated by the organization."
McGuire Nuclear Station Helps Crisis Center
McGuire Nuclear Station helps crisis center Just two weeks after the Catawba event, nearly a dozen McGuire Nuclear Station teammates volunteered at the Ada Jenkins Center in Mooresville, N.C. The facility assists individuals and families during times of crisis. The center offers crisis counseling, medical and dental services, youth programs and classes to promote economic independence.
McGuire’s volunteers spent several hours working on the center’s playground, spreading mulch, pressure washing the equipment and refreshing the playground to make it safer and more enjoyable for the families the center serves.
“We are proud of McGuire teammates’ dedication and desire to have a positive impact on the community through a diverse range of projects,” McGuire site vice president Steven Capps said. “These volunteer efforts demonstrate our commitment to our neighbors and the community.”
The Duke Energy In Action events at Catawba, CR3 and McGuire are just a few examples of activities the Duke Energy nuclear fleet leads each year. The company’s nuclear teams also sponsor local school supply, book-collection, food, toiletries and blood drives; participate in United Way, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and Boy Scouts of America events; volunteer at local soup kitchens, animal shelters and community centers; host golf, softball and fishing tournaments to raise money for local charities; and help underprivileged children and families by purchasing items on their holiday wish lists.
August 20, 2013