Davisville, WV (April 12, 2011) – DuPont (Washington Works Division) and Appalachian Power – both members of the Polymer Alliance Zone – will be honored for outstanding dedication to their communities through service and volunteerism at the 2^nd Annual Business Volunteerism Awards taking place on April 13 in Charleston.   The event, sponsored by the WV Business Volunteer Council, will take place at the West Virginia Cultural Center with a lunch at the Governor’s Mansion to follow.

“Both DuPont and Appalachian Power are very deserving of this recognition,” said Karen Facemyer, president of the Polymer Alliance Zone.  “Both companies do so much for the local communities in which they operate and for the state as a whole.”

The April 13 event will highlight members of the West Virginia Business Volunteer Council and include short presentations from state officials and award recipients.   Businesses from around the state were nominated for their spirit of corporate volunteerism and community service accomplishments in 2010. Appalachian Power and DuPont were recognized for the following initiatives:

• Appalachian Power:  Appalachian Power (AEP) incorporates service as part of its management structure. In 2010, more than half of the company’s 2,400 employees volunteered their time for either company-sponsored projects or self-initiated service such as coaching little league or serving on a nonprofit board.  “Read to Me Day” has been an initiative of AEP for the past 10 years and allows employees to take time from regular work hours to read aloud to children in more than 280 elementary schools.  Participation in the program occurs at all levels, from the company president to field employees.  Since the program’s beginning, AEP has donated more than 3,000 books to school libraries, benefiting more than 125,000 West Virginia students.  AEP also began promoting the WV “eMentoring” program to its employees in 2010. Through this program, employees mentor high school students from across the state using Internet-based programs. The company supports the program by funding required background checks for employee mentors and allowing employees to participate during regular work hours.

"Participating in Read to Me Day has become a company tradition,” said Jeri Matheney, AEP communications director. “It's a great opportunity for our employees to be involved in the communities where they work and live, and they really look forward to this day every year.  Our overriding goal is to encourage a love of reading. Good readers make good students, and the best way to turn children into readers is to read aloud to them.”

• DuPont (Washington Works Division):  DuPont’s “Fun with Science” Road Show has been an initiative of the company for more than 15 years.  The program allows employees to visit elementary schools in West Virginia to give students an exciting look at the scientific disciplines of cryogenics, pyrotechnics and polymer science.  In 2010, students learned to use the scientific techniques to create an iodine clock, turn a banana into a hammer, and ignite gas-filled balloons.  More than 40,000 children have benefited from the project since its beginning.  The company also supports the Ohio River Sweep, known as the largest river clean-up project in the world. In 2010, approximately 90 DuPont employees and community volunteers participated in the project.  DuPont also participates in Partners in Education, career days at primary and secondary schools, and an employee community fund. In 2010, more than $170,000 was given to area organizations through this fund.
  

The Business Volunteerism Awards is in its second year and recognizes businesses for the important role they play in making West Virginia communities better places to live and work.  

For more information on the West Virginia Business Volunteer Council or to RSVP for the Business Volunteerism Awards ceremony and luncheon, contact Kellie Aikman at (304) 558-0111 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Visit www.volunteerwv.org for more information about Volunteer West Virginia.