Alabama Power volunteers join others to clean up Mobile, Baldwin coastlines

By Shirley Jackson

Despite the heat, volunteers from the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) participated in the 39th annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup – the state’s largest volunteer event, which takes place every third Saturday in September – across Mobile and Baldwin counties.

APSO volunteers began picking up trash near Meaher State Park in Spanish Fort along the Mobile Causeway on Friday.

Chris Mayfield, an Alabama Power economic development representative and Mobile Division president for APSO, coordinated the cleanup.

“Following a safety briefing, team members put on fluorescent yellow, high-visibility safety vests and went to work,” Mayfield said. “The energy was amazing. It showed just how much our volunteers care about keeping Alabama beautiful.”

APSO was among thousands of other volunteers from multiple organizations and businesses who helped remove debris from 33 cleanup zones along rivers, creeks, bays and beaches across the region.

In 2025, volunteers removed 15,197 pounds of debris during the Alabama Coastal Cleanup. All of this data was added to the International Coastal Cleanup’s global database, according to Emily Carter, a Natural Resources planner and Alabama Coastal Cleanup State lead for the State Lands Division, Coastal Section of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Carter said that she was grateful for every volunteer who participated and was truly thankful for another great turnout this year.

Carolyn Willingham, an Alabama Power major accounts marketing specialist and APSO member, participated for the first time.

“I was honored to have this opportunity to volunteer and help protect our environment by clearing roadside trash, hoping to leave our coastal bays and estuaries a bit cleaner,” Willingham said. “Within a 1-mile radius of the park, we uncovered a wide variety of debris, including cigarette butts, broken glass, clothing, plastic bags, cardboard, car parts and beverage cans.”

“After we finished the cleanup, we had eight large trash bags,” Mayfield said. “We want to be good corporate citizens, and part of that is being an active community member and taking care of the environment that we live in. Every day, we want to leave this place better than we found it. We definitely want to do our part and be engaged. We want to make sure we have clean areas for our kids and for future generations.”

Alabama Power Service Organization brings together employees and their families who believe making a difference goes beyond financial support. With nine active chapters across Alabama, APSO members volunteer their time to support local communities where they live and work. In 2025, volunteers contributed an average of nearly four hours per person, proving that philanthropy is not only about dollars given, but about showing up and giving time where it matters most.

Alabama People Against a Littered State (PALS) and the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (ADCNR) partner to coordinate the Alabama Coastal Cleanup. In addition to this annual event, Alabama PALS has created several programs to promote a litter-free ethic throughout the state including Adopt-A-Mile, Adopt-A-Stream and “Don’t Drop it on Alabama” Spring Cleanup.

The Alabama Coastal Cleanup is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, an annual effort to remove marine debris from coastal waters around the world.

Since joining the initiative in 1987, more than 115,000 volunteers have removed nearly 2 million pounds of debris, improving public health, conserving wildlife habitats and supporting local tourism. This ongoing progress is made possible by the hard work and dedication of the leaders and volunteers who remain committed to keeping our coast clean.