Home>Alabama Living>Pillars of the Community
Share

Pillars of the Community

The 2025 Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass recipients. Front row, from left, Kate Strickland, Melissa Wood, Cheri Hannah, Teresa Holmes, Susie Robbins, and Gail Murphy. Back row, from left, Christopher Jones, Sophia Jones, Philip Marsh, Robert Quattlebaum, Buddy Guilford, Joe Newsome, Kendall Allen, Ronnie Baine, and Beverly Sorenson.

Since 2016, the Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass program has been rewarding those who dedicate themselves to helping their communities and making the region a better place to live.

Recipients do what they do with little to no fanfare, and, when asked, most say that’s how they prefer it. A partnership between Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and WTVY, the Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass recognizes an individual each month, presenting the winner with a $1,000 award.

WEC Vice President of Member Services and Communication Stevie Sauls says it is a way to thank these unsung heroes for their contributions.

“This program is designed to honor individuals or groups who quietly make a difference and have a significant impact in the Wiregrass region,” Sauls told attendees at a recent banquet to recognize the 2025 winners. “You do it out of the goodness of your heart and love for the community, and a lot of times you don’t get anything in return for that, and you don’t look to get anything in return for that.”

The Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass awards are funded by the cooperative’s Operation Round Up Foundation, a charitable fund supported by WEC members who round up their monthly bills to the next dollar. An annual golf tournament also raises money for the foundation.

“You are the people who step up because you saw a need, not because you want a thank-you — the volunteers, the organizers, and the mentors who keep the community moving forward,” WTVY’s Terri Bodiford told recipients attending the banquet.