13th Annual Heroes Golf Tournament Raises $150,000 in Support of U.S. Army Rangers

TUCKER, Ga., Nov. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In commemoration of Veterans Day, Oglethorpe Power, Georgia Transmission, Georgia System Operations and Georgia EMC presented a $150,000 donation to the Sua Sponte Foundation, a volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to providing rapid assistance to the Rangers and families of the 1st Ranger Battalion, part of the U.S. Army's elite 75th Ranger Regiment based in Savannah, Georgia. The contribution was raised through the companies' annual Heroes Invitational Golf Tournament, a private event held in early October.

Since 9/11, the Sua Sponte Foundation has assisted Rangers and their families in times of crisis. The organization hosts and sponsors events to increase the Rangers' morale and cohesiveness, helps to renovate wounded Rangers' homes, sends care packages to deployed troops, provides financial aid for medical expenses, offers job search assistance, helps Gold Star families who have lost a loved one in military service and maintains memorial grounds dedicated to fallen warriors of the 1st Ranger Battalion.

Richard Schooley, President of the Sua Sponte Foundation, expressed his gratitude for the donation and the impact it will make. "With the generous donation from the Heroes Golf Tournament, the Sua Sponte Foundation can continue to support Rangers and their families in meaningful ways. This significant contribution will help fund the construction of a new pavilion, The Ranger Heritage Center, which aims to provide a space where Rangers can relax, unwind and foster camaraderie."

The pavilion will be built on Savannah's Hunter Army Air Base and will be used by Rangers for meetings, ceremonies and recreation. The new Ranger Heritage Center will help meet the need for mental health support, which, although not always visible, is very real for service members deployed around the world in treacherous situations.  

Mike Smith, President & CEO of Oglethorpe Power, emphasized the company's dedication to supporting the veteran community. "In honor of Veterans Day tomorrow, we would like to extend our gratitude to all U.S. military veterans who have given their dedication to the cause for freedom. For 13 years, the Heroes Golf Tournament has benefited the active and veteran military community in Georgia. We are sincerely grateful for this year's golfers, donors and sponsors who helped us continue that tradition by raising $150,000 to support the meaningful efforts of the Sua Sponte Foundation."

"On Veterans Day, and every day, we're proud to recognize the dedication, service and sacrifice made by our military veterans," said Georgia Transmission President & CEO Barbara Hampton. "At Georgia Transmission, we consider it an honor that so many military veterans choose us for their civilian careers, and we appreciate the expertise and unique perspective they bring to our team. Supporting the work of the Sua Sponte Foundation through the Heroes Golf Tournament is just another opportunity we have to express our gratitude for the service and sacrifice made by servicemembers and their families."

"The Sua Sponte Foundation serves a critical purpose in assisting 75th Rangers and their families, and Georgia System Operations is proud to be able to contribute to that," said Georgia System Operations President & CEO Greg Ford. "We value the many veterans who contribute to our company's success, and we're honored to continue supporting active duty and retired service members."

"EMCs across Georgia are proud to employ Veterans who play an important role in helping provide reliable and safe electricity to millions of Georgians," said Georgia EMC President & CEO Dennis Chastain. "It's truly an honor to raise funds for our current and veteran Army Rangers who have sacrificed so much for our freedom."

Left to Right: David Sorrick, Oglethorpe Power Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer; Barbara Hampton, Georgia Transmission President & CEO; Richard Schooley, Sua Sponte Foundation President; Greg Ford, Georgia System Operations President & CEO

About Oglethorpe Power

Oglethorpe Power is among the nation's largest power supply cooperatives and is one of the largest energy producers in Georgia. With more than $16 billion in assets, Oglethorpe Power owns and operates a diverse portfolio of resources to provide reliable, affordable, safe and environmentally responsible energy to 38 consumer-owned, not-for-profit Electric Membership Cooperatives (EMCs) who provide retail electricity to approximately 4.4 million Georgians. Through its investment in nuclear, natural gas, hydro and coal resources, Oglethorpe Power's generation fleet has a combined capacity of more than 8,500 megawatts. For more information, visit www.opc.com.

About Georgia Transmission

Georgia Transmission Corp., a not-for-profit cooperative owned by 38 Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs), owns more than 4,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and more than 770 substations. These facilities deliver power to Georgia's EMCs, providing electricity to more than 4.4 million Georgians. For more information, visit www.gatransmission.com.  

About Georgia System Operations

Georgia System Operations Corporation is a not-for-profit corporation owned by 38 Georgia electric membership corporations, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, and Georgia Transmission Corporation.  GSOC delivers safe, reliable, and economic power by controlling and monitoring electric generation, transmission, and distribution assets owned by OPC, GTC, Smarr EMC, the Members, and their power supply partners. Operating within the Southeastern reliability subregion of the SERC Reliability Corporation, GSOC complies with all applicable North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reliability standards. GSOC also manages the critical infrastructure protection (CIP) program for GTC and itself.

About Georgia EMC

Georgia EMC is the statewide trade association representing the state's 41 EMCs, Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp.  Collectively, Georgia's customer-owned EMCs provide electricity and related services to approximately 4.4 million people, nearly half of Georgia's population, across 73 percent of the state's land area. To learn more, visit www.georgiaemc.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Oglethorpe Power Corporation