For the 19^th consecutive year, Georgia Power employees are running across the state to fight cancer during the annual Run for the Reason relay. This year, 18 employees will reverse the established nonstop, cross-state route and begin at Georgia Power headquarters (241 Ralph McGill Blvd.) and end on the coast at St. Simons Island. During the more than two-day, 350-mile relay run, employees expect to raise more than $75,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Since the inception of the event, Georgia Power runners have logged more than 7,000 miles and raised more than $1.6 million to aid cancer research. In addition to Run for the Reason, Georgia Power's longstanding support of ACS includes employee participation in multiple Relay for Life 24-hour fundraising walks in communities across the state each year.

Georgia Power will host a special public sendoff event on Wednesday, April 20 at 9 a.m., near the intersection of Ralph McGill and Piedmont Ave. in Atlanta. The event will conclude with a two mile run/walk at 10 a.m. open to all employees, neighbors, friends and family.  On Wednesday, and throughout the relay, Georgia Power is inviting communities along the route to run alongside, or cheer-on, the team.

Key milestones* along the run include:

Bruce Feiman and Jimmy Zerkus, project managers at Georgia Power and co-organizers of Run for the Reason, note that, each year, Georgia Power participants run in memory of loved ones lost to cancer, in support of those currently fighting the battle and in celebration of survivors of cancer. However, the 2016 event will carry a special meaning.

"This year we are running not only for all of those impacted by cancer, but for members of our Georgia Power relay team," said Feiman. "Over the last year, two of our original runners have been battling cancer – we are dedicating this year's run to them and all cancer survivors."