honors SouthEast Telephone

SOMERSET -- Eastern Kentucky PRIDE announced today that SouthEast Telephone Company (SETel) won the April 2008 PRIDE Volunteer of the Month Award. The company, which is headquartered in Pikeville, supports PRIDE volunteers as they pick up litter across southern and eastern  Kentucky

"We are grateful that SouthEast Telephone has selected PRIDE as a partner in the company's remarkable community service efforts," said Karen Engle, PRIDE President and Chief Executive Officer. "Since 2004, SETel has donated bottled water and hosted picnics for volunteers during the annual PRIDE Spring Cleanup. The company's employees make sure volunteers feel appreciated and have an overall good experience, which makes it more likely they will continue volunteering to care for our environment."

"SETel's in-kind donations to this year's Spring Cleanup are valued at more than $1,000, which makes the company a Bronze Sponsor of the region-wide cleanup campaign," Engle continued. "At just two events this April, SETel will feed about 800 PRIDE volunteers."

On April 5, SETel will host the picnic at the PRIDE Spring Cleanup Kickoff Celebration at Cumberland Falls State Park, which is expected to attract 300 volunteers. On April 19, the company plans to feed at least 500 volunteers at the Laurel River Lake Cleanup. When hosting picnics at PRIDE cleanup events, SETel donates the food, as well as the equipment and personnel to cook and serve it.

"SouthEast Telephone's efforts have been a significant contribution to the overall success of the Laurel River Lake Cleanup," said John T. Strojan, District Ranger for the Daniel Boone  National Forest's London district office. He nominated SETel for the PRIDE award.

SouthEast Telephone Company is a community-focused telecommunications provider offering local telephone service, long distance, Internet and paging products for residential and business customers throughout underserved rural areas of Kentucky. In addition to supporting PRIDE, examples of SETel's community service projects include operating web sites that promote Kentucky's many local festivals (www.KyFestivals.com) and offer live video of communities (www.KyWebcams.com).

The PRIDE Volunteer of the Month program recognizes hard work and dedication to the PRIDE initiative. With corporate sponsorship from TECO Coal, WYMT-TV airs commercials about each PRIDE Volunteer of the Month. The 12 Volunteers of the Month are considered for PRIDE's annual Tony Turner Volunteer of the Year Award.

"Volunteers are the backbone of PRIDE," said Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-5), PRIDE co-founder. "We wouldn't be where we are without our volunteers. More than 230,000 volunteers have helped with PRIDE cleanup and education projects. We want to thank TECO Coal for helping PRIDE give these generous people the recognition they deserve."

PRIDE links citizens with the resources of local, state and federal agencies to clean up the region's waterways, end illegal trash dumps and promote environmental education and awareness. PRIDE is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

For more information about the PRIDE Spring Cleanup -- including the April 5th kickoff event at Cumberland Falls -- call the PRIDE office, toll free, at 888-577-4339 or visit www.kypride.org. To volunteer for the Laurel River Lake Cleanup, call the London Ranger District at 606-864-4163.