FPL Volunteers Help Restore Historic Three Chimneys Plantation in Ormond Beach

As part of FPL’s “Power to Care Week,” today 35 FPL volunteers helped restore the trails on the beautiful Three Chimneys Sugar Mill plantation, giving visitors better access to four centuries of history in Ormond Beach.

Three Chimneys is the oldest British sugar plantation in the United States, encompassing several historical landmarks dating back to the 1700s. FPL volunteers built a pathway linking the plantation compound to Fagan Tree, a massive oak estimated to be well over a century old. Further plans for improvement of the Three Chimneys include creating a park to promote Florida’s history and multicultural heritage, which spans four centuries on this location.

“The age and wealth of the Three Chimneys Sugar Mill Plantation’s history makes the site a state treasure worthy of care and preservation, and also a natural focus for local FPL employees’ volunteerism during Power to Care Week,” said FPL External Affairs Manager for the area, Larry Volenac. “Our efforts to improve the site are an extension of an ongoing partnership with the Ormond Beach Historical Society to ensure we can all enjoy and learn from the Three Chimneys well into the future.”

This event was just one in a series of activities conducted this week as part of FPL’s fourth annual Power to Care initiative. More than 900 volunteers, consisting of employees and their families, participated in 22 community volunteer projects throughout Florida, including the Three Chimneys project. Throughout the week, volunteers across the state rolled up their sleeves to help clean beaches and restore dunes, landscape nonprofit facilities, spruce up parks, beautify gardens, and more.

“The Ormond Beach Historical Society is very honored that FPL is working with us to promote the Three Chimneys site and its associated landmarks as an educational resource for both residents of Florida and our visitors,” said Dr. Philip Shapiro, chairman of the Ormond Beach Historical Society preservation committee. “Without FPL’s assistance, the trail would not be safe or accessible to the public.”

Three Chimneys and Fagan Tree is open year-round to the public via guided tours sponsored by the Ormond Beach Historical Society. For more information about Three Chimneys visit http://www.ormondhistory.org.

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Florida Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States. FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The company consistently outperforms national averages for service reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla. - based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit http://www.FPL.com.

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