RICHMOND, Va., May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In keeping with its long-standing history of military support, Dominion Virginia Power and its employees will recognize Memorial Day a little early this year by participating in a one-day, 10-state volunteer effort to help improve the lives of active military troops, veterans, and their families.

On Wednesday, May 23, hundreds of employees will take part in Dominion Energizing Communities, volunteering their time and skills to assist 26 nonprofit organizations that serve the military.

"What is special about this effort is that employees themselves selected the projects and recipient organizations," said Thomas F. Farrell II, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Many of our employees are veterans or friends and family of veterans, and they personally know the needs in their communities and have chosen to help address them. This is just one of the many ways Dominion thanks those who have honorably served our country."

Supported by a $26,000 donation from The Dominion Foundation, volunteers will help organizations such as Pace Enterprises in Morgantown, W.Va., where they will landscape the Operation Welcome Home rehabilitation and support center; Honor Flight network, to support the work of a welcoming committee for veterans visiting war memorials and monuments in Washington, D.C.; and Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio, where they will plant a vegetable garden and improve the grounds of the Cleveland Veterans Resource Center that provides transitional housing.

The 26 organizations each will receive $1,000 to be supplemented by company volunteers who will complete the work in one day. The other recipient organizations are in Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. A list is available at: http://www.dom.com/about/community/dominion-energizing-communities.jsp

Dominion has a strong history of supporting the military and veterans. On Veterans Day 2011, the company donated $250,000 to aid homeless, wounded veterans and military families. It is also participating in the Troops to Energy Jobs pilot program that links thousands of future job openings in the energy industry with troops leaving military service (watch video). And most recently, for the third year in a row Dominion earned a place on Military Times EDGE magazine's annual "Best for Vets 2012: Employers" list. Dominion currently employs 1,300 veterans in 14 states.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,500 megawatts of generation. Dominion operates the nation's largest natural gas storage system and serves retail energy customers in 15 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.

SOURCE Dominion