Cox and The Trust for Public Land Launch 4th Annual Cox Conserves Heroes Awards

Call for nominations; $15,000 to be donated to local environmental nonprofits

CHESAPEAKE, Va., March 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications, in partnership with The Trust for Public Land, today launched Virginia's 4th annual Cox Conserves Heroes program to honor local environmental volunteers.

Nominations for volunteers who are creating, preserving or enhancing outdoor spaces are being accepted at CoxConservesHeroes.com through 5 p.m. EST on April 21.

Judging panels comprised of local civic and environmental leaders will select one finalist from each of the following areas: Fairfax County/Fredericksburg, Hampton Roads and Roanoke. The three finalists will then compete to be named Virginia's 2014 Cox Conserves Hero. The winner, chosen through an online public vote, will receive $10,000 to donate to his or her selected nonprofit beneficiary. The two finalists each will receive $2,500 for their nonprofits of choice.

Nominee activities must be performed on a volunteer basis and may not be part of an individual's paid job.

Virginia's Cox Conserves Heroes Timeline:

• Nominations:  March 24 – April 21
• Voting:  Late May
• Winner Announcement: Late June

Bill Gordge, Anne Little and Chris Clifford are previous recipients of Virginia's Cox Conserves Heroes award. 

As either a finalist or winner's nonprofit of choice, the following Virginia organizations have received financial support from the Cox Conserves Heroes program: Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, Herndon Environmental Network, Lynnhaven River Now, Newport News Green Foundation, Park Partners, Pathfinders for Greenways, South Norfolk Neighborhood Watch, Tree Fredericksburg,  Virginia Beach Clean Community Commission, Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Foundation and Virginia Living Museum.  

Cox Conserves Heroes also takes place in Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson), California (San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Orange County), Georgia (Atlanta), Louisiana (Acadiana, Baton Rouge and New Orleans) and Washington (Seattle).

More than $380,000 has been donated to local nonprofits and more than 100 volunteers have been honored through the Cox Conserves Heroes program.

For more information, visit CoxConservesHeroes.com or Facebook.

Social Media: #CoxConservesHeroes and #CoxConservesHero

About Cox Communications:
Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet and telephone services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves approximately 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising.

Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For seven years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity eight times, including the last seven years. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.

About The Trust for Public Land:
The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Nearly ten million people live within a ten-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. Learn more at tpl.org.

About Cox Conserves:
Launched in 2007 by Chairman Jim Kennedy, Cox Conserves is Cox Enterprises' national sustainability program. Cox Conserves focuses on reducing waste and energy consumption, as well as conserving water. The program engages each of the company's major subsidiaries (Cox Communications, Manheim, Cox Media Group and AutoTrader Group) and encourages Cox Enterprises' 50,000 employees and their families to engage in eco-friendly practices.

SOURCE Cox Enterprises

For further information: Emma Inman, Cox Communications, 757-222-8432, emma.inman@cox.com; or Elizabeth Olmstead, Cox Enterprises, 678-645-0762, elizabeth.olmstead@coxinc.com; or Kristen Anderson, The Trust for Public Land, 415-800-5178, kristen.anderson@tpl.org