The Cox Conserves Heroes program, presented by Cox Enterprises and The Trust for Public Land, achieved a milestone with its 50^th winner. The program was created in 2008 to honor volunteers who are creating and preserving shared outdoor spaces.

Shawn Redfield was named Arizona’s 2016 Cox Conserves Hero and became the program’s 50^th overall winner. The program takes place across the nation in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Washington and Virginia.

“We started this program with the notion that one person can make a difference,” said Cox Enterprises Chairman Jim Kennedy. “Through Cox Conserves Heroes, we’re recognizing volunteers who are often unsung heroes. They are rolling up their sleeves, improving our environment and inspiring thousands of others to do something. These 50 individuals prove that one person really can change the world. I am personally inspired by each and every one of them.”

The winners come from eclectic backgrounds, including engineers, entrepreneurs, retirees, students, teachers and veterans. Their volunteer projects are also diverse and range from recycling to urban gardens to shoreline restoration and trail creation, among others.

Combined, the 50 Cox Conserves Heroes have made a significant impact on the environment. Here’s a snapshot of their contributions:

• Planting 3,500 new trees,

• Removing 1,400 tons of litter,

• Facilitating 70 public cleanups,

• Saving 500 burrowing owls,

• Protecting 30 beaches,

• Protecting 107,000 acres of land,

• Creating and maintaining 850 miles of trails,

• Volunteering more than 6,000 hours,

• Inspiring 1000s of children, and

• Eliminating pesticides at 120 acres of playing fields.

“The volume of inspirational stories that have come through the Cox Conserves Heroes program is a testament to our nation’s fantastic volunteers,” said Will Rogers, President and CEO of The Trust for Public Land (TPL). “TPL believes it’s important to connect land and people, and the Cox Conserves Heroes program does that. We’re proud of our partnership with Cox, who understands that we all share the environment and need to protect it together. These 50 winners are truly inspiring change and leading by example.”

The Cox Conserves Heroes program has four stages: nominations, finalists, voting and the winner announcement. The public nominates volunteers, a judging panel of civic and environmental leaders selects three finalists who compete to be named their market’s Cox Conserves Hero. The winner is chosen through an online public vote, and financial contributions are made on behalf of the winner and finalists to their environmental nonprofits of choice. Overall, more than $700,000 has been donated to nonprofits on behalf of the volunteers through the James M. Cox Foundation.

Cox Conserves Heroes is a component of Cox Enterprises’ national sustainability program, which seeks to make positive environmental change by operating in ways that reduce the company’s impact and inspiring employees, customers, suppliers and partners.

Learn more about the program’s 50 winners.

About Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises is a leading communications, media and automotive services company. With revenues of $18 billion and approximately 60,000 employees, the company's major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications (cable television distribution, high-speed Internet access, telephone, home security and automation, commercial telecommunications and advertising solutions); Cox Automotive (automotive-related auctions, financial services, media and software solutions); and Cox Media Group (television and radio stations, digital media, newspapers and advertising sales rep firms).

The company's major national brands include Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Manheim. Through Cox Automotive, the company's international operations stretch across Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America. To learn more about Cox's commitment to people, sustainability and our communities, please visit CoxCSRReport.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.  Millions of people live within a one-half mile walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year.  To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit http://www.tpl.org.

Cox Enterprises

Cox Enterprises

Cox Enterprises is one of the nation's leading media companies and providers of automotive services, with 2006 revenues of $13.2 billion and more than 80,000 employees. Major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications, Inc. (cable television distribution, telephone, high-speed Internet access, commercial telecommunications, advertising solutions and Travel Channel); Cox Newspapers, Inc. (newspapers, local and national direct mail advertising and customized newsletters); Cox Television (television and television sales rep firms); Cox Radio, Inc. ([NYSE: CXR] broadcast radio stations and interactive Web sites); Manheim, Inc. (vehicle auctions, repair and certification services and web-based technology products) and Cox Auto Trader (automotive publications and a majority stake in AutoTrader.com).

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