GULF SHORES, Ala. — Paul Leslie likes to make a name for himself. That’s normal, because the Atlanta talk show host has to keep his name circulating.

But, Leslie is doing something this year that may help with the area’s recovery from last year’s oil spill. He plans to run from just outside Bayou LaBatre to the Flora-Bama Lounge on the beach to raise money for the Alabama Coastal Foundation.

“I passed through coastal Alabama when doing a walk from Panama City Beach (Fla.) to New Orleans for Katrina relief,” said Leslie in a telephone interview. “I met a couple from Fort Morgan, Bart and Claudia Hodges, and they told me about what the coast was going through with the oil spill.”

Leslie said he resolved to make a similar effort for Alabama’s coast after the Hodges later told him what was happening to this area.

So, Leslie will lace up his running shoes and set off from Heron Bay near Bayou LaBatre April 5. He said he’ll make his way to Dauphin Island “over the bridge.” He will run across the island April 6 and take the ferry to Fort Morgan. He plans to take April 7 off.

On April 8, Leslie is slated to run to LuLu’s at Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores and then on April 9 to the Flora-Bama.

“It’s about 50 miles, altogether,” said Leslie. He welcomes people to run with him or donate to the ACF by going to their website, www.joinacf.org/join/run-for-the-coast.

He does not have a set goal in mind.

“If I raise $1,000, I will be happy,” he said. He pointed out that when he was doing his Katrina run, “the people who treated me the kindest were from Alabama.”

Leslie says he has been “running almost every day” to prepare for the event, and has been under the guidance of a fitness trainer.

The run, Leslie notes, is also a tribute to the book, “Forrest Gump,” which marks its 25th anniversary of publication this year. Much of the book is set in coastal Alabama.

“Winston Groom (the book’s author) wrote me a note about the run,” said Leslie.