Tri-County EMC - Current Lines Newsletter

Current Lines: July 2006

Welcome to the July edition of Current Lines newsletter, a monthly publication of Tri-County EMC. Below are a few samples of the articles in this current newsletter. To read the full article, just click on the "Click here to read more" link.

Walking the Walk
    A special editorial by Margaret Morris

Since 1961, Dottie Walker has called Jones County her home. It wasn’t long after that time that she and her husband Jerry bought the local pharmacy known as Gray Drug Company to satisfy the pharmaceutical needs of Jones County residents. “Prior to opening the store, people came to us expressing a need to have medications available when they needed them,” states Dottie. “At that time driving all the way to Macon for something like this was a big deal.” (46205-01) Click here to read more.

>> Dottie Walker, (left) was
recognized at the 2002 Jones County/Gray Chamber Annual Meeting as Business Person of the Year. <<

Operation Roundup Funds Granted


The Tri-County EMC Foundation granted $17,780.50 on June 13.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, Inc.: $2,000 for families afflicted with a member affected by the disease to enroll in the Safe Return program.

Baldwin County 4-H: $960 to send four students to camp.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Oconee: $800 for supplies to hold activities for Mentoring program.

Eatonton Presbyterian Church: $2,000 for a family to attend Spina Bifida Association Conference.
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA): $239 to send the top high school student to national FCCLA competition.

Give Center (GC&SU): $2,500 for a Potato Drop— an event providing about 135,000 servings of food to feed the hungry.

Haddock Community Action Program: $1,300 for recreation equipment and games for a youth center.

Macon Jaycees: $1,500 for pharmaceutical and medical expenses incurred by a cancer patient.

Mt. Salem Missionary Baptist Church: $2,400 to cover medication for kidney patient.

VFW Auxillary: $3,168.50 for groceries, gas, home insurance and medicines for disabled couple.

Scholarships: Five $500 scholarships awarded to five area students who will be featured in August.

The Washington Youth Tour Begins!

Levi Wood joined 98 Georgia high school students and their families in Atlanta to officially kick off the Washington Youth Tour on June 8. This year’s tour is dedicated to Lt. Noah Harris, a 1998 Washington Youth Tour delegate who lost his life serving in Iraq. Click here to read more.

>> Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Ga.) and Levi Wood at the Youth Tour Kickoff Banquet. <<

Thompson Named Grand Marshall

Tri-County EMC Chairman Tom Thompson Jr. served as Grand Marshall of the Putnam County Dairy Festival. Tri-County EMC’s booth at the festival showcased SurgeGuard MAX—protection for all electronics and appliances inside the home.
>> EMC Mascot
Willie Wiredhand gets rave reviews while parading through town during Dairy Festival. <<

Annual Report First Among Electric Co-ops

Tri-County EMC won the Award of Excellence within the classification of distribution cooperatives serving between 8,001 and 20,000 meters for it’s Annual report “Walking the Walk.” Entries were judged on how well the cooperative’s mission and personality were relayed. Greg Mullis, vice president of Energy Services accepted the award at the NRECA Communicators’ Connect Conference in San Antonio, Texas in May.

Did You Know? ...

Help with cooling costs is available for the homebound and elderly through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program if you are at or below 150 percent of Georgia’s poverty level, the Tri-County EMC member at the main residence and are a U.S. citizen or legally admitted alien. Call 1-800-869-1150 to learn more.

Energy Tip of the Month

Heating and cooling the home makes up about 45 percent of the electric bill for the typical home. If your ductwork has leakage, you could be losing up to 25 percent of the system’s efficiency. Use the following guidelines to evaluate your duct system.

a If your home’s duct system was installed prior to 1990, you probably have moderate duct leakage
      due to the use of duct tape, which dries out and detaches.
a Mastic, an acrylic-based sealant, is the only effective and approved product for sealing ductwork
      seams, joints or connections.
a Individual rooms that suddenly become uncomfortable could be a result of damaging or dis-
      connected ductwork.
a Framed-in closets or other areas used in the return often have significant leakage and must be
      sealed with mastic.
For detailed information about duct system efficiency, download “Understanding Your Duct System” from our Web site at tri-countyemc.com.

Energy and Payment Tips to Soothe Your Summer

Temperatures are on the rise, and so is energy usage. Yet, you can curb your energy use through the hot season without sacrificing comfort.

• To keep the sun from entering your home, draw blinds, curtains and shades during the
   day.
•  If no one is home during the day, purchase a programmable thermostat. Set it at least
   five degrees warmer while you are gone. For each degree you raise the temperature in
   the hot months, you will save about three percent on your energy bill.
• Run your ceiling fans, but only when you are in the room. Costing only pennies a day to operate, they can
   make a room feel a few degrees cooler.
• Appliances work harder if they become encased with dust. Change your air conditioner filters every month.
   While you are at it, vacuum the dust off of refrigerator coils and your clothes dryer ducts.
• Lower your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees. Less heat will escape from the heater into your home,
   and the appliance will use less energy.
• Landscape for efficiency with perennials, shrubs and trees that can survive drought-type conditions. You’ll
   save money on your water bills. Plus, leafy trees can shield your home from direct sunlight.
• Unplug electronics and appliances when you are not using them, especially when you go on vacation. Just
   because an appliance is turned off doesn’t mean it’s not using energy. Devices such as chargers for
   cell phones, DVD players, VCRs, televisions and microwave ovens still use energy when plugged into an
   outlet.

Tri-County EMC offers you money and time-saving options when paying your electric bill.
• Instantly pay your bill online with your credit card or e-check by logging onto tri-countyemc.com.
•  Save two percent by using Tri-County EMC’s Automatic Bank Draft program.

• Add Levelized Billing to avoid sharp fluctuations in your electric bill.
• If you are 62 or older, you are eligible for the SmartPay Senior Plan. As a participant, you would not be charged a 5 percent fee if your payment is late. Disabled members under the age of 62 may also qualify. (1382-01)

Combine these payment options with energy-saving tips for a comfortable and worry-free summer.