Welcome to the October 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.

Your Electric Cooperative         by Tom Thompson Jr. Chairman In recent years, our cooperative has seen a dramatic increase in the turnover of our membership. This is certainly more of an indication of a change in demographics and lifestyles than a statement about cooperative membership. Over the course of a year, for every net new member we add, six or seven more join and leave. While the cooperative is growing, the length of time an average customer has been a member gets shorter. With that in mind, it seems that with this being Cooperative Month, what better time to reflect on the principles that make electric cooperatives so great. >>>     Tom Thompson Jr. Chairman           Barnes to Explore Cooperatives Tri-County EMC has selected Lucia and Jason Barnes to attend the Couples Cooperative Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Nov. 2 – 4. The Barnes will join several other couples from Georgia and North and South Carolina to learn about various types of cooperatives, participate in competitive activities, make new friends and simply enjoy the beach atmosphere. Lucia is a mortgage relationship specialist with Suntrust Mortgage in Macon. Jason is the owner of Revanta Financial Group, LLC in Gray and vice chairman of the Jones County/Gray Chamber of Commerce.     Lucia and Jason Barnes             Fall Quarter Operation Roundup Grants "Thank you so much for this grant," said Linda Layne, director of development for Lockerly Arboretum Foundation of the grant to purchase materials for environmental education programs. "Students will use the lab equipment everyday." This was one of the comments received by Fall-quarter Operation Roundup recipients. Funds will be used in the following ways. Operation Early Intervention: $800 Funds will help cover curricular materials for the Rites-of-Passage program for teen boys. Oconee Area Pregnancy Center: $1,000 Clients will earn car seats as they learn about their new babies and how to care for them. New Damascus Baptist Church: $2,300 Funds will pay for shelter, clothes and food for a single mother and her four children whose home burned. Jones County DFCS: $2,500 A 20-time foster parent who lost her home to fire can pay for temporary shelter while she pays a mortgage on her home as it is rebuilt. Hope Missions: $1,500 Funds will assist in making clothes, shoes and school supplies available for less fortunate children who earn them through the Kids Hope Project. Lockerly Arboretum Foundation, Inc.: $2,500 Middle Georgia students will use equipment and resource materials for earth and life sciences and ecology. >> Lockerly Arboretum Foundation Director of Development Linda Layne and Tri-County Foundation Secretary/Treasurer James Findley observe children using a majiscope funded by Roundup. <<    Green Power EMC Reaches 36 Members  As of September, Green Power EMC has a total of 36 participating electric membership cooperatives. The addition of Okefenoke REMC, headquartered in Nahunta, provides another 33,000 consumers with the option to choose earth-friendly energy. >>>

>> More than 20 homeschooled students learned about electrical safety and energy conservation during a recent field trip to Tri-County EMC. <<

Keep your kids safe this Halloween with reflective trick-or-treat bags. They are available at the front desk of the Gray and Eatonton office. <<