Tri-County EMC - Current Lines Newsletter

Current Lines: December 2007

Welcome to the December 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 with Maxine Goldstein
A special editorial

Referred to as a "silent angel" by Milledgeville/ Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tara Peters, Maxine Goldstein has made a special impact on those around her. "We are very fortunate to have Mrs. Maxine in our community and are very proud of her accomplishments, and they are many," notes Peters.

Although Maxine Goldstein has given back in many different ways, she is most proud of Harriet’s Closet. The Goldstein’s started this cancer resource and support center after their daughter, Harriet, died of breast cancer in 1998. The idea was sparked when Maxine and her husband, Jacob, "Jake" were at Arlington Cancer Hospital in Texas where their daughter was undergoing treatment. "I saw a closet with items for cancer patients available at no cost to them," notes Maxine. >>>

>> Maxine Goldstein stands near her daughter’s picture
at Harriet’s Closet. <<

The Barnes Gain Co-op Experience

Lucia and Jason Barnes of Jones County represented Tri-County EMC at the Couples Co-op Conference held Nov. 2 — 4. "The best part was meeting new people," says Lucia. (37245-02) >>>

>> Jason & Lucia Barnes <<

No Lost time Means Savings for the Co-op

Tri-County EMC was honored Nov. 12 with the "No Lost Time" Award during Georgia EMC’s annual meeting. The distinction commends electric cooperatives that have no lost-time accidents for two years.

This accomplishment is due in large part to continuous, individualized safety training geared toward reducing injuries, lessening lost workdays and workers’ compensation costs. The cooperative also has a safety committee, made up of employees from a cross section of job functions, charged with addressing potential safety issues."

"The ‘No Lost Time’ award is reflective of our co-op’s commitment to provide a safe working environment for our employees, which plays into our overall commitment to providing reliable service to the consumer," says C. Hill Bentley, CEO, Tri-County EMC. "Working safely is a choice you make every day, the right choice."

>> Tri-County EMC Safety Committee Members
(Back row, l–r): Buddy Queen, Steve McClendon,
Bill Williams, Dennis Rowland and Justin Strickland. (Front row, l–r): Jerry Greene, Christie Wilson, Jonathan Stewart and Joycelyn Bivins.
(Not pictured: Deryl Crosby and Mike Hulett) <<

It Takes All of Us to Save Georgia's Water

No one is immune to the effects of the drought. With river and reservoir levels dropping everyday, Gov. Sonny Purdue needs us all to act to combat one of the worst droughts in Georgia’s history. Visit conservewatergeorgia.net. >>>

Turn Your Tree Into Something Special

After the Holidays, turn your Christmas tree into something special. Bring it to "Bring One for the Chipper" Sat., Jan. 5, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Overland Way Recycling Center. Asplundh Tree Expert Co. (Tri-County’s right-of-way contractors and Keep Jones Beautiful will transform your tree into mulch to be spread throughout Jones county for soil enhancement and erosion control. <<

Did You Know? ...

With electricity use in the U.S. projected to grow more than twice as fast as committed resources over the next 10 years, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. finds that some areas could fall below their target capacity unless more resources are brought into service. <<

January AARP Driver Safety Class

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) will hold a Mature Driver Safety class in Tri-County EMC’s Community Room in Gray Jan. 29 and 30 from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Participants will learn how to avoid accidents and traffic violations, and may even qualify for insurance savings. Register by calling (478) 986-8126. <<

Energy Tip of the Month

Move over traditional Christmas bulbs and make way for light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. While it’s not economically advantageous to upgrade your home’s strands of Christmas lights this year, mark LEDs on your future Christmas list.

You’ll find LEDs in today’s TVs, computers, car brake lights and traffic signals. They create light as electric current runs through their semi-conductive materials. Despite their small, button size, the number of uses are growing. (37852-01)

LEDs come out ahead in staying power. An LED can run constantly for four full years while a 75-watt standard bulb will burn out after about 40 days of continuous use, and a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) after a year of constant use.

While pricey now, LEDs are a promising future alternative to the inefficient incandescent bulb. For right now, CFLs are the best bet for consumers. <<