A view from the top Voting: An American tradition

George Kitchens General Manager/CEO

As you look through this edition of Alabama Living, you’ll probably notice that much of this month’s content is about our government. Last year, we went to the polls and voted for candidates to represent us in the state legislature, Congress, and many other offices of state and local government. I hope that all of you voted. If you didn’t vote, you let those of us who did vote choose your government for you. That’s why I think voting in every election is important.

Over the nearly 250 years that our nation has existed, many people have made great sacrifices to win and secure our freedom and for the government that we have. Is it perfect? No, nothing created by men can ever be perfect. With all our imperfections, we live in the best country on this earth. Voting is a small thing to ensure that our nation endures for generations.

Voting is nothing new to co-op members. Whether you are a member of a farmer’s co-op, credit union, or Joe Wheeler EMC, you get to vote to elect board members to represent your interests in the way these organizations operate. In fact, it won’t be long before Joe Wheeler holds its annual membership meeting. The date for the meeting will be April 8, and it will be held at our offices on Alabama Highway 24 in Trinity. Be sure to watch for your ballots to arrive in the mail and vote for the candidate of your choice to be your representative on the Joe Wheeler EMC Board of Trustees. You have two ways to vote. First, you can return the ballot by mail. Or, you may come to the annual meeting and vote in person. Voting will begin at about 9 a.m. As in prior years, we’ll have entertainment, lunch, and door prizes.

Headquarters:

P.O. Box 460 Trinity, AL 35673 256-552-2300

Offices:

Moulton: 641 Big Nance St. Moulton, AL 35650

Hartselle: 700 Sparkman St. Hartselle, AL 35640

February is also when we celebrate the birth of our first president, George Washington. Washington was quite an amazing man. He was born to a wealthy family on February 22, 1732. His early years were spent on a small family farm called Ferry Farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia. When Washington’s father passed away in 1743, George Washington inherited Ferry Farm. His older brother Lawrence inherited Mount Vernon. His father’s death, when Washington was only eleven, meant that he would not have the same formal education in England as his older half-brothers. George worked on the roughly 70-acre Ferry Farm doing all the same hard chores as the other workers and attended a nearby church school and learned math, trigonometry, map making, and surveying.

Additionally, he worked to become a skillful writer and was said to have excellent writing skills. He first worked as a surveyor beginning at age 17. His work as a surveyor was the first step in his path to being a man of substance. He was often paid land grants for his surveying work and, by his early 20s, owned over 2,300 acres of land. Washington worked to build much of the wealth he attained. I think that his work ethic made him the perfect man to become our nation’s first president.

We’ve had a solid work ethic for most of our nation’s existence. We also lacked a “class” system like many of the established nations of old Europe. Here in the United States, a person is not destined to remain in the same station in life forever. A person can rise to any level through hard work, skill, and determination. That has made our country great!

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month

Washing windows and screens is a great way to practice energy efficiency during spring cleaning. Clean windows and screens make your home brighter by allowing more sunlight in, reducing the need for lamps and fixtures. Clean screens also allow more fresh air in the home when the windows are open to recycle indoor air. Natural light and clean air are energy savers, and they enhance overall health and productivity. Source: energy.gov