May 2013
Getting ready for our 75th anniversary . . . can you help?
Along with bringing you more and better communications with Carolina Country each month, we have much to celebrate these days. It started with last year’s celebration of The International Year of Cooperatives, where we honored the cooperative business model and principles. In 2013, Touchstone Energy, the national alliance of electric co-ops reaches a milestone of 15 years. Founded in 1998, the brand has grown to 741 co-ops serving 30 million members in 46 states. With the strength of numbers, together we have developed programs like Co-op Connections, Together We Save, CFL Charlie and Get Charged for schools, and much more. And we have lots to look forward to in 2014. We’ll celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Bright Ideas program which started right here at BEMC. Bright Ideas grants up to $2,000 are made to K-12 teachers for creative classroombased projects. Together, the NC electric cooperatives have awarded more than $8.5 million, sponsoring more than 8300 projects and reaching more than 1.5 million students! This year’s application deadline is August 16 for the Early Bird drawing and September 20 for final applications. Teachers may apply at www.ncbrightideas.com. Best of all, 2014 is the 75th anniversary of the founding of BEMC and we’ll be starting that celebration at the September 2013 Annual Meeting.
If you have any old photos, memorabilia or interesting stories about the early years – especially 1940’s – 1980’s, we’d love to hear from you! Perhaps you or your grandparents actually remember when your family first got electricity. How did it change your daily life? Did someone you know help install the first poles or build the substation? Do you remember attending the early annual meetings held at the tobacco warehouse in Whiteville or have a vintage bill? We can scan and return photos. For stories, you can just send a few lines and we’ll call you to set up an interview. Call 800-842-5871 to speak with Linda or Heather in the Marketing/Communications area. Or email: info@bemc.org with “History” in the subject line.
HOW IT ALL STARTED March 1939: Certificate of incorporation papers filed with Secretary of
State of North Carolina. August 1939: Contract approved for initial construction of 138 miles of
line (113 in Brunswick County, 25 in Columbus County). The first substation held three 50 KVA transformers. December 1939: The first lines were energized in Brunswick County, followed a few months later with electric power in Columbus County. Members served first year: 588 We’ve come a long way since then! Stay tuned!
194 0’s
L in e Tr uck
1939 to 2014
Carolina Country | May 2013
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Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation
CELEBRATIONS . . . of milestones and new beginnings!
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