The Transformer OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF CANOOCHEE ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION
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December 2023
Canoochee EMC Celebrates 85th Anniversary at Annual Meeting
anoochee EMC celebrated its 85th anniversary at its Annual Meeting on Oct.10. The meeting was held at the Tattnall Campground in Claxton and more than 400 members and guests attended the event. The business meeting began with a welcome from Board of Directors President Connie Thrift, who thanked members for their continued support and highlighted the cooperative’s accomplishments. Newly named Chief Executive Officer Michael Wasson gave his state of the cooperative speech in which he talked about the influence of prior CEO Lou Ann Phillips and those preceding her. He also discussed the past year, which included new power generation from Plant Vogtle, in addition to potential future projects like community solar. He also highlighted the cooperative’s commitment to providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity to its members. Canoochee EMC Board Members LaNell Oliver, Bob Floyd and Kenneth L. Durrence were reelected to three-year terms. Board officers of the cooperative also remain the same: Connie Thrift, President; Bob Floyd, Vice President;
Canoochee EMC Newsletter
LaNell Oliver, Secretary; and Kim Blocker, Treasurer. Prior to the business meeting, an electric vehicle car show was held for members to better understand the emerging technology. Representatives from other EMCs and community members participated, and the Long County School System sent an electric school bus for guests to check out. Nashville recording artist Clayton Hackle also performed for those in attendance. The meeting concluded with a door-prize drawing and refreshments. Canoochee EMC would like to thank all of its members and special guests for making the 85th Annual Meeting a success!
A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative
www.canoocheeemc.com
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Long County School System Unveils 10 New Electric School Buses
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s part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program, the Long County School System was awarded a grant to purchase 10 IC Bus electric school buses and chargers. The new buses were unveiled to the community in October. Canoochee EMC supplies power to the charging system in the school district’s bus barn, as well as to nearby
Long County High School. “Canoochee EMC was excited to work with the Long County School System to supply power for these buses,” says Joe Sikes, Communications Specialist with Canoochee EMC. “This project will provide another solution to the Long County School System’s transportation needs, allowing them the opportunity to diversify their fleet.” The new electric school buses are a significant investment in the future of the Long County School System. They will help to reduce the school system’s environmental impact and
provide a more comfortable and efficient ride for students. Canoochee EMC is proud to support the Long County School System in this important initiative. Our organization is committed to providing clean, reliable and affordable energy to its members, and we are excited to see this investment in the community.
Holiday Office Closings Canoochee EMC offices will be closed Monday, Dec. 25, and Tuesday, Dec. 26, for Christmas, and Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, for New Year’s Day.
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Georgia Magazine
December 2023
A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative
Canoochee EMC Newsletter
Prepping Your Fridge for the Holidays
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f your fridge is more than a decade old, the holidays might be too much for it. Consider replacing your old fridge, and this time, buy one that bears the Energy Star label, which means it uses at least 15% less energy than federal standards require and 40% less than one that’s been around for 10-plus years, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. By replacing your refrigerator with a new, energy-efficient model, you also could save up to $300 in electricity charges over its lifetime. When shopping for a new refrigerator or freezer, be sure to read the EnergyGuide label. It tells you how many kilowatt-hours of electricity the unit will consume over a year of operation. The smaller the number, the better. Look for refrigerators that have a freezer on the bottom or the top, as side-by-side designs consume more energy. Chest freezers also are typically better insulated than upright models. Whether you’re buying a new
fridge this year or not, follow these tips for more efficient use around the holidays: • Brush or vacuum your refrigerator’s coils regularly to improve efficiency by as much as 30%. • Keep your refrigerator full, as doing so will help your unit retain cold better. If you have trouble keeping it stocked, fill the extra space with bottles or containers of water.
• Reduce the refrigerator’s temperature if liquids are frosty in the morning. • Set the refrigerator temperature between 36 and 40 degrees, and your freezer between zero and 5 degrees. • Put a dollar bill in the fridge door’s seal to see if it is airtight. If the dollar slips out easily, so will cold air.
Exhaust Fans: A Problem-Solver
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n exhaust fan’s primary purpose is to remove moisture from a room, but it also removes bathroom and cooking odors, and helps reduce fumes from cleaning chemicals. Plus, they can save the paint on walls. Excessive moisture on bathroom walls can cause paint to bubble, peel and chip. The excess humidity with every shower you take can cause mold to accumulate. Exhaust fans help prevent those problems, and taking good care of an exhaust fan can make a home safer
Canoochee EMC Newsletter
and more comfortable. So, invest in good ones, and hire a pro who knows how to install them properly. Choose a quiet model so it won’t annoy you when you turn it on. And remember to turn it off once the air in a room clears. As helpful as an exhaust fan is, it can suck the heated or air-conditioned air out of your home if you let it run after it has done its job of removing odors and humidity from your kitchen or bathroom. A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative
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Spruce Up Your Fireplace for the Holidays
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othing makes a home look as festive as stockings hanging from the mantel over the fireplace. Make your fireplace the showpiece of holiday photographs by sprucing it up a bit. Here are some ideas: • Replace your wood fireplace with an electric model. You might feel some heat if you sit close to your wood-burning fireplace, but it’s not producing enough heat to help your furnace keep the house warm. In fact, it’s sucking your home’s heated air right up the chimney. Consider converting that energy-inefficient fireplace with an electric version. If you haven’t seen one in a while, you’ll be amazed by how realistic its “flames” look, thanks to technological advancements. • Add an electrical outlet to the mantel. It will allow you to mingle tree lights with the garland you drape around the hearth and eliminate the need for extension cords. • Replace your mantel. You can order pre-cut mantels in any price range and in materials ranging from hardwood to marble to plaster. This is a weekend job for a handy do-ityourselfer. • Clean your fireplace and chimney. Even if you’re not burning wood in
your old fireplace anymore, give it a good cleaning. And update fireplace accessories like the shovel, poker, broom and screen so they’re clean and new. • Clean the brick or stone that surrounds your fireplace. If the brick is sealed, most of the soot should scrub off with detergent and a cloth. Tougher stains might require a mixture of ammonia and water with a stiff bristle brush. Test a small area first to make sure the brush doesn’t damage the brick’s surface and the
solution doesn’t discolor it. If your brick is unsealed or very old, don’t scrub it; instead, just sweep it. • Hang your stockings by the chimney with care—a lot of it. Hanging stockings can damage your mantel and pose a fire hazard. Tips: Use the smallest hook or nail you can find so the hole you pierce into the mantel will be nearly invisible when you remove the nail after the holidays. Move holiday stockings away from the mantel before lighting a fire.
Touchstone Energy Senior Citizens of the Year and Month Congratulations to Mr. Y of Ludowici for being selected as the 2023 Touchstone Energy Senior Citizen of the Year.
Congratulations to Ralph Rhymes of Collins for being selected as the December Touchstone Energy Senior Citizen of the Month.
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Georgia Magazine
December 2023
A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative
Canoochee EMC Newsletter
