Frozen in Time: a Reflection on Icy Weather, Co

January - March 2014
Frozen in Time: a Reflection on Icy Weather,
Co-op Toughness and Work Family Bonding
While we were prepared physically and logistically for the historic
Winter Storm Pax, and any crisis for that matter, some of us had no idea
what we were in store for mentally as bad weather rolled in the week of
Valentine’s Day. Despite the toll it took on all of us – from ice storm rookies
to the most seasoned employees – the weather events that began February
11, whose lingering effects were felt for at least a week, brought out the
best in all of us: tirelessness on behalf of members; kindness toward others;
patience in the face of frustration; sacrifice of home comforts; and a bonding experience like no other.
We at Coweta-Fayette EMC did what we do best. We were warned, we
prepped, we alerted members, we waited, we got slammed, and we kicked
into high gear. As early as August of 2013, the Farmer’s Almanac predicted
the beginning of February would be
“particularly volatile and especially
turbulent,” with “significant snowfalls” and above-normal precipitation
in general. We may have chuckled
then at the antiquated prognostications… but no one’s laughing now!
On the heels of a late-January
snowstorm that shut the city of
Atlanta down, along came Round
Two: Winter Storm Pax – some say the
biggest ice storm to hit our service
territory in 14 years. Government officials
declared various states of emergency beforehand, calling ice storms the worst kind of
weather event for the South. They told us
it’d be devastating and that many would be
without power for days around the state. They
were right.
As soon as it was predicted that CowetaFayette EMC’s territory would be one of hardest hit areas, we began preparations. We
called in extra crews from Georgia and around
the country, secured hotel rooms and disaster
catering and stocked our warehouse full of supplies, including poles, line and other
equipment. Office and outside employees said goodbye to their families and prepared
to spend the night and work 24 hours a day, often in dangerous conditions.
continued on page 3
2
Promotions
Marty Rogers to Customer Service Representative III
Chuck Whitten to Senior Collector Service person
Teresa Tynes to TNS Operator II
Spotlight on
New Employees
Jimbo Boone
Apprentice Lineman
Trainee
Jessica Williams to Supervisor of Geographic Information Systems
Terry Wehrle to Geographic Information Systems Tech II
Dustin McNeely to Supervisor of Tech Operations and System Planning
Glenn Cooper to Supervisor of TNS Operation and Metering
Dawn Hunter to Supervisor of System Control
Tammy McLeroy to TNS Operator I
Thomas Ogeltree to Power Line Technician 3B
Andrew Collins
Apprentice Lineman
Trainee
Josh Philpott
Power Line Technician 1A
Ben Young to Journeyman
Janice Mattingly to Engineering Assistant/Work Order Clerk
Robert McDonald to Crewchief
Matthew Stitcher to Crewchief
Colt
Brandon Smith
Power Line Technician 2A
Colt Mason Bone, son
of Brett Bone, was
born February 21,
weighing 9 lbs., 12 oz.
and measuring 19.5
inches long.
Billy Johnson
Power Line Technician 1A
Event Calendar
Elton Bowman
Geographic Information
Systems Tech 1
Veronica Jowers
Cashier
MAY
1 Pay Day
2 Relay For Life
3 Lineman’s Rodeo
5 Cinco de Mayo
11 Mother’s Day
15 Pay Day
26 Memorial Day/Holiday
27 Board Meeting
29 Pay Day
JUNE
12
15
21
24
26
Pay Day
Father’s Day
First Day of Summer
Board Meeting
Pay Day
JULY
4 Independence Day/
Holiday
10 Pay Day
22 Board Meeting
24 Pay Day
3
Frozen in Time continued
Once the storm hit, we knew it
would be a paralyzing blow to our
area. At the height of the event,
Coweta-Fayette EMC had approximately
21,000 outages scattered over all eight
counties we serve, and 22 out of 26
of our substations were affected with
circuits out. We are grateful there were
no major
accidents
as our crews worked tirelessly to repair around 75 broken
poles and to fix damage along our 6,000+ miles of line.
“Considering the magnitude of the ice storm and the
massive restoration process as a result, I am very proud of
the tremendous work that was done by all of our employees – every single one,” said EMC CEO Tony Sinclair. “I
know it was difficult, but there are so many positive stories to tell and lots of heroic efforts to share. It’s apparent
that you care about our members and each other.”
Now that the ice storm is over (and hopefully winter, too!), we can look back and
remember one very important lesson we learned – we’re all in this together, as a co-op
family. We supported each other and bonded through a shared struggle. And we may
also want to consider heeding the prediction models of old: the Farmer’s Almanac is
forecasting severe hurricane threats in September… do we dare doubt this valuable
reference again?
EMC Kids and Family News
Whitni
Burnes,
daughter of
Kandi Daniel,
poses prettily
after making it into
the Phi Mu
Fraternity
(yes, fraternity—they
are one of
the original sororities that went by “fraternity” when founded) at Columbus State
University. She also made the Dean’s List
first semester!
Brett Bone
takes son
Colt on his
very first
tractor ride.
Sympathies to:
Chance Daniel,
son of Kandi
Daniel, and Rayne
Millians, daughter
of Nicci Millians,
show off their
smarts at the
Arnco-Sargent
Elementary School
Academic Bowl
Team’s first meet
of the year.
Hudson
and Max
Threlkeld,
grandsons
of Janice
Mattingly,
enjoy a few
of Santa’s
Christmas
cookies.
JANUARY
Chris Stephens in the loss
of his mother
FEBRUARY
Donna Bradley in the loss
of her brother-in-law
Retiree Travis Teal in the loss
of his mother-in-law
MARCH
Marilyn Ryan in the loss
of her mother-in-law
Greg Perry in the loss
of his stepfather
Tammy McLeroy in the loss
of her grandmother
Marcellus Ware in the loss
of his father
Marsha Oliver in the loss
of her mother
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4
Fish Fry 2014
EMC Employees Receive Special Board Gifts for Ice Storm Efforts
On the heels of a tumultuous winter, Coweta-Fayette EMC’s
annual fish fry gathering March 27 was an especially wonderful way
to celebrate together and usher in a hopefully more peaceful season as a co-op family.
To celebrate all the hard work and dedication in 2013-2014 – particularly with regard to the tremendous efforts shown during
Winter Storm Pax – our generous Board of Directors decided each
EMC team member deserved an additional special bag full of goodies on top of the delicious meal and regular employee achievement
gift.
This has been a tough but rewarding year, and every person
associated with Coweta-Fayette EMC deserves a “thank you” for his
or her loyalty and service to our membership. To celebrate all we’ve
accomplished, our fish fry cooks provided coolers full of steaming
shrimp, mounds of fried catfish and piles of hush
puppies and fries.
Besides a mouth-watering lunch, fun slideshow and Board gift
bag, employees also received a handy cooler for meals on the go.
This year, Coweta-Fayette EMC employees met 14 out of 16
goals for controlling cost, 12 out of 16 goals for superior customer
service, 7 out of 8 goals for improving revenue, 6 out of 8 goals
for reliability and 15 out of 16 goals for safety, which means 54
out of 64 goals were met overall.
Our talented cooks deserve a round of applause this year – can’t
wait for Fish Fry 2015! Let’s be sure we make it the best ever by
working hard to complete all of our goals.
5
r
L
o
i
f
f
e
y
2014
a
l
Re
Lucky winner
Marilyn Ryan
displays the prize
after her name
was drawn in our
PS4 raffle.
Superheroes Wanted!
For Coweta-Fayette EMC, the path to a night of celebration
and remembrance is forged with hard work, dedication, fun and
– most of all – the spirit of giving.
In anticipation of Coweta’s 2014 Relay For Life event at the
County Fairgrounds May 2, we officially kicked off our third year
of Relay fundraising initiatives in January. We’ve since held
many fundraisers for this worthy cause in remembrance of all
those we’ve lost and in honor of our inspiring survivors.
This year’s Relay theme – Superheroes Wanted, a title
meant to give recognition to those superheroes who battle cancer in their bodies and on behalf of others – certainly applies
to our personnel, too.
From bake sales, a 5K, soup day and breakfast plates to
raffles, a chicken-q, handmade crafts and a yard sale, the co-op
team has certainly done its part to reach our $15,000 fundraising goal. In fact, as of mid April, we were on track to meet and
most likely exceed our goal, as we’ve done in years past.
Every dollar raised through Relay For Life events helps the
American Cancer Society save more lives and finish the battle
against cancer. This cause is near to our hearts, and we can’t
wait to gather in fellowship and celebration once again at this
signature, night-long program that makes such a significant
impact in our community. So many of our lives have been
touched by cancer, and we are proud each year to join in the
fight to stop it. We’d also like to thank all of our members who
do their part to fundraise for a cure – together, we can make a
difference!
Through individual and group efforts, as well as general
participation and purchasing, the EMC was able to raise a lot of
money for this worthy cause. We have truly been blown away by
the support!
Megan Phillips
makes delicious
pancakes at our
annual Relay For
Life fundraiser
breakfast.
Thanks to all
who manned the
sweltering grill
during one of our
top money-making
events: the yearly
Relay Chicken-Q.
Marilyn Ryan
shows one of her
beautiful handmade wreaths created for the cause.
6
EMC Retirees
The beginning of 2014 has been the year for retirements.
Joel McMichael was the first, leaving us January 15.
He began working at the EMC 13 years ago in the warehouse.
Before joining us he was employed by Williams Brothers Concrete
for 20 years and had a few other odd jobs along the way.
As a Warehouse Person, not only did he help with materials needed for the trucks, he was also a very good sport when
needed to help deliver teacher appreciation gifts to our school
partners.
You could always count on Joel to help set up for yard sales,
participate in walks or just show his support. Joel’s pleasant
smile and good humor will be missed by everyone who had the
pleasure to work with him.
Joel said that he would now have more time to just enjoy
life and do whatever the good Lord wants him to do.
Our next retiree was Carl Labat. Carl began his career
with the EMC in 1992 in the Service Department, where he read
meters, did collections and worked service orders. In 1999,
he moved to customer service and was a Customer Service
Representative for 15 years.
He was known for being soft-spoken and for helping those in
need. In December 2013, he was honored by the Coweta Cancer
Support Group for alerting them when seriously ill individuals and
cancer stricken families faced a potential service interruption and
needed assistance.
Carl chose a great time to begin his retirement – the first
day of the big ice storm! I’m sure he missed helping us answer
all of those thousands of calls that were received that week.
He will now have more time to enjoy life with his family and
help coach youth ball teams.
Our last retiree, Alvin Shelton, stayed just long enough to
help us get through the ice storm. We were so glad he was able
to enjoy the pleasure of working those long, treacherous days
one more time!
Alvin began working at Coweta-Fayette in 1979 as a lineman,
working his way up the ladder to overhead line crew, groundsman, maintenance and finally Crew Chief in 1995. He said, “I’ve
done it all! I didn’t ever think I’d see the day that technology
would be as advanced as it is right now.”
He also said, “Coweta-Fayette EMC has been a great company to work for because they look after you. I don’t know of
another business that takes care of its people so well. I thank
the good Lord I was able to work here 35 years.”
Alvin plans to travel in his RV, anywhere and all over the
United States. He just wants to see the country and to spend
more time with his four grandchildren. He also hopes to have
a little time to fish and create more little Christmas angels for
people.
Hopefully, Alvin will come by for visits often and keep us
updated on his latest travel adventures.
Good luck, and we wish all you retirees the best. We hope
you enjoy life to the fullest!
7
Focus on Health
Break a Bad Habit
Nine employees participated in the “Break a Bad Habit”
challenge during the first quarter of 2014. Bad habit changes
included taking the stairs instead of the elevator, eating no
junk food, drinking non-caffeinated drinks and drinking more
water. Each participant received a small trophy for achieving
their goal.
If you have a bad habit that needs to be corrected, the challenge will be offered again in July. See Stephanie Fisher for
more details if you are interested.
Health Fair
Our annual health fair
was held on March 11 and
12th with 109 employees
taking advantage of the
free cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose and body fat tests. Be sure to save your results
sheet; you will need the information for the wellness health
survey that we participate in each year.
Heart Month
Since February
is national heart
month, EMC
employees wore
red as a reminder to stay heart
healthy.
Work/Life Balance
Workplace wellness is everybody’s business. Many employees
spend more than 1/3 of their day at work. That’s at least one
meal a day – and the majority of their waking hours.
Nearly 1 in 5 Americans had a diagnosable mental health
condition in the last year and many others are at risk. For almost
20 years, stress-related issues in the workplace have been on
the rise. What’s more, these conditions tend to strike during our
most productive working years, and they are among our nation’s
most disabling.
For a lot of people, the pursuit of a healthy work/life balance seems like an impossible goal. With so many of us torn
between juggling heavy workloads, managing relationships and
family responsibilities, and squeezing in outside interests, it’s
no surprise that more than one in four Americans describe themselves as “super stressed.” And that’s not balanced – or healthy.
In our rush to “get it all done” at the office and at home,
it’s easy to forget that as our stress levels spike, our productivity
plummets. Stress can zap our concentration, make us irritable or
depressed, and harm our personal and professional relationships.
Over time, stress also weakens our immune systems, and
makes us susceptible to a variety of ailments from colds to backaches to heart disease. The newest research shows that chronic
stress can actually double our risk of having a heart attack. That
statistic alone is enough to raise your blood pressure!
While we all need a certain amount of stress to spur us on
and help us perform at our best, the key to managing stress lies
in that one magic word: balance.
At Work
• Set manageable goals each day.
• Be efficient with your time.
• Take a break.
• If possible, listen to your favorite music.
•Be honest with colleagues or your boss when you feel
you’re in a bind.
At Home
•Turn off your PDA. The same technology that makes it so
easy for workers to do their jobs flexibly can also burn
us out if we use them 24/7.
•Divide and conquer. Make sure responsibilities at home
are evenly distributed and clearly outlined – you’ll avoid
confusion and problems later.
• Don’t over-commit.
•Get support. Chatting with friends and family can be
important to your success at home.
•Take advantage of your company’s Employee Assistance
Program (EAP).
• Stay active.
•Treat your body right by getting plenty of exercise and
rest.
• Get help if you need it.
Source: Mental Health America
8
EMC Happenings
Jennifer Jones won a $500 Best Buy
gift card and Bill Jones won a $50 Visa
gift card at the Gresco Expo in Smarr.
Marcellus Ware,
Lanny Hammett,
Roger Lee Bonner,
Dawn Hunter,
Jody Hand and
Dwayne Howell
received awards
in appreciation of
their service on the Safety Committee.
Mary Ann
Bell, Melissa
Walden,
Jimmy Adams
and Amy Lott
(not pictured)
represented
CowetaFayette
EMC, Relyco
and True
Natural Gas at the Fayette County Chamber of
Commerce golf tournament March 26.
In support of the new kid’s cottage at
Christian City, True Natural Gas donated
an entire year’s worth of natural gas.
True’s own Jason Sutton was on hand
for the ribbon cutting, along with
“TrustDale” consumer advocate/investigator and journalist Dale Cardwell.
Mary Ann Bell and
Mike Francis talked
to 3rd-grade students at Fayette
Elementary School
about green power
and conserving
energy. The kids
even got to evaluate their school as efficiency investigators!
With excellent fishing
weather and a record
turnout of 14 boats that
launched from Sunny Point
ramp on the northern
end of West Point Lake,
Coweta-Fayette EMC’s annual fishing tournament was
another great success for
2014. Wendell Webb and
his son came in first place,
bagging $350 for their efforts, with a weigh-in bag of
over 9 lbs. Dale McWaters and his dad came in second,
taking home $220, with Scott Barber and his dad in
third, netting $130. Scott also shared in the big fish
pool with his biggest fish, weighing in at 2.14 lbs. We
look forward to another successful fishing tournament
in 2015!
After Winter Storm Pax, all leftover
food from the onsite disaster catering firm was delivered by Tammy
McLeroy, Jamie Guy and Dale Folds to
Community Welcome House in Newnan.
Fifty never looked so good!
Customer Service celebrated the big 5-0 with Teresa
Johnson April 10.
This snowy day in late January
proved to be a comparatively peaceful precursor to harsher winter
weather on the horizon…
April - June 2014
I Survived Washington Youth Tour 2014…
and Loved it!
When I volunteered to help chaperone over 100 of Georgia’s best and
brightest teenagers to D.C. for a week in June, I said, “How hard could
it be?” Meanwhile, a little voice inside me warned I might have bitten
off more than I could chew. I thought, “They want me, Amy Lott, to be
responsible for wake-up calls, room checks and punctuality?” And secondly,
with growing concern, “That’s a lot of teenage hormones…”
I would soon find out, however, that not only would the EMCsponsored and much-beloved Washington Youth Tour prove to be one of
the most challenging experiences of my life, but also one of the most
rewarding and inspiring.
Cruising down the Potomac with my fellow chaperones
The purpose of the Youth Tour (approaching its 50-year anniversary!)
is to help EMCs nationwide promote stronger communities and a stronger
nation by giving as many young people as possible the ability and desire to
make meaningful, lifelong contributions as leaders. Another key component
is to teach students to appreciate diverse points of view and accept different
social, racial and cultural backgrounds.
This year marked Georgia’s biggest group to date—109 students and 16
chaperones sent by 38 of our state’s EMCs. Once in our nation’s capital, highlights included stops at Arlington Cemetery and the Holocaust Museum, as
With U.S. Rep. Lynn
well as the Lincoln, FDR, MLK, WWII, Vietnam and Korean War Memorials. The
On Capitol Hill with the
Westmoreland and Kelly
girls in my group (from
group also toured the U.S. Capitol, viewed the Declaration of Independence
Hester from Carroll EMC
Mitchell and Coastal EMCs)
and visited the Supreme Court, to name a few. The delegates also gained
perspective on some of today’s important issues and their role as involved
citizens during discussions with staff and/or members of Georgia’s congressional delegation.
My personal takeaway from this beautiful whirlwind trip, besides being blown away by all
the moving and fascinating aspects of D.C., was the realization that we should have no worries about this future generation of leaders. Against this amazing backdrop of history, I saw an
energetic, noisy, bold, kind, reverent, responsible, funny group emerge as a fully-bonded family.
They were bursting with ideas, songs and intentions. They said “yes ma’am” and “no ma’am”
religiously. Yes, they took countless selfies, but they also embraced differences, accepted challenges and remembered sacrifices.
So, despite my nervousness and the miles of walking in blazing sunlight through swampy
humidity, I came away with a fresh appreciation for my country and the Washington Youth
Tour itself, a program I’ve coordinated for five years but never fully grasped. I soaked it all in,
bonded with my fellow chaperones and mothered the delegates. But most importantly, I came
On the Supreme Court steps with C-F
to understand these teenagers have a lot to offer if we will only pay attention—what bright lights EMC’s delegates, Ethan Sisk (right) and
they will be in this world!
Edward Legaspi
2
Sympathies to:
APRIL
Mike Hill in the loss of his father
MAY
Spotlight on
New Employees
Agnesina Carter
Electric Billing
Specialist I
Floye Burnham in the loss of her brother
Shane Williams in the loss of his grandfather
Pat Long in the loss of his mother-in-law
e
Promotions
Corey Hendrix to Crewchief
Gloria Franks to Customer Service Rep I
Training our
Employees
Josh Philpott, Brandon Smith and Brad McGinnis
attended Exercise 1 Climbing Lab at the
training center in Smarr.
Stork Report
Charles
Debbie Whitlock is the
proud new grandmother of Charles Joseph
Bercier, born April 14,
weighing 9 lbs., 3 oz.
Josh Watson and Jason Edmonson attended Exercise
2 Construction Lab in Smarr.
Pat Walker and Gail Gulley attended the SEDC
conference in Atlanta.
Christy Lopez attended Positive Assertiveness in
Smarr and the SAIA conference in Biloxi.
June McElroy attended an Access class.
June McElroy and Shane Williams attended
Electricity 101 in Smarr.
Stanley Sitzler, Jimmy Adams, Chris Stephens and
Tony Sinclair attended solar training.
Elton Bowman attended Futura GIS Level I
training in Atlanta.
Brandon
Brandon Smith is the
proud new father of
Carter Galloway Smith,
born June 4, weighing
8 lbs., 12 oz.
3
EMC Kids and Family News
What a catch!
Barrett
Thomas,
grandson of
Wayne Webb,
is the next
big fisherman.
Deriyana
Irving,
daughter of
Anita Irving,
looks pretty
in pink as
she sets off
for her first
prom.
Watch out,
World Cup
scouts…
Audrey Moore,
granddaughter
of Wayne Webb,
poses after
scoring 4 goals
in one game.
Having a ball!
Zack Fisher
and Cooper
Phillips, sons
of Stefanie
Fisher and
Megan Phillips
put their game faces on before t-ball at
Hunter Complex in Sharpsburg.
Marilyn Ryan’s
husband,
“Grandpa Joe,”
and grandson
Jacob Saunders
enjoy some
quality Easter
Bunny time.
Vicki Hammond’s granddaughters, Katie, Cierra,
Cali Jo and Chloe Norton show their silly side
at Goofy Golf.
Pretty princess! Alizia
Stargell’s
daughter
Nevaeh
Stargell, celebrates her
4th birthday
at Chuck E.
Cheese’s.
We’re
engaged!
Chris
Westman,
fiancé of
Jessica
Pounds, proposed on the
beach May
24.
New Collections
Policy
As of July 7, in consideration of
the safety of our employees, we stopped
collecting payments in the field. Now,
reconnect fees must be paid prior to 5
p.m. Monday through Friday for sameday reconnection.
We will be encouraging these members to avoid future trip charges and
reconnection fees by enrolling in our
new PrePay service. With PrePay, you
pay for electricity how and when you
choose, the same way you buy groceries
or gasoline.
You purchase electricity before you
use it. Make payments when you want
to—online, over the phone or in person at an office location. When your
account runs low, you get an alert by
text or email letting you know it’s time
to recharge your account. If funds in
your account run out, electrical service
will be automatically disconnected.
You will be notified by text or email
that your service has been cut off. You
can recharge your account at any time,
day or night, online or by phone, and
service will be automatically restored
within thirty minutes. There are no disconnection or reconnection fees.
Instead of a monthly statement,
usage and balance are calculated daily.
Members can track their usage by phone
or online at www.utility.org
Existing customers with a traditional account may convert to PrePay billing
at any time. Any deposits on existing
accounts will be credited toward balances or to the PrePay account. Existing
members with account balances can use
the debt-management program. Each
time a payment is made, a portion will
go toward the outstanding balance.
4
EMC Happenings
Coweta-Fayette
hosted a training
session for local first
responders to help
them understand the
dangers that arise
from electricityrelated emergency
situations. Some EMC
customer service reps
also got to experience a high voltage
lab demo.
To honor Earth Day, EMC employees
wore green and received reusable grocery totes to use in lieu of plastic bags.
Jimmy Whitley won our hanging plant
basket drawing for co-op personnel.
Linemen Curtis Baker and Bobby Smith discussed
their jobs during Career Day at Western Elementary.
For teacher appreciation week in May,
Mary Ann Bell (and special friends!)
delivered gifts to all the hard-working
staff members at Western and Burch
Elementary Schools.
Lee Phillips talked to students about electrical equipment and safety at Burch
Elementary.
Severe spring storms blew through the
Coweta-Fayette EMC service territory at
the end of April, causing 2,500+ outages
due to high winds, fallen limbs, broken
power poles and numerous spans of damaged line. Our crews were, of course, up
to the task!
WGTC electronics technology instructor
Daniel Halstead gained insight from Chris
Stephens, Dustin McNeely, Wayne Davis,
Luke Wilson and John Moore as part of
the Energy Systems Career Pathway Dual
Enrollment partnership.
Jimmy Adams and Stanley Sitzler visited the
state’s largest solar farm, owned by Georgia
Power and located near Social Circle, to see
how it was constructed and connected to the
distribution system.
5
Our Dancing Star!
Customer Service Representative Stefanie
Fisher bravely and beautifully represented
Coweta-Fayette EMC with her wonderful dance
partner, David Richards, in the Coweta’s Dancing
Stars fundraiser in April. She probably didn’t
know quite what she was getting into when she
accepted the offer to participate, but she performed all her duties with grace and danced the
bachata perfectly! Although Stefanie and David
didn’t win, we were blown away by their routine
and couldn’t be prouder of the part they played
in helping raise $81,000 for Community Welcome
House, an organization in Newnan helping those
who have suffered from domestic violence.
Lineman’s Rodeo 2014
We love our linemen! They did a great job competing in their 7th Georgia
Lineman’s Rodeo, held this year in May near Perry. The prestigious event, which
draws linemen from cooperatives statewide, provides an informal setting to promote safety and reinforce training. During the rodeo, a variety of tasks – pole
climbing, hurtman rescue, transformer repair and high-voltage line insulator
changes – are scored by a team of judges for speed, accuracy and safe practices.
Competing for Coweta-Fayette were Dustin Arrington, Jimbo Boone, Jeremy
Brown, Ben Daniel, Chris Gray, Zack Kent, Shea Lasseter, Brad McGinnis and
Steven Robinson. Matt Stitcher served as coach for the event.
Take Aim at Progress
In April, Georgia’s electric co-ops – including Coweta-Fayette, with the three teams shown
here – celebrated the completion of another successful and rapidly expanding Take Aim at Progress
(TAAP) skeet shoot to raise money for the NRECA
International Foundation.
When it began in 2002, the skeet shoot was
seen both as a creative way to raise money and as
a departure from the customary golf tournament.
No one realized just how popular the event would
become. This year’s shoot hit was widely attened,with dozens of
six-member teams from many different cooperatives across the
state.
Over the years, Georgia co-op members and their vendors
have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help sponsor
projects at places like Coopeguanacaste, Coweta-Fayette EMC’s
sister cooperative.
6
Relay For Life: EMC Superheroes Spring into Action
After months of fundraising, Coweta-Fayette EMC employees
gathered in celebration at the Coweta County Fairgrounds May 2 for
the American Cancer Society’s overnight event.
We appreciate all the hard work this year from everyone—the
yard sale in May raised $1,250 and the rain-delayed Power Play 5K
with Newnan Utilities raised $1,200—and we were thrilled to cap
it all off by spending the evening with around 50 members of our
co-op “family.” Some of us honored the cause by simply showing
up, sharing memories or selling a handmade item, others showed
their support by walking. A lot! Congratulations to our walking challenging winners: Stefanie Fisher, $100; Dale Folds, $75;
Jennifer Jones, $50.
Work
Management
Program in
Progress
Work management applications bring
together pieces of work—such as tasks,
projects and processes—and enable team
communication through a unified collaboration process.
For Coweta-Fayette, the program will
make our GA and CA systems talk to one
another so that work can be tracked from
one job to the next while in progress. It
will also help our customer service representatives communicate better with EMC
members. When questioned as to why their
When all was said and done, our team once again ranked as
top fundraiser overall by donating $23,000 to Relay For Life. Once
our donations were combined with the local total, the amount
raised for Coweta County was over $163,000! In June, CowetaFayette EMC even received a “Society Award” from the American
Cancer Society for our contributions to the cause.
Many of our lives have been touched by cancer, and we were
very proud to once again join in the fight against it. Through generosity and dedication, each of you who participated helped make
a difference. Thank you for your help.
power hasn’t been connected, an agent
can simply check the schedule and see
the progress and what is needed next, like
county inspections, signed easements, etc.
Any employee who works in the CA and
GA systems will be able to check to see
the progress of a job. This will increase our
productivity and efficiency once everyone
involved gets comfortable with working in
the system.
Relyco began using the work management process a year ago, and according to
Jimmy Adams, jobs are now handled much
more efficiently, with reduced paperwork
and transportation costs.
The graphics above show an account
with the service order in place and one
with a status tab showing the next requirement in the work flow. Mapping, staking,
engineering and construction will simply
perform their part of the job when the
order is passed along to them.
7
Focus on Health
Healthy Cooking
Meet Our Fitness Instructors
The wellness team has been fortunate to have good, dedicated
instructors for our evening fitness classes.
Linda Bolton, our kickboxing instructor,
is the owner of Anointed & Appointed Bodies,
Inc. in Newnan. She began her fitness journey after competing in an all-natural women’s
bodybuilding competition. As a first-time competitor, she placed and won overall champion
in 1997 and 2008. She has been the director
of the Summit Fitness Center in Atlanta, servicing over 3,000 federal government employees and contractors for over 14 years. Besides
coming to the EMC once a week, she also
teaches classes in Sharpsburg, Peachtree City, Newnan and Atlanta.
Linda said, “The benefits of my class are first and foremost making
the individual feel good about themselves in their pursuit of achieving a
healthier and fulfilling lifestyle. I believe exercise should be enjoyed.”
Fitness is important to Linda because it helps create harmony and
balance in her life.
Kathy Miles, our Zumba instructor, is also a
Cycle/Spin teacher. She began leading Zumba
classes about three years ago because she
finally found an exercise that she loved so
much she wanted to share it with others and
encourage them to participate in a fitness
program. Kathy said, “I want to make a difference for those who wouldn’t normally exercise
or for those who think exercise is not fun.
Through my teaching, I try to demonstrate
that exercise is for anyone. It doesn’t matter
what your fitness level is, experience or knowledge. I always say, ‘Zumba
is an exercise in disguise.’”
She has had many students who have lost weight and inches and
decreased their blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels by participating in Zumba classes. Other reasons to participate include cardiovascular
and skeletal/muscular benefits, as well as improving bone and joint
issues.
Zumba is important to Kathy because it can help reduce health
risks/diseases like osteoporosis, for example. She believes that being fit
will not only help lengthen your life, but also improve the quality.
If you aren’t already participating in one of these exciting programs, make plans to join today. Zumba classes are held Mondays and
Wednesdays, 5:30-6:15 p.m.; kickboxing is held Thursday, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Spicy Paleo
Pineapple Chili
Prep. 15 mins ∙ Cook 60 mins. ∙
Makes 8 ∙servings
INGREDIENTS
1 pound bacon, cut into thin strips
2 medium onions, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 pounds, grass fed ground beef
1/4 cup chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
red pepper flakes (optional)
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 (20-ounce) can of diced pineapple
1 (15-ounce) can of tomato sauce
1 (14-ounce) can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
DIRECTIONS
1. P reheat a large stock pot or dutch oven
over medium heat
2. B
rown your thin strips of bacon in your
pan
3. A
dd in onions, peppers, and garlic and
continue to cook, stirring often for 5
minutes or until onions become translucent
4. A
dd in ground beef, chili powder, and
cumin and stir until ground beef is cooked
through
5. A
dd all remaining ingredients, stir well,
and increase heat until chili comes to a
boil
6. O
nce boiling, reduce the heat to low,
cover, and simmer for 45 minutes
- Ben Podbeilski
Meet Our Graduates
8
E
V
A
S E
TH E!
DAT
Emily Elizabeth Sutton,
daughter of Chris Sutton,
graduated from East Coweta
High School.
Ivey Hand, daughter of
Jody Hand, graduated from
Newnan High School and
plans to attend Auburn
University this fall.
Pierce Potter, grandson of
Sharon Warner graduated
kindergarten from Grace
Christian Academy.
Mikal Rylee Bonner, grandson of Roger Lee Bonner,
graduated from Newnan High
School and plans to attend
the University of West Georgia
Jena Marie Camp, daughter of
Curtis Camp, graduated from
the University of West Georgia
with a marketing degree and
advertising/sales certification.
Lauren Elizabeth Owens, daughter of Rick Owens, graduated
from Sandy Creek High School
and plans to attend Kennesaw
State University this fall.
Glover Cooper, grandson of
Glenn Cooper, graduated
from First United Methodist
Preschool and Kindergarten in
Newnan.
Skylar Jayden Smith, grandson
of Sharon Warner, graduated kindergarten from Heard
County Elementary.
Bryson Cooper, grandson
of Glenn Cooper, graduated pre-k from Newnan
Presbyterian Church.
Employee Family Picnic
When: September 20, 11:00 – 3:00
Where: Plant Wansley near Whitesburg
Picnic lunch: 12:00 – 1:30
Games, competitions, fishing, tennis, basketball, horse shoes and much
more. Watch the TV’s at the EMC for more information.
July - September 2014
Coweta-Fayette
Star Quality Hits
the Small Screen
Who needs Hollywood celebrities? We’ve got our
own stars right here at Coweta-Fayette EMC… and on
October 3, they got their brush with fame.
As a proud sponsor of the Georgia High School
Association (GHSA) for the 10th consecutive year,
we were thrilled when Georgia EMC asked us to be featured
prominently in a series of commercials airing throughout Georgia Public Broadcasting’s
(GPB’s) televised high school football games each Friday night this fall and during regular broadcasts.
These spots focus on electric cooperatives’ commitment to community, service-oriented business model
and core operating principles.
Georgia EMC has been a corporate sponsor – and “Official Energy Provider” – for the Georgia High
School Association (GHSA) since 1999, coordinating the involvement of EMCs around the state in the
GHSA state championship finals. We EMCs support not just the athletes at major events around the state,
but the coaches, too. The GEMC Coaches’ Corners provide a respite for team coaches to relax and refresh
during these events. By sponsoring, our EMC raises co-op awareness and demonstrates youth support.
Coweta-Fayette, along with the other participating EMCs, also continues to help sponsor the
“Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award,” an annual program that jointly promotes sportsmanship at competitive events. The award honors not only the sportsmanship of student athletes, but also that of fellow
students, parents, coaches and spectators, making the trophy a tribute to the entire school community.
Each year, we hope one of the schools in our service territory wins, and we’ve actually had quite a few!
We were happy to assist Georgia EMC in coordinating film production of the commercial, and our
camera-ready stars were naturals. Check out GPB Sports on Facebook for season scheduling and more
action, and be sure to tune into GPBTV sporting events this season and beyond… you may see some
familiar faces!
EMCs sponsoring the Georgia
High School Association
in 2014-2015:
Canoochee EMC
Carroll EMC
Central Georgia EMC
Coastal Electric Cooperative
Coweta-Fayette EMC
Diverse Power
Grady EMC
GreyStone Power
Habersham EMC
Hart EMC
Irwin EMC
Middle Georgia EMC
Mitchell EMC
Ocmulgee EMC
Oconee EMC
Okefenoke REMC
Planters EMC
Rayle EMC
Slash Pine EMC
Snapping Shoals EMC
Sumter EMC
Tri-County EMC
Upson EMC
Washington EMC
2
Jacob Lewis
Apprentice lineman
trainee
Spotlight on
New Employees
James Aspinall
Apprentice lineman
trainee
Jonathan Staples
Apprentice lineman
trainee
Sympathies to:
Training Our Employees
JULY
Janice Cole in the loss of her aunt
Teresa Johnson, Donna Bradley, Dionne Russell, Beverly Hill-Jackson,
Dawn Hunter, Christy Lopez, Pat Walker, Shanda Cook, Jessica Williams,
Glenn Cooper, Teresa Proctor, Melissa Walden, Curtis Camp and Bill Jones
attended a two-day supervisor training class lead by Debra Ballard.
AUGUST
Theo Whitten in the loss of her brother-in-law
Chuck Whitten in the loss of his step-brother
Jessica Pounds in the loss of her grandfather
Stefanie Fisher in the loss of her grandfather
Marcellus Ware in the loss of his goddaughter
SEPTEMBER
Dionne Russell in the loss of her father-in-law
e
Dustin McNeely and Wayne Davis attended SCADA training
in New Orleans.
Laura Cumbee and Phyllis Johnson attended five-day
ITS training in Smarr.
Promotions
Melissa Walden was promoted to Manager of Marketing and Customer Care.
EMC Kids and Family News
Mills and Mary Kate Cleveland, children of
David Cleveland, enjoy the Great Georgia Air
Show.
David Spradlin and family take in the sights during
an Asian vacation that included a stop in Japan.
Brody Philpott gives dad Josh
a hug after his electrical safety
presentation at Newnan Crossing
Elementary.
3
New Plan, Clear Vision
Your management staff and board of directors recently completed a new strategic plan that outlines and defines the updated
mission/vision statements and corporate goals for the next five
years. Each objective and goal is precisely focused on EMC members
and employees.
One of the first success elements of the new plan involves
having an independent third party annually survey our members,
along with those from many other U.S. co-ops, to get comparable
feedback that will provide a benchmark in meeting and exceeding
their expectations. The survey of randomly selected members is
being conducted now, and the results will be an invaluable tool to
illustrate opportunities to be best in class.
As part of the strategic planning process, the directors and
staff also decided to amend our existing mission statement and
create an overarching vision statement:
Mission Statement – To enhance the quality of life in our community by safely providing dependable, reasonably priced electricity and exceptional customer service for our member-owners.
Vision Statement – Coweta-Fayette EMC will be the industry
leader for energy and related services and will be the voice of our
members on energy.
All employees, no matter what position they hold, should
reflect upon these statements routinely to ensure we are always
focused and on target. Some of the key elements of the five-year
co-op goals are: member satisfaction, costs, marketing, public
relations, economic development, system reliability and employee
value, just to name a few.
As a team, we can create even greater satisfaction as we strive
to make our cooperative the best in class, not only in Georgia, but
everywhere! Your unique skills, knowledge and experience in developing and realizing the tasks and action plans will be absolutely
necessary to successfully accomplish all our mutual goals.
Our team has already implemented numerous outstanding initiatives that directly relate to enhancing our member satisfaction
goal. For instance, we are now using many new SEDC consumer
accounting software options that have increased our efficiencies
with regard to time, costs and service. By using all the tools available to us, we can achieve much more.
There is no doubt we will make changes along the five-year
path to fit the circumstances, challenges and opportunities that
arise. The key to achieving our strategic planning goals is to be
flexible, open, creative and innovative, and to continue being
dedicated team members.
Mission Statement
To enhance the quality of life in our community by safely
providing dependable, reasonably priced electricity and
exceptional customer service for our member-owners.
Vision Statement
Coweta-Fayette EMC will be the industry
leader for energy and related services and
will be the voice of our members on energy.
4
Fall Festivities: Our 67th Annual Meeting!
At this year’s Annual
Meeting and Member
Appreciation Day – our 67th – we hosted around 3,000 consumers and family members
for a morning of carnivalthemed food, fun and prizes.
And who made it all possible?
YOU did!
From start to finish,
everyone worked harder than
ever. It was a true team
effort, as it’s always been.
The festivities featured
midway games, arts and
crafts, EMC information
stations, prize drawings,
bingo, health screenings
by Piedmont Newnan and
Piedmont Fayette Hospitals
and music from Alvarado
Road Show. For attending
the event, members received
an insulated EMC picnic tote
upon registration.
During the business
meeting, James W. Fulton
III, Ross Henry and Elwood
Thompson were declared winners of the board election.
The directors ran unopposed
and will serve another threeyear term.
After working hard all
morning, employees were
treated to prize drawings of
their own – five $50 gift cards
and two $100 gift cards were
randomly given out to lucky
winners.
With so much to coordinate (thank you, Marsha
McDaniel!), the contribution
of every EMC employee is
crucial to the continued success of our Annual Meetings.
These gatherings, though full
of fun, are also an important
and necessary part of our
function as a “cooperative.”
Without each and every one
of us, our meetings would not
be possible. Thank you again
for your willingness to work
and commitment to service.
See you in 2015!
5
Service Awards
5 Years
Amy Lott, Dustin McNeely and
Jan Turner
10 Years
Donna Slaton, Maggie
Reed, Dustin Arrington
and Rose Hagy
15 Years
Mike Francis, William Couch, Anita
Dispain, Walter Carter, Chad Smith,
Trigger Goen and Matt Stitcher
20 Years
Pat Walker, Curtis Camp and
Jody Cronan
25 Years
Juanita Meacham and Richard
Davis (not pictured)
45
Years
Janice Cole and
Lanny Hammett
30 Years
Wayne Flournoy
6
EMC Happenings
Three teams competed August 22 in the
fourth annual Walton EMC Sporting Clay
Charity Shoot benefitting the Atlanta
2-Day Breast Cancer Walk. Pictured:
Jessica Williams, Shanda Cook Tammy
McLeroy and Tammy Tillery.
David Cleveland, Melissa Walden, Mary
Ann Bell, Amy Lott and Josh Brown
represented the EMC, True and Relyco
at the Coweta Chamber’s B2B Small
Business Showcase August 21.
Congratulations to “Power Trip,” our first-ever
Peachtree City Dragon Boat team! Despite a
lack of experience, they won their division in
the September 27 races benefitting the Breast
Cancer Survivors Network. Pictured: Jody Hand,
Veronica Jowers, Jessica Pounds, Shane Williams,
Stefanie Fisher, Tammy Tillery, Jessica Williams,
Dustin McNeely, Shamika Lastie, Jennifer Jones
and Terry
Wehrle.
Josh Brown,
Vicki
Hammond,
Phil Gaddy,
Melissa
Walden
and David
Cleveland
represented the EMC, True and Relyco at
the Fayette Chamber expo September 23.
Mary Ann Bell, Melissa Walden, Amy Lott
and Operation Round Up Trust Board
member Matt Markham attended a Coweta
Samaritan Clinic benefit at Dunaway Gardens
September 28.
EMC linemen participated in important hurtman
rescue training tactics August 8 at the co-op.
They’re famous!
Holland Brown and
Robert McDonald
appeared in a
nationwide ad for
Futura Systems,
Inc. that ran in RE
Magazine.
Lineman Josh Philpott discussed electrical safety during Community Helpers
Day at Newnan Crossing Elementary
September 19.
Linemen Shea Lasseter and Weston
Abbott worked hard for two weeks at
Coopeguanacaste, our sister co-op in
Costa Rica, helping to bring power to
rural areas.
Willie Freeman turned 40 August 5 with a little
help from Fox
5 Meteorologist
Ken Cook,
whose printedout face was
plastered everywhere. We think
there’s a story
behind this…?
Stefanie Fisher, Jennifer Jones, Shamika
Lastie, Maggie Reed and Jimmy Adams
bravely showed support for ALS by participating in the viral ice bucket challenge
August 22. Some co-op “friends” were
happy to help pour the water!
7
Focus on Health
Healthy Cooking
Total Wellness Challenge
Beginning in June, 33 people participated in the “Total Wellness
Challenge,” winning at least one $50 gift card. Some even won two cards!
The challenge required you
to earn points by steps, exercising, drinking water, stretching
and sleeping at least seven hours
every night. You could even
make extra points by wearing
sunscreen, taking part in healthy
programs and participating in
organized fitness events.
Each participant was
required to keep a log of
Stephanie Fisher and Jennifer Jones pretheir daily points, and when
sented Diane Norton with her $50 gift
one reached 250 points, they
card.
received their $50 card.
At the conclusion of the
challenge, all of the finishing participants’ names were put into an additional drawing for another $50 gift card, and the winner was Diane Norton.
The Wellness Committee appreciates your involvement in our fitness
challenges as we all strive to be more health conscious.
Divas Half Marathon
Jessica Williams and Stephanie Fisher
completed a half marathon (13 ½ miles) in
Peachtree City in September. The race benefited breast cancer research and all entrants
completing the race received medals.
This was a first for the two ladies, and
both were very excited to be able to finish the
race. Way to go, ladies!
Cheryl’s
Fancy
Pants Chicken
You’ll need:
2 packages of THIN chicken breasts
A few slices of prosciutto
Half bag of fresh spinach
8 oz. package Lipton Recipe Secret’s
Savory Herb and Garlic
½ cup white wine
¼ cup olive oil
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a
13x9 pan with Pam. Place two layers of chicken
in the pan and cover with prosciutto and spinach. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and coarse
black pepper, and then top with mushrooms.
Whisk together olive oil, wine and savory herb
envelope and pour over the chicken. Cover with
foil (not tight) and bake for 30 minutes. Top
with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Recipe Courtesy
Gail Gulley
Health Benefits of Pumpkin
Pumpkin: This super food squash is good for more than
just jack-o’-lanterns, lattes and Thanksgiving pies. Pumpkin has
numerous health benefits, earning this squash its super food
title.
“Pumpkin is a great food,” says Jennifer Teems, MS, RD, LD,
a clinical dietitian at Piedmont. “So many people just gut their
pumpkins, carve their lantern and throw out the good stuff.”
Don’t miss pumpkin’s health benefits. Pumpkin is...
• High in fiber, which helps you feel full and promotes digestive health.
• Rich in vitamin A, which is key for healthy vision, proper
cell growth and a strong immune system.
• Low in calories. One cup of cubed pumpkin is just 30 calories and one cup of pumpkin puree (not to be confused with
pumpkin pie mix) contains only 80 calories.
Pumpkin seeds also have health benefits:
• They contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body
produce sleep-promoting serotonin.
• They’re rich in antioxidants like beta-carotene, which help
protect against cancer, fight inflammation and improve skin
appearance
The healthiest way to eat pumpkin:
• Teems cautions that while pumpkin is indeed a super food,
the most popular ways to consume it aren’t so healthy.
• “People get in trouble when they go for the pumpkin pies,
cakes, muffins, breads, etc.,” she explains. “As a dietitian,
I’d recommend opting for roasted pumpkin, adding pumpkin
puree to a smoothie or hummus, or a nice pumpkin soup to
better glean the health benefits of pumpkin.”
Courtesy of Piedmont Healthcare
8
An Autumn Picnic and Co-op Games at Plant Wansley
Fancy destinations are exciting… but sometimes, a good, oldfashioned family fun day provides a
refreshing change of pace.
As with any close-knit group,
spending quality time together
outside daily routines is good for
strengthening relationships among
co-workers. This year’s annual
Coweta-Fayette employee picnic,
held September 20 at Plant Wansley
near Carrollton, provided the perfect
outdoor setting for healthy bonding
among families, both of the personal AND work varieties!
For activities, there were pony
rides, hula hoop contests, basketball throw competitions, sack races,
horseshoes, corn hole, fishing, badminton and kids’ games/crafts. We
won’t name any names, but some of
your co-workers were quite a sight
as they worked the hula hoops and
hopped around in sacks…
Additionally, EMC employees were treated to a delicious
BBQ lunch, sno-cones and cotton
candy. There were also drawings for
prizes, including a camera, an Xbox
Kinnect, an iPad Mini, a $500 Best
Buy card, a Fitbit and various retail/
restaurant/movie gift cards.
Be sure to thank the EMC for
making this year’s picnic possible
and organizers Mary Ann Bell and
Megan Phillips for making it a success!
Spotlight on Excellence Entry Form
NRECA Voting Member Classification *
Distribution Cooperative: 50,001-90,000 meters
Category *
5. Best Internal News Publication
Entry Title *
NewsFlash
I wish to receive Judges' comments on
this entry
Yes
Entrant's Name *
Mary Ann Bell
Cooperative *
Coweta-Fayette EMC
Mailing Address
807 Collinsworth Rd
Palmetto, GA 30268
United States
Email *
mabell@utility.org
Phone Number *
(678) 423-6826
Names of others (freelancers or
organizations) involved in the project, if
applicable
Mary Ann Bell, Amy Lott and Cara Mulkey
Describe your/the co-op's role in the
Mary Ann Bell - writing and layout
#280
project *
Amy Lott - gathering information and writing
Cara Mulkey - layout and graphics
Describe others’ role in the project
(Reference outside sources of material,
including templates; pre-existing Web
tools and apps; information from outside
groups, such as Straight Talk or
Touchstone Energy; stock photos and
music, etc.) *
Mary Ann Bell - writing and layout
Amy Lott - gathering information and writing
Cara Mulkey - layout and graphics
Circulation or Number of People Reached * 220
Number of Attendees *
Project’s Budget *
4000
Target Audience(s) *
employees, board members
Project's Objective *
Employee news, informational, healthy tips
Restrictions/Limitations *
none
Describe why you chose this type of social
media and how you used it *
Provide a brief summary that states the
purpose of the event, how the program
was implemented, and results and how
they were measured *
Provide a brief summary that states the
purpose, how the program was
implemented, and results and how they
were measured using the RACE
framework. Each component has its own
word limit noted below.
Research *
Action *
Communication *
Evaluation *
Upload Supporting Materials File #1
Upload Supporting Materials File #2
Video or Audio Link
Special Instructions
Created
cowetafayette_emc_newsflash.pdf
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