Today in Mississippi April 2018 Pearl River Valley

News for members of Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association

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y n n Fu s e n i Fel Periodical postage (ISSN 1052 2433)

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It’s finally here!

The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience opens in Meridian p. 4

6 History comes alive at Shaifer House 10 Mississippi Cooks: Southern comfort cookin’ 17 Cooperatives sponsor Youth Leadership Workshop

12 Today in Mississippi

April 2018

PRVEPA Contact Information: Columbia: 601-736-2666 Hattiesburg: 601-264-2458

Purvis: 601-794-8051 Wiggins: 601-928-7277

To pay bills or report outages:

855-2PRVEPA (855-277-8372) 1938 - 2018

Visit us on line at www.PRVEPA.com

Member owned. Locally operated. That’s the cooperative difference.

A message from your general manager

Committed to meeting member needs—80 years later Pearl River Valley Electric believes in course, but when you look around your neighneighbors helping neighbors—people and borhood, there’s a good chance our employees families who are members of our electric have played some small role in helping to make power association. That’s just another things better. way of saying we’re committed to the Because we’re your neighbors, our kids attend communities we serve, and it’s the central the same schools. Members of our staff are right focus for everything we do. there with you at parent-teacher organization PRVEPA has been in existence for 80 fundraisers. We see the same challenges and years now as a member-owned, not-fordepend on the same services you do. At any local Randy Wallace profit, locally managed business. We were gathering, you’ll see some of our line workers or General Manager formed as a rural electric cooperative in member services representatives listed on the 1938 because it was the best way to bring reliable, afford- roster of volunteers. able electricity to the areas we serve, and we have manWe work with our members to help solve problems aged to stay committed to our roots in spite of the vast and create opportunities in our communities. But none changes and extensive growth we’ve seen over the years. of this is new. Since the beginning, the people behind We keep your power flowing, which means providing your Association have regularly helped their communities one of the basic requirements for enjoying a modern find solutions to meeting needs.

American quality of life. That’s our main mission, of Listening to members still helps us to see and learn

Applications for Community College Scholars program due August 10, 2018 Funded by members who are rounding up their monthly bills, these scholarships are intended to assist students who will attend a Mississippi community college as a freshman this fall.

Applications are available at PRV offices and online at www.PRVEPA.com.

Completed applications must be postmarked or emailed by August 10.

Scholarship recipients must be a PRVEPA member, spouse or child of a member participating in the Round Up program.

Recipients must be full time (12 hours or more per semester) freshmen students enrolled in academic or career-technical programs.

Scholarship funds will be credited to each student’s college account—no checks will be issued to individuals.

Scholarships should be awarded by the end of September. Students must be enrolled in good standing at the time funds are released to the colleges.

More information is available at our website, www.PRVEPA.com.

about new concerns. That’s how our Round Up for Education program got started. Based on the belief that access to education is vital to the future of students as well as their families, in just five year the Community College Scholarship Program has helped provide financial assistance to more than 1,000 students.

We also are proud to support the Youth Leadership Program conducted by our statewide association. You can read more about the three local students who are participating this year on the opposite page.

All of our efforts and programs are designed to help meet needs for our members and strengthen their communities. We care about the things you care about— large and small—because we live here too. Each and every one of us connected to the Pearl River Valley Electric is committed to being here and serving members each and every day. That’s always been the cooperative difference.

#ThankALineman THANK YOU FOR POWERING OUR LIVES.

NATIONAL LINEMAN APPRECIATION DAY APRIL 9, 2018

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April 2018 Today in Mississippi From left: Thomas Hahn, Rep. Bill Pigott, Sen. Angela Hill, Rep. Ken Morgan and Katie Norris.

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Students learn leadership lessons Pearl River Valley Electric sends local students to Youth Leadership Workshop The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi held the 32nd Youth Leadership Workshop Feb. 21-23 in downtown Jackson. The annual event brought 80 students from across Mississippi to the state capital to meet their legislators and to participate in activities designed to enhance their already present leadership abilities.

Jacob Brogan of Lamar Christian, Thomas Hahn of Columbia High and Katie Norris of West Marion High were selected from among the schools in Pearl River Valley Electric’s service area to represent the electric cooperative during this hands-on workshop.

The students participated in team-building activities and discussions, met with their state legislators and visited the state Capitol.

They also heard from a variety of motivational speakers, as well as from Mississippi’s top leaders, Gov. Phil Bryant and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves.

Gov. Bryant Thomas Hahn continues his supColumbia High School port of the program by speaking to the students each year during a luncheon at the Old Capitol Inn. During his remarks, he encouraged the participants to pursue their dreams and hold on to their Mississippi values.

“There are so many opportunities for you in Mississippi to take on leadership roles here.

Whether you go on

Jacob, Thomas and Katie having fun at the workshop participating in group activities, as well as a visit to the state Capitol.

to college or choose a technical trade, there are many advantagesto staying right here at home,” he said.

Lt. Gov. Reeves encouraged the students to work hard for their dreams, giving them three guidelines for success: dream big, make a plan and work hard. “If you do these three things, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to,” he said.

Training young leaders is fundamental to building strong communities and through this program, Pearl River Valley Electric hopes to prepare promising students for a bright future.

“We are proud to have these three outstanding young people represent Pearl River Valley Electric,” said Randy Wallace, general manager. “Each year, the youth leadership program has encouraged students to expand their view of the world, and they take away lifelong lessons and develop lasting relationships. They are our future leaders, and Katie Norris we look forward to seeing West Marion High School them be successful in their schools and communities.”

Jacob is the son of Tommy Brogan and Susan Haynes Johnson of Purvis, Thomas is the son of Lawrence and Angela Hahn of Columbia, and Katie is the daughter of Kevin and Patricia Norris of Foxworth. In June, the three will travel with the group to Washington, D.C. for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Tour. The seven-day trip will include visits to all of the popular monuments and memorials, as well as meetings with Mississippi’s congressional delegation during a visit to Capitol Hill.