More Power

Engaging Policymakers for a Brighter Future

By Michael Youth

As hometown utilities, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives serve as a local voice for our members, representing and advancing your interests. Each legislative session, representatives from electric cooperatives engage with policymakers and champion issues that matter to rural communities.

The 2021 legislative session was no exception. Last November, the North Carolina General Assembly and Gov. Cooper passed a $26 billion annual budget. The budget reflects bipartisan compromise and makes strategic investments in North Carolina’s future. Electric cooperative members have a lot to be thankful for in Please join us in the budget. thanking your Budget investments In addition to lowering state legislators for taxes, the budget makes significant public investtheir hard work. ments that will benefit rural communities. In addition to funding state government operations, the budget: ■ Provides funding of $1 billion for broadband deployment and accessibility for unserved or underserved areas; ■ Advances $100 million for locally administered home energy assistance programs; ■ Authorizes the NC Department of Environmental Quality to disburse millions of dollars to deploy electric vehicle chargers and electric school buses in the state; and ■ Builds the state’s “rainy day” fund for future emergencies, including storm response, to $4 billion.

Protecting members from unfair costs When electric cooperative representatives advocate for the communities they serve, affordability remains a top concern.

As the budget was being negotiated, big cable companies lobbied for a broadband policy that threatened to increase co-op members’ electric bills to subsidize those cable companies’ profits. Rural communities have unquestionably gone too long without affordable broadband. While electric cooperatives vocally support broadband deployment in rural communities, shifting costs to your electric bill is not the answer.

We opposed the cost-shifting provision and are pleased that legislators chose not to include it in the final budget. Looking ahead, we will continue to champion rural broadband deployment solutions that do not place undue cost burdens on our members.

Effective engagement Effective engagement is critical as we work to achieve our vision of building a brighter future for electric cooperative members, rural communities and the state.

Strong stakeholder engagement and thoughtful legislative leadership produce beneficial public policy.

We are thankful that legislators passed a budget that advances rural interests and protects our members from unnecessary cost shifts as broadband access expands.

Please join us in thanking your legislators for their hard work.

Michael Youth is Government and Regulatory Affairs Counsel for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives.

You can find your legislators’ contact information and send them a note of thanks at ncleg.gov.

Our simplest smartphone ever.

The Jitterbug® Smart3 is our simplest smartphone with a simple menu, large screen and exclusive health and safety services. EASY Everything you want to do, from Plans with texting and taking pictures, to emailing and getting directions, is organized in a single list on one screen with large, legible letters. $1748 data as low as $1748 month2 Plus, Voice Typing makes writing emails and texts effortless. SMART Turn your Jitterbug Smart3 into a personal safety device with our Urgent Response Service and exclusive health apps. AFFORDABLE Lively has a variety of plans with data starting as low as $1748 per month. Compared to other cell phone companies, you could save up to $500 per year.

Plans with $1748 data as low as $1748 month1

Plans with $1748 data as low as $1748 month*

Powered by the nation’s most reliable wireless network.

NO LONG-TERM CONTRACTS

No cancellation fees

$1999 month* New Unlimited Talk & Text

Data plans as low as $249/mo* . To order or learn more, call 1.866.554.0739

No long-term contracts Keep your current phone number 100% U.S.-based live customer service and technical support No hidden monthly fees Affordable, flexible plans

Available in-store or online at: lively.com/smart

JANUARY Quick Hits

Winter Weather Icy out there? Stay off roads if possible. Find driving tips and other ways to prepare for winter weather at

Soup’s On National Soup Month has arrived, perfect for chilly nights. Get a jump on it with our stew recipe on page 32.

Day of Service This Martin Luther King Day (January 17), find a community group near you that needs volunteers to lend a hand.

Energy Tip Are your fans winter-ready? Make sure they’re switched to turn clockwise to circulate warm air around the room.

StormCenter.coop

Speed Under Pressure: Lineworkers Test Lifesaving Skills

Pole Top Rescue Competition held at Nash Community College

In November, North Carolina’s top electric cooperative lineworkers assembled at Nash Community College in Rocky Mount to compete for the title of State Champion in the 2021 Pole Top Rescue Competition.

The biennial competition pitted lineworkers against the clock and each other as they demonstrate essential lifesaving skills and provided an up-close look at the speed, technique and safety knowledge required to maintain the lines that power the lives of electric cooperative members. To advance to this state championship, each competitor had to win a similar competition at their local cooperative.

During the competition, each lineworker executed a scenario in which a coworker is unconscious atop a utility pole. The competitor, dressed in full climbing gear, had to radio for help, scale 20 feet up the utility pole, lower a 105-pound mannequin (nicknamed “Kool”) and begin lifesaving procedures. All North Carolina electric cooperative lineworkers must complete this same scenario in less than five minutes to maintain their certification to work on electric co-op lines.

“This championship highlights just how rigorous and challenging it is to be a lineworker,” said Louis Duke, spokesperson for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “These highly trained individuals play a critical role in co-op operations, and we can’t thank them enough for the vital service they provide to our members and communities.” Meet the 2021 Pole Top Champs Pictured, top to bottom First Place: Levi Fagan, EnergyUnited, Time: 1:53.37 Second Place: Jason Helms, Union Power Cooperative, Time: 1:57.90 Third Place: Cody Buck, Brunswick Electric, Time: 1:59.83 Not pictured: Chris Griffin of Union Power maintains the overall record with his 2014 time of 01:33.47. carolinacountry.com/extras These guys are fast — this is a competition you have to see to believe! Watch them in action on our website. The competition was held for the first time at Nash Community College thanks to a valuable partnership maintained with North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. Nash Community College (nashcc.edu) offers critical degree and certificate programs in Electric Lineman Technology that help support the vital line workforce across rural North Carolina.

Roanoke Electric CEO Honored with NC Rural Leadership Award

Recognition comes as Wynn is named CEO of Fla. co-op

Curtis Wynn, CEO of Roanoke Electric Cooperative, has received the 2021 Larry Wooten Rural Leadership Award, presented by Governor Roy Cooper and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler each year to an outstanding leader who has worked to advance North Carolina’s rural communities. The award is a milestone recognition for Wynn, who, after leading Roanoke Electric for more than 24 years, was recently named the incoming CEO at SECO Energy, an electric cooperative serving more than 200,000 members in central Florida.

At Roanoke Electric, headquartered in Ahoskie, Wynn earned national accolades for his commitment to implementing services and programs that help local communities and members thrive.

“Curtis Wynn has brought opportunity and innovation to rural North Carolina, making rural communities an even better place to live and work,” said Gov. Cooper. “Thanks to his work, more families, schools and businesses have access to high-speed internet, a critical tool to help rural communities thrive. We are working hard to build on the great work of our rural co-ops and other partners to get even more North Carolinians connected to broadband.”

Wynn has spearheaded a variety of cutting-edge, high-impact initiatives in the co-op’s long-standing efforts to empower member-owners in a region facing economic challenges.

“Curtis Wynn has built a transformative legacy of leadership, from efforts to bring broadband connectivity to rural communities and raising more than $10 million to support economic development projects, to encouraging wealth creation through land ownership and sustainable land management,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

A Florida native, Wynn began his career washing trucks for his rural hometown electric co-op in Graceville, Fla., and his decision to make a career transition stems, in part, from his desire to be closer to his family and home, where he plans to eventually retire.

“It’s been a pleasure serving Roanoke Electric’s member-owners for the past 24 years,” Wynn said. “This has been the highlight of my 42-year career in the electric co-op industry. I am not saying goodbye. A part of me will always be a part of this region and connected to this co-op.”

The impact of Wynn’s leadership on Roanoke Electric and its consumer-members is lasting. During his tenure, the co-op developed the Upgrade to $ave program, which provides energy efficiency and smart energy upgrades to homes and businesses that financially benefit both the member-consumers and the cooperative.

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the co-op established its sustainable forestry program. It has helped hundreds of local landowners by providing information and resources to help them better manage and retain their land for the purpose of building generational wealth.

The Roanoke Connect initiative is bridging the digital divide by bringing broadband connectivity to the region for the first time. After years of laying the groundwork, connections to high-speed internet service are now underway.

The impact of Wynn’s vision and legacy stretches beyond the borders of North Carolina. As immediate past president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Wynn had the distinction of being the first Black board president in the organization’s history and leading the organization through the unprecedented disruptions of the global pandemic. During his tenure, he was a tremendous voice for the nation’s electric cooperatives to embrace the tenets of diversity, equity and inclusion, and the NRECA membership passed a diversity, equity and inclusion resolution in 2020.

In addition to leadership roles at Roanoke Electric and NRECA, Wynn has served on various local, state and national boards of directors. His greatest sense of achievement, however, comes from Roanoke Electric.

“I would say my proudest accomplishment is the growth I have seen in our team, and how they have stepped up to address the many challenges the industry has thrown our way over the years,” Wynn said. “They did so by embracing our core values beyond anyone’s expectations, really wanting to make a difference in the community we serve. Leaving that behind makes me feel good about what lies ahead for Roanoke Electric.”

Wynn’s last day at Roanoke Electric was December 13. The board of directors has appointed the co-op’s chief operating officer, Marshall Cherry, to serve as interim CEO.

Wynn has advocated on behalf of electric co-ops throughout his career, including during 2017 testimony to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee.

—Louis Duke, North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives

Scenes CAROLINA COUNTRY A GALLERY OF YOUR BEST PHOTOS

A Mountain Rainbow

Taken from the Clingman’s Dome parking lot in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the camera was pointing toward Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and Cherokee National Forest. Rodney Hendrickson, London, KY Thanks to everyone who submitted pictures to our annual photo contest! The judges chose from hundreds of photos of people and places throughout North Carolina. In addition to these images, we’ll run more in our “Carolina Creators” magazine feature. And even more selections will appear as the “Photo of the Week” on our website (carolinacountry.com/potw), where there’s an archived collection. Our Facebook and Instagram pages also routinely showcase reader photos.

Gone Turtlin’?!

We had a slow afternoon of fishing off of Moccasin Creek, but we were able to catch this large snapping turtle while attempting to catch a catfish. You can tell by my nephew’s expression that he was rather large. After snapping a few photos, we removed the hook and let him swim away. Jon McReynolds, Wake Forest, Wake Electric

Mud Minis

These are my sons, Gabe (age 5), and Grant (age 2), having the time of their lives in Lewiston. Chelsie Blowe, Ahoskie , Roanoke Electric Photographer Casey Byrum

Casting Cousin

My cousin casted into the Atlantic Ocean on a beautiful fall evening in Pine Knoll Shores. Emily Bedsworth, Pine Knoll Shores, Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative

In Memory of “Cap”

On my Deddy’s birthday, my oldest son, Jace, my youngest son Ryker and I went to the Pee Dee River to spread some of his ashes. “Cap” was everything to Jace as he was to me. Jason Bud Sweet was a true wonder, a man of nature with a heart of gold! Kaylee Sweet, Hamlet, Pee Dee Electric

All Decked Out

Sunrise at the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse on the Manteo waterfront. Winter sunrises at the Outer Banks are the best. Alan Trammel, Chapel Hill

Many Mouths To Feed

Bluebird feeding time in my backyard. Nhat Vu, Mint Hill, Union Power Cooperative

Dapper Champ

My “grand-dog” Champion is a 3-year-old pit bull and quite dapper in his hat and shirt. The sweetest, most laid-back pitbull you’ll ever meet, he gets his feelings hurt easily and will go pout in the corner when he does! Lisa Reeves, Hickory, Rutherford EMC Photographer Hilary Reeves

Tunnel Travelin’ Tot

My grandson Mason having fun at Stokes Family Farm. Rebecca Lewis, Troy, Randolph EMC Photographer Amy McLawhorn

Stetson and Fred

Our 2-year-old grandson, Stetson Lail, with Fred the cow. This picture was taken by K. Smith Photography. Taylor Lail, Hickory, Rutherford EMC

Cape Lookout Moonrise

This photo was taken at a unique moonrise at Cape Lookout. Late in the year, the full moon will rise further north than it normally does, giving an interesting angle on the lighthouse—an incredible sight to witness! Wick Smith, Beaufort, Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative

Winterscape

Mount Carmel Road, Lexington. William Deal, Lexington, EnergyUnited

Sweet Girl

One of our sweet girls laying her egg in the nesting boxes. She gives us an egg each day, and is the only one of our Barred Rock girls left. She’s a beautiful, active lady who loves worms, bugs, chicken scratch (corn especially), and taking dust baths in the warm sunshine! Micah Junket, Mount Pleasant

Falling for Fall

Tiny World My neighbor’s daughter came over and I love to wander around my yard and find all the hidden offered to help me gather leaves. Her smile worlds that exist if you slow down enough to see them. was exactly the “pick me up” that I needed This is one tiny example. to finish one of my least favorite fall chores! Chris Rodermond, Hillsborough, Piedmont ElectricLisa Hall, Waxhaw, Union Power Cooperative

The Importance of Farming

My wife’s uncles were digging ditches in the field to allow water to drain so that crops do not drown. Spending time around family I have learned a lot about farming and how much it means to parts of North Carolina. It is something we should continue to educate others on. Ian Slade, Wake Forest, Wake Electric

Flower Children

Best friends sharing a tender moment in the sunflower field at Dorthea Dix Conservatory Park in Raleigh. Alya Jakubowicz, Raleigh, Wake Electric

Nature Finds a Way

I took this photo while walking through the woods behind my house in late March while looking for deer antler sheds. Austin Heine, Eastover, South River EMC

Room with a View

We escaped the heat and headed up to Round Bald, straddling the border with NC and TN, for a night out under the stars for my birthday. Adventures are the best birthday gifts. Kate Kedzierski, Morganton, Rutherford EMC

Senior Fitness

Stay active in your home with online workouts

Seniors, especially those who don’t drive or who prefer to stay in their homes, may feel challenged in figuring out how to stay motivated or participate in a workout class if they can’t get there. Fortunately, nowadays there are many online options where they can attend a workout with a qualified instructor.

For example, the free exercise classes offered through the Silver&Fit® program cater to senior fitness. Its halfhour classes include videos on strength/bodyweight, yoga, dance, tai chi, mixed formats, and flexibility and balance, at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The classes premiere Monday through Saturday, and can also be watched later. People can view them at facebook.com/SilverandFit or youtube.com/SilverandFit.

Dr. Jaynie Bjornaraa, PhD., MPH, PT, and AVP of Digital Fitness Solutions with the Silver&Fit program, shared four tips for choosing an online class:

1Find a class tailored to your fitness level There’s nothing more discouraging than trying to follow a fitness instructor who’s doing movements at a speed you can’t keep up with. If you’re just starting out, find beginner classes offering a lower level of intensity. As your fitness improves, add intermediate level classes. Older adults should seek instructors who specialize in the specific needs of your age group, such as maintaining and building muscle, maintaining flexibility, and improving balance.

2Look for credentials There are thousands of instructors teaching classes on social media or fitness websites, but the wrong instructor can result in injury or a bad experience. Top instructors may have certifications such as Certified Group Fitness Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults, or others. Such certifications are earned through organizations such as the Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), or National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

3Select an instructor who motivates you Data shows that 50 percent of sedentary people who start a new exercise program drop out after six months. An instructor who inspires you is key to your success. Top factors to look for include enthusiasm and encouragement, a “real” personality, music you like, and a sense of community. If your online community allows for commenting, share your fitness goals with the group to get additional encouragement.

4Find classes that work with your routine Are you more likely to stick with an 8 a.m. class, a noon class, or an-end-of-day class? Finding a time that best suits your schedule increases your chances of sticking with a new program.

Even if you’re not ready to take the big plunge to a 30-minute class today, just get going. Try 10 minutes of exercise and work up to your goals. Just getting started will give you a sense of accomplishment and can eventually result in real health improvements. As always, before you start any new exercise routine, talk with your doctor.

— NewsUSA

Divine Design

5 steps to create your dream closet

Whether you’re a stylist with an eye for fashion who chooses each garment carefully or the laid-back type who can rock the first outfit you find each morning, the closet can provide a location for inspiration. Turning bland closet space into an eye-catching room calls for a little planning and do-ityourself creativity. Here are steps to get you started. For additional DIY ideas, visit closetmaid.com.

1Plan it out Creating the perfect closet space begins with your ideas. Look at your current closet and think about how you want the space to look and the type of storage you need. It’s easy to get discouraged here, so once you’ve visually reviewed your closet, step away. Go into another room, sit down and begin sketching out your ideal closet. Use colored pencils so you can begin the process of choosing complementary colors for your closet’s door frame, walls and backdrop.

2Focus on practicality Once you’ve sketched your ideal closet, compare your ideas with the space you have available and adjust your plans to fit your footprint and budget. This step allows you to get creative with ways to maximize your space and use every available inch to create a closet with the function and aesthetic you desire. Don’t forget to measure the space for shelving (width, depth and length). Your measurements will come in handy, whether you envision new shelving or buying new containers to sit on shelves. 3Ongoing organization A beautiful closet likely won’t mean as much to you if it isn’t functional on an ongoing basis. Do you have a lot of sweaters, but they aren’t in view? Do you need more space for shoes? Are there other items you’d wear more but you forget about them? You can keep your clothes and footwear organized in a stylish manner with options such as vertical sweater holders, open shelving and rotating shoe holders. You can find organization products at your local hardware store, big box retailers such as Lowe’s and Home Depot, and retailers that specialize in home organization.

4Details mean a lot Little touches can add up in a big way. Upgrade your light fixture, for example, and look for other ways to personalize the space for a look that’s all yours. Ideas include shelving to display treasured photos or keepsakes, or make room on the wall for a vision board to draw inspiration from as you begin each day. Consider buying non-slip velvet hangers that are all black or all white for a visually clean look. Non-slip hangers are easier on clothes, too.

5Change up the color Introduce personality into your closet with rich color. Add accent color on the walls behind your clothes or incorporate color with the structural elements. You can help make the space pop by complementing the colors of your wardrobe. For example, if you wear a lot of blue, consider painting the door frames or backdrop the same shade of blue you have hanging in the closet.

Winter Energy Efficiency Crossword

Did you know there are several ways you can fight the winter chill and save energy at home? Complete the crossword puzzle below to learn how to save energy during winter months.

1 Down: Open curtains and blinds during the day to allow in to warm your home.

2 Across: If you have a at home, ask an adult to close the flue when a fire is not burning.

3 Down: Unplug phone and tablet when they’re not in use.

4 Across: Instead of turning up the thermostat, wear additional layers of to stay warm.

5 Down: Always turn off when you leave a room.

6 Across: Ask an adult to check the for your home’s heating system. This should be replaced regularly.

1.

2. 3.

4. 5.

6.

air filter6 Across: 5 Down: lights

clothing 3 Down: chargers 4 Across: