Statement of Ownership and Circulation Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685 Title of Publication: Carolina Country Publication Number: ISSN 0008-6746 Filing Date: September 2022 Issued monthly, 12 times annually. Subscription price is $5.00 for members, $12.00 for non-members. Mailing address of office is 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616, Wake County. Publisher is North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc., 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616. Editor is Warren Kessler, 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616. Owner is North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc., 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616. There are no other owners or bondholders. The purpose, function and non-profit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes have not changed during the preceding 12 months. Circulation: Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, also actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date (September 2022). Total copies: Average 742,383 (September: 756,881). Paid Circulation: Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales: None. Mail subscription: Average 735,573 (September: 750,674). Total Paid Circulation: Average 735,573 (September 750,674). Free Distribution by mail carrier, or other means, samples complimentary and other free copies: Average 6,810 (September: 6,207). Total Distribution: Average: 742,383 (September 756,881). Copies Not Distributed: Office use, leftover, unaccounted, spoiled after printing; Average: 0 (September: 0). Returns from news agents: None. Total: Average number of copies each issue during preceding

Don’t Waste Your Cash this Holiday Season

Five ways to save money when holiday shopping

By Rue Reynold

The season of celebrating joy, family and heritage is right around the corner, but for some would-be shoppers, the holidays can be a stressful time. Here are five tips to help you conquer the horrors of holiday shopping and save money in the process.

1Shop refurbished Opting for a used item rather than a brand new one sounds cheap, but can actually be the best deal. Refurbished products are thoroughly tested and brought to a “like new” state before being put on sale. They also often come with reasonable warranties or trade-in offers, just in case anything goes wrong. 2 Consider post-holiday shopping The prices of some products are sometimes raised to take advantage of the holiday season. If you and your loved ones don’t mind giving or receiving gifts after the formal celebrations are over, try shopping once prices have been discounted or reduced to normal.

3Don’t forget the discounts Whether it’s coupons, clearance or holiday sales, discounts can be found everywhere. Be sure to look at your options and whether any sales might be coming up before buying something at full price. 4 Be an early bird Make a list and check it twice for the things you need to buy and where you can find them at the best price. Consider the location, any sales that might be coming up and plan accordingly.

5Check out local community listings Sometimes priceless treasures are found right in your neighborhood at a fraction of the original cost — or even for free. Look at yard sales and community marketplaces to see what you’ll find.

Rue Reynold is the editorial assistant for Carolina Country.

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SYEMC will be closed Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day, and Nov. 24-25 in observance of Thanksgiving. Payments can be made at the drive-up kiosk at 510 S. Main St., Dobson; on the SmartHub app or online portal; or at 888-223-2059.

A publication for Surry-Yadkin EMC members

November 2022

Manager ' s Message | GreG Puckett

Many thanks, blessings

Dear Valued Member,

The holiday season is quickly arriving, and this year we have a lot for which to be thankful — our members who are the primary reason we exist; our fellow co-ops who step in to help during storms or in everyday functions like pooling resources; and our employees who work, day in and day out, to meet our mission to provide outstanding service that powers our rural communities.

Author William Arthur Ward said, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

In this spirit, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for your membership in our electric cooperative, for the partnership of our sister co-ops and for our employees.

Between the busyness of shopping and spending time with family and friends, the holiday season also is a good time to slow down and reflect. One of our founding principles is “Concern for Community.” While our main focus is providing safe, reliable energy, we also want to give back to help our communities thrive.

We are purposeful in our giving. Our annual charity golf tournament raised $39,000 for four local nonprofits in 2022, thanks to businesses and individuals who sponsored the event. Our employees also give back to the community by actively participating in projects like the annual food drive held in October and November, and by sponsoring families and children each year for Christmas.

We were able to sponsor 12 Bright Ideas Education Grants for teachers to the tune of $7,020 this year. We sent two middle-schoolers to summer basketball camp through Touchstone Energy Sports Camp Scholarships, and we sent two high school students on a trip of a lifetime to Washington, D.C., along with giving them a $500 scholarship. We give year-round to charity fundraisers through sponsorships, and we support economic development projects to bring jobs and businesses to our communities.

Thanks to contributions from you, our members, Surry-Yadkin EMC’s Operation Round Up fund was able to donate $57,609 to support the needs of the community in 2021. Your contributions have allowed us to provide $1,653,228 since Operation Round Up began in 2001. If you aren’t already, I encourage you to reach out to us and opt in to rounding up your monthly bill to the nearest dollar so you also can help those in need in our communities as well. It never costs more than 99 cents a month, or $11.88 a year. Agencies benefitting from Round Up include food pantries, homeless shelters, school backpack programs and children’s housing programs, just to name a few.

We are grateful for opportunities to partner with local schools to raise awareness of the importance of electrical safety, as well as with Surry Community College to bring a new Electrical Safety for First Responders training to area firefighters and rescue squad personnel. We had nearly 90 first responders attend two nights of training in September, and we look forward to providing more similar opportunities.

There are other ways we can help the community, whether we’re providing information about our solar and electric vehicle programs, giving electrical safety tips, or helping you find ways to save energy at home, we want you to know we’re here to help.

On a more personal note, we appreciate the countless acts of See Thanks, page E

Anna Pardue East Wilkes High School

ConnectWith: Educators across Surry-Yadkin EMC’s five counties

Bright Ideas grants awarded to 12 area teachers

Twelve teachers from the Surry-Yadkin EMC service area have been awarded Bright Ideas Education Grants. Employees with SYEMC made surprise stops to the winning teachers in late September/ early October.

A panel of retired educators from the SYEMC service area blind-judged the applications in late September. The grants provide funding for innovative classroom projects, with $7,020 being awarded overall this year. 2022 Bright Ideas grant winners are: • Alicia Fallaw, Flat Rock Elementary School, $476 grant for “Let’s Unlock the Love of Learning with Breakout EDU.” Students will work in teams to solve clues, while strengthening learning skills across all curriculum areas. • Kellie Hunter, Flat Rock Elementary School, $359.80 grant for “Learning is Fun when You Can Boogie,” which will include the purchase of Boogie Board ReWrite Max tablets. • Amey King, Flat Rock Elementary School, $739.98 grant for “Strumming Along and Getting Along – Using Ukuleles to Build Community.” The project will allow students to learn to play the ukulele. • Hannah Grill, B.H. Tharrington Primary School, $513.52 grant for “Lights, Camera, Action! Using GreenScreen to bring Books to Life.” Greenscreens allow students to bring books to life using new, innovative technology. • Juan Diaz, B.H. Tharrington Primary School, $1,000 grant for “LegoSchoolLand in BHT,” allowing students to develop creative skills and social skills fundamental for success in the current world culture. • Becky Vanderheide, Mountain View Elementary School, $703.70 grant for “Building Minds with Play.” The funding will allow students in the moderate and mild disabled classrooms to work with materials during media center visits to challenge them in movement, physical strength, dexterity, mental clarity and communication. • Anna Peterson, Forbush Middle School, $310 grant for “Cross Curriculum in the Band Room.” The project will fund music from North Carolina composers who are working today. • Michael Holleman, North Wilkes High School, $835 grant for “Chop Shop.” The funds will purchase a metal cutting miter saw to teach students metal fabrication, a component of North Carolina’s agriculture mechanics curriculum. The focus is on the process of engineering design and equipment repair. • Jennifer Jones, Mount Airy High School, $700 grant for “Meta Magic.” She will use the project to incorporate virtual reality technology in her World Literature classes. • Judea Tarn, Meadowview Middle School, $236.70 grant for “Advance Weather Tools” to purchase weather monitoring tools such as hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers to make students’ studies hands-on. • Anna Pardue, East Wilkes High School, $573.35 grant for “OCS Classroom Cultural Experience.” The project will expose her EC students to science and physics through a trip to Mystery Hill. • Vanessa Whicker Flynt, Lewisville Elementary School, $571.95 grant for “Speedy Reading and Writing.” The project will allow the purchase of magic boards for the students learning to read and write, while saving paper and space.

Since 1994, NC’s electric cooperatives have awarded over $14 million in Bright Ideas funding for over 13,500 projects supporting teachers and benefitting more than 2.5 million students.

SAY YES! YES!

Surry-Yadkin EMC will send two high-schoolers on a 5-day, all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in June 2023. In addition, we also give the winning representatives a $500 college scholarship to the school of his/her choice. To qualify, you must be a current junior in high school and live in or attend school within the SYEMC service area. Deadline to apply : December 2 Learn more at syemc.com/youth-programs.