2024-06-BRE

June 2024

E T O

!

N I TO W PRIZE 1

PRIZE 2

DIRECTOR ELECTIONS

PRIZE 3

PRIZE 4

PRIZE 5

Cast your vote today for a chance to win one of the prizes shown above.

Blue Ridge members, you’ll find information on the back cover regarding how to vote in this year’s Board of Directors election. Plus, you could be a prize winner!

This year’s Annual Meeting will take place at 4 p.m. on June 27, at our Corporate Office: 1216 Blowing Rock Blvd., Lenoir, NC. You’ll find convenient ways to join us on the next page.

We hope you’ll stay informed and engaged with YOUR electric cooperative by participating!

PERIODICAL

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LOOK INSIDE FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT

5/9/24 12:05 PM

Join us

June 27, 2024

Members will have three ways to join this year’s Annual Meeting:

Annual Meeting Agenda Welcome

CALL IN

VIEW LIVESTREAM

ATTEND THE MEETING

Jeff Joines, Board President/ Caldwell District Director

Invocation/Pledge of Allegiance If you wish to ask a question during the specified meeting time you may only do so in person or through our phone call-in system, which will validate your membership.

If you’d like to participate: Call 1-866-416-5215 on

Thursday, June 27 at 4 p.m.

You’ll be asked to enter your account number, which is found at the top right of your bill. Please have that number on hand before you call in.

Johnny Wishon, Vice President

Appointment of Parliamentarian, Opening Remarks Jeff Joines

Election of Directors, Including Review of Election Process Debbie Harden, General Counsel & Parliamentarian

President’s Report Jeff Joines

Financial Report Kelly Melton, Secretary-Treasurer/ Caldwell District Director and Katie Woodle, Chief Financial Officer

Chief Executive Officer’s Report Doug Johnson, CEO

Other Business/Member Questions and Comments You are strongly encouraged to vote for directors by mail or online prior to the meeting. However, to vote or change your vote by ballot, you must do so in person at the Corporate Office during the Annual Meeting. For information on voting for directors, see the back cover.

Jeff Joines

Report on Election Results (as available) Debbie Harden, General Counsel or Marty Norris, Chair – 2024 Credentials and Election Committee

For a copy of the 2023 Annual Meeting minutes, please visit BlueRidgeEnergy.com/AnnualMeeting or call 1-800-451-5474 by Friday, June 21, 2024, to request a mailed copy.

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June 2024

Past and Present Along the

Carolina Coast Starting on page 8

Published by

Get to know co-ops in Eastern NC page 5

Cooking up fresh seafood page 22

PERIODICAL

Your Blue Ridge Energy annual report inside—see center pages CC06_cov.indd 3

5/10/24 3:45 PM

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Discover the Spirited Story of Stock Car Racing and Down-Home Distilling

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Discover North Carolina’s NEW Moonshine and Motorsports Trail and experience our state’s history of perseverance and innovation like never before.

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Experi Please directl Visit ca to find

5/8/24 4:26 PM

June 2024

(ISSN 0008-6746) (USPS 832800) Volume 56, No. 6

Published monthly by 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616-2950 Scott Gates, CCC Editor Warren Kessler Creative Director Renee C. Gannon, CCC Senior Associate Editor Rue Reynold Editorial Assistant

12

Jessica Armstrong Graphic Designer Tara Verna Creative Services Associate

Subscriptions: Individual subscriptions, $12 per year.

Schools, libraries, $6.

8 12 20 22

Carolina Country is available on digital cartridge as a courtesy of volunteer services at the NC Department of Cultural Resources, Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Raleigh, NC 888-388-2460.

Favorites

Donna Natosi Digital Strategist Keith Alexander Advertising Keith@carolinacountry.com Joseph P. Brannan Executive Vice President & CEO Nelle Hotchkiss Senior Vice President & COO Kristie Aldridge, CCC Vice President North Carolina’s electric cooperatives provide reliable, safe and affordable electric service to 1 million homes and businesses.

The 26 electric cooperatives are each member-owned, notfor-profit and overseen by a board of directors elected by the membership.

Why Do We Send You Carolina Country Magazine?

Your cooperative sends you Carolina Country as a convenient, economical way to share with its members information about services, director elections, meetings and management decisions. The magazine also carries legal notices that otherwise would be published in other media at greater cost.

Your co-op’s board of directors authorizes a subscription to Carolina Country on behalf of the membership at a cost of less than $5 per year.

Remembering D-Day

North Carolinians commemorate 80 years since the Allied invasion of Normandy.

Carolina Voices

What do you love about Carolina beaches?

The Keeper of Pea Island

Richard Etheridge and his historic life-saving station

Bounty of the Sea

Recipes from ‘Mariner’s Menu’ courtesy of NC Sea Grant.

Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh, NC, and additional mailing offices. Editorial offices: 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616-2950. Carolina Country® is a registered trademark of the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc.

4 Viewpoints

POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to Carolina Country, 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616-2950.

19 Energy Sense

All content © Carolina Country unless otherwise indicated.

2 From Our Readers 6 More Power 26 Adventures

Contact us

30 Carolina Kitchen

Phone:

919-875-3091

32 Carolina Calendar

Mail:

3400 Sumner Blvd.

Raleigh, NC 27616-2950

32 Where is This?

Web:

carolinacountry.com

Social: Email:

On the Cover “From early childhood, Carolina beaches have been a vital part of my life. In the past couple of decades, we have landed at Oak Island, our favorite destination.”

Photo by Kim Milian, a member of Brunswick Electric. Read more about why readers love Carolina beaches on page 12.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS editor@carolinacountry.com

Change of address: Please contact your electric co-op or go online to carolinacountry.com/address Experiencing a power outage?

Please contact your electric co-op directly to ensure prompt service.

Visit carolinacountry.com/co-ops to find yours online.

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Carolina Voices We received so many great responses for this month’s Carolina Voices. Let’s do it again for our October issue!

Learn more on page 29.

carolinacountry.com | 1

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From Our Readers

THIS MONTH:

Our Carolina Coast During the coming summer months, we’ll be taking some time to spotlight each of the three main regions in North Carolina and their unique charms. And what could be better for June than Eastern NC, with its fertile cropland, peaceful inlets and sounds, and pristine beaches? This month also marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy, which has its own Eastern North Carolina connections. Everything starts on page 8, and don’t miss updates on how your co-op is collaborating with others in the state on page 6.

—Scott Gates, editor

Backstage Jamming I just want to echo what Jessie Lang said in her excellent article, “Music to come home to” in the April issue (page 12), about the special sense of community “often nurtured through jams and sessions.” When I was participating in the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, then held in the Asheville City Auditorium, in the ’60s-early ’70s, performing on stage — often solo, sometimes with a group — it was enjoyable, though the real fun was jamming with others outside the backstage door and later in a shopping parking lot.

John Becton, Chapel Hill A member of Piedmont Electric Cooperative

Sweet Memories The February 2024 article of How We Met (“Where did you first meet your sweetie?” page 18) was wonderful. I hope you’ll do this each February.

Lorraine Cantori, Bath

February 2024

Remembering

How We Met

page 18

Co-ops economic develo drive pment page 6

Serving veterans through agrith erapy

Published by

It’s time to plant

some radishes—page

Recipe Convert The folks at Tideland Electric have been providing us with electricity for over 20 years down here just outside of Oriental. Over the years … this magazine has turned up the quality several notches.

Hence the reason for my writing this note. In the May issue I came upon a recipe for a coffee-based rub (“Carolina Country Cook’n Coffee Rub,” page 22).

I am normally very skittish of these “magazinecipes.”

Having recently read about the use of coffee with venison, I thought I would give this rub a roll. The ham had been aged about 10 days in the refrigerator in 2022 and cut from the bones into pieces in October of 2023. A two-pound flank steak-style cut was used and prepared as a roast with vegetables in a 100-year-old cast iron “Chicken Fryer” with lid as in a Dutch oven, as per the recipe. It was “to die for” in my humble opinion! I will use this rub going forward on all lean pieces of anything — might even use it on collards and rutabagas!

page 8

20

Jim Kellenberger, Oriental, a member of Tideland EMC

Reader Poll Results

We asked our social media followers a pressing question this time of year: What’s your favorite vacation destination? Here are the results.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X to participate in future polls.

“Love the beach in the summer, mountains in winter for Christmas.”

Stewart David “I’m the opposite: Mountains in the summer and beach in the winter (saves fighting crowds that way).”

David Frederick

52% Beach 39%

Mountains

8%

Staycation/ What vacation?

2 | June 2024

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Viewpoints

Preserving Reliable Electricity for Our Communities

By Charlie Bayless

At the center of the Brighter Future vision shared among North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives is a commitment and responsibility to provide the state’s 2.5 million cooperative members with reliable electricity—and to do so at the lowest possible cost. Together, we also share a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and are working toward that goal at a responsible pace, incorporating new technologies and sustainable energy resources in ways that do not sacrifice reliability and affordability.

Pace is critical.

In April, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued rules restricting the operations of existing coal plants and new natural gas plants. These rules, which are designed to reduce carbon emissions, will force some plants to retire early and limit the number of hours others can operate. In making these new regulations, the EPA singularly focused on reducing carbon In order to maintain emissions without addressreliability, electric utilities ing the big picture — these new rules will sacrifice relineed to be able to operate ability and affordability. within a regulatory The EPA is willing to close framework that balances power plants before reliable forms of alternative generreliability, affordability ation have been identified, and sustainability. requiring unproven technology like carbon capture, and is also willing to implement these changes in an accelerated timeframe, which raises costs without benefits to co-op members.

The good news for members of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives is that we are industry leaders in integrating new sustainable grid technologies. More than half of our energy already comes from emissions-free resources such as nuclear and renewables. Collectively, NC co-ops utilize more than 350 megawatts (MW) of renewables and operate 90 MW of batteries. Cooperatives also operate five microgrids throughout the state connected to

businesses and residential communities. Finally, cooperatives served by the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC) for all of their power requirements are planning to join a Duke Energy project to harness energy from a state-of-the-art, hydrogen-capable natural gas combined cycle generating plant, which will lower emissions in the state by replacing an older coal-fired power plant.

As a result of all of these efforts, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives’ fuel mix is 20% more carbon-free than the national average.* Reliable electricity is what powers modern life. It has become the engine of the economy.

In order to maintain reliability, electric utilities need to be able to operate within a regulatory framework that balances reliability, affordability and sustainability rather than focusing exclusively on one. This starts with integrating new and proven technologies into operations. Only once those technologies have been verified to work can we replace existing forms of generation — ensuring that new regulations will not adversely impact rural communities by increasing costs and decreasing reliability.

We’re working with national partners to push back against EPA’s rules. We will continue to work toward a sustainable future, but doing so while championing reliable, affordable power on behalf of our members.

Charlie Bayless is the general counsel for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives.

*The fuel mix utilized by NCEMC, the wholesale power supply arm for 20 of North Carolina’s electric distribution cooperatives, is more than 60% carbon-free, versus the national average of 40% as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy. Visit carolinacountry.com/ournetwork for more information about the co-ops served by NCEMC.

4 | June 2024

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Discovering

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Eastern NC

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How Do You Carolina Country?

Whether on one of our state’s peaceful hiking trails, at a sightseeing destination or while enjoying local restaurants, there are countless ways to experience all that North Carolina has to offer. Share your favorites on Facebook, Instagram or X with the hashtag #HowDoYouCarolinaCountry. Here is how one co-op employee enjoys Carolina country along the coast.

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Eastern NC Electric Co-ops Eastern North Carolina, or what’s east of I-95, is served by 14 electric cooperatives that bring power to more than 450,000 total members. Although the region’s beaches draw millions of visitors each year, the Inner Coastal Plain is rich in cultural, historical and culinary gems. Its soil and climate are also perfectly adapted for agriculture.

▲

1. Albemarle EMC Headquarters: Hertford Members served: 12,800 Miles of line: 1,420

8. Jones-Onslow EMC Headquarters: Jacksonville Members served: 74,600 Miles of line: 2,441

2. Brunswick Electric Headquarters: Supply Members served: 89,000 Miles of line: 6,742

9. Lumbee River EMC Headquarters: Red Springs Members served: 57,600 Miles of line: 5,793

3. Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative Headquarters: Buxton Members served: 7,400 Miles of line: 338

10. Pitt & Greene EMC Headquarters: Farmville Members served: 8,700 Miles of line: 1,080

4. Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative Headquarters: Newport Members served: 39,700 Miles of line: 2,432

VisitNC.com

HOW DO YOU

5. Edgecombe-Martin EMC Headquarters: Tarboro Members served: 11,300 Miles of line: 1,480 6. Four County EMC Headquarters: Burgaw Members served: 32,900 Miles of line: 5,075 7. Halifax EMC Headquarters: Enfield Members served: 11,700 Miles of line: 1,703

11. Roanoke Cooperative Headquarters: Aulander Members served: 14,000 Miles of line: 2,452 12. South River EMC Headquarters: Dunn Members served: 47,000 Miles of line: 4,786 13. Tideland EMC Headquarters: Pantego Members served: 23,000 Miles of line: 2,684 14. Tri-County EMC Headquarters: Dudley Members served: 24,000 Miles of line: 2,527

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More Power

Co-op Leaders Discuss Reliability, Resiliency at Brighter Future Summit More than 400 electric co-op leaders from across the state met in Raleigh in April for the 2024 Brighter Future Summit, the statewide annual meeting of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives.

Joe Brannan, executive vice president and CEO for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, opened the meeting by discussing how co-ops are collaborating on projects to address issues like power reliability and grid security in innovative ways.

“We’ll need to continue to evolve, leveraging technology that supports grid infrastructure as well as our Brighter Future vision,” Brannan said.

“Most importantly, perhaps, we’ll need to leverage our greatest strength: the strength of our cooperative network, reflected in this room. It’s you and your staffs that make this work.”

Sessions also included a CEO panel discussion about grid resilience and reliability, featuring Wake Electric

Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Engineering & Operations Don Bowman; South River EMC CEO & Executive Vice President Chris Spears; Tideland EMC General Manager & CEO Paul Spruill; and moderator Amadou Fall, senior vice president and COO of power supply for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives.

Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative Executive Vice President and General Manager Susan Flythe addressed the group as board president of the

North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, building on Brannan’s discussion of challenges facing electric utilities and co-ops’ accomplishments in overcoming them.

“Folks in this room are collectively making decisions that will affect people for generations to come,” she said. “I can’t think of a more talented group of people to lead us in developing and implementing reliable, affordable, and sustainable solutions. Our future is bright in North Carolina.”

Statewide Board Officers The following were elected to 2024–2025 board leadership positions: NCEMC (power supply) Two-year terms seated in 2023:

President: Susan Flythe, Cape Hatteras EC; Vice President: Greg Andress, Union Power Cooperative; Secretary-Treasurer: Josh Winslow, Brunswick Electric NCAEC (co-op services) One-year terms seated in 2024:

President: Dirk Burleson, Rutherford EMC; Vice President: Tammie Phillips, Randolph EMC; Secretary-Treasurer: Winston Howell, Edgecombe-Martin County EMC TEMA (material supply) Incoming directors (three-year terms ending April 2027):

District I: Eddie Oldham, Central EMC; District II: J. Michael Davis, Tri-County EMC; District III: John S. Spence, Albemarle EMC

Youth Leadership Scholarships The North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives awards three scholarships each year to Youth Tour participants from the past year:

A’Mya Harmon, representing Roanoke Cooperative, received the Katie Bunch Memorial Scholarship.

Aidan Stroud, representing Blue Ridge Energy, received the Gwyn B. Price Memorial Scholarship.

Community Grants Available for Ag Projects AgSouth Farm Credit is supporting non-profit organizations and farmers markets with grants of up to $5,000 to support the future of agriculture in the Carolinas and Georgia. Grant applications will be accepted until June 30. Grants will be awarded in November/December 2024, to be utilized during the 2025 calendar year. Visit bit.ly/AgSouthGrant for more information.

Haley Dorsey, representing Blue Ridge Energy, received the Youth Leadership Council Scholarship.

6 | June 2024

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Co-op Leaders Engage Legislators on Capitol Hill In April, more than 75 leaders from North Carolina’s electric cooperatives met with congressional staffers in Washington, D.C., as part of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Legislative Conference. Co-ops met with the staffs of 15 members of the NC congressional delegation from the offices of 13 representatives and Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd.

North Carolina’s electric cooperatives focused on several key issues during meetings, including: ■ The importance of reliable electricity, which is vital to

North Carolina’s economy, the nation’s economy as a whole and national security;

■ Opposition to EPA’s Power Plant Rule (see page 4); ■ Protecting U.S. Department of Agriculture funding

for co-ops, including a 2022 voluntary grant and loan program designed for electric co-ops pursuing energy innovation;

■ Safeguarding rural electric infrastructure; and ■ Alleviating supply chain issues and lessening challenges

in procuring grid components in a timely way at a reasonable price.

Representatives from Brunswick Electric, Four County EMC, Lumbee River EMC, South River EMC and North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives met with the office of Rep. David Rouzer.

“These conversations came at a critical time, as electric co-ops here in North Carolina and across the country are facing an array of industry and policy challenges, including meeting the most fundamental expectations for reliable power,” said Sharla Wells, vice president of external affairs for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “Maintaining an open dialogue with policymakers is crucial, as our members of Congress look to co-op leaders as the pulse of the rural communities they serve.” carolinacountry.com | 7

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5/10/24 3:06 PM

Remembering

North Carolinians commemorate since the Allied invasion of Normandy

By Pamela A. Keene

n June 6, 1944, one of the largest military operations in a single day marked the turning point of World War II in Europe. With the cooperation of eight Allied nations, more than 7,000 ships and more than 156,000 military personnel landed in northern France on the beaches of Normandy.

It was D-Day, and George Sarros was there. As a Motor Machinist 3rd Class on LST 515 — a landing craft that could carry tanks — he saw the action up-close.

“We heard the battle wagons [heavily armored ships] pounding the beach with guns and could see the Higgins Boats with the guys going over the side as they rushed the

beach,” he remembers. A training exercise leading up to June 6 also resulted in casualties, as German torpedo boats attacked a group of LSTs along the English coast. George’s ship rescued survivors. “The Lord was with us, but we lost three of our ships. And I think about all of those sailors, just the ages that we were, who didn’t have a chance. I’m so grateful for [our] Captain [John] Doyle — he was a great captain.”

Every year on June 6, thousands of people from around the world gather on the beaches of Normandy to commemorate one of the most important events in modern history.

“The invasion of Normandy changed the course of the war, establishing a firm presence for the Allies in Europe, liberating France and pushing the Germans back,” says Wilbur D. Jones Jr., Capt. (Ret.) U.S. Navy, author and World War II historian in Wilmington. “Through months continued on page 10

8 | June 2024

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George then an

US Coast Guard Matt Small

® Battleship North Carolina Wilmington | 910-399-9100 | battleshipnc.com ® Cape Fear Museum of History and Science Wilmington | 910-798-4370 nhcgov.com/548/Cape-Fear-Museum ® Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum Cape Hatteras National Seashore (reopening May 20, 2024) 252-986-0720 | graveyardoftheatlantic.com ® Military History Museum Blakeslee Air Force Recreation Area, Kure Beach 252-526-9600 | ncmilitaryhistoricalsociety.org Landing Ship, Tank (LST), or tank landing ships, were used to deliver vehicles directly onto beaches or at temporary ports like the one pictured here.

Janis Allen

, George Sarros . w no d an en th

George Sarros

0

There are several museums to visit across the state to learn more about North Carolina’s role in World War II. Here are a few.

® National Montford Point Museum Camp Johnson, Jacksonville (call for base access) 910-554-0808 | montfordpointmarines.org/Museum ® Edgecombe County Veteran’s Military Museum Tarboro | 252-823-0891 | edgecombevet.com ® 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum Fort Liberty | 910-436-1735 82ndairbornedivisionmuseum.com ® John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum Fort Liberty | 910-432-4272 | bit.ly/jfk-museum ® U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum Fayetteville | 910-643-2778 | asomf.org ® NC Museum of History Raleigh | 919-814-7000 | ncmuseumofhistory.org ® North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame Asheboro | 336-625-0170 | ncamhof.com

Digital Extras

Listen to ninety-nine-year-old George Sarros share his D-Day story as a Motor Machinist 3rd Class on board an LST 515 at carolinacountry.com/extras

® The Veterans Museum of the Carolinas Brevard | 828-884-2141 | theveteransmuseum.org carolinacountry.com | 9

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Cutline

,,

We heard the battle wagons pounding the beach with guns and could see the Higgins Boats with the guys going over the side as ,, they rushed the beach.

of secretive planning, coded messages and strategic decisions, the Allies surprised the Germans and began the 12-week Battle of Normandy that would — 25 months later — eventually result in the defeat of Germany.”

Wilmington, designated the nation’s first World War II Heritage City on Sept. 2, 2020, holds several ways to pay tribute to D-Day and World War II: The Battleship USS North Carolina, permanently moored in Wilmington on the Cape Fear River; the Hannah Block Historic USO/ Community Center; and the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science.

“Although the Battleship North Carolina served in the Pacific Theater of the war, she stands to pay homage to the 11,081 North Carolinians who lost their lives in World War II,” says Dena Merlino Scott, marketing director of the Battleship North Carolina. “Many families visit the Battleship North Carolina to reconnect with those who died serving their country, not just around Memorial Day and D-Day, but throughout the year.”

Wilmington’s Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center downtown is one of only a handful of USO World War II buildings still standing across the U.S.

“When USO operations in Jacksonville, NC, were relocated to Camp Lejeune, the Jacksonville USO director donated the 1940’s World War II-era telephone booth to our USO building here,” Wilbur says. “Renovated to look just like it did in 1943, it’s the hub and keystone of the World War II history preservation activities in Southeastern NC with a World War II-lobby museum, a popular public venue and perfect blending of the arts and history.”

The Germans came much closer to American soil during World War II than people thought, attacking and sinking American supply ships and other vessels. The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum documents many of the shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina, including four German U-Boats that were sunk during World War II. “One of the closest calls came when a German U-Boat fired three shots on the Ethyl-Dow Chemical Plant at Kure Beach,” Wilbur says. “Some people don’t believe that the Germans actually fired on the North Carolina coast, but there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that supports it, including displays in the North Carolina Military History Museum in Kure Beach.”

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US Coast Guard

Roger Vickers

Now 89 years old, Wilbur was a 7-year-old living in Wilmington when war broke out. From an early age, history has fascinated him, and he’s made it his life work in retirement, authoring 20 history-related books, including eight about World War II. “Every year the number of veterans who remain dwindles, and if we don’t keep these stories alive for future generations, people will forget,” he says. “Already D-Day has, for many people, become just another day on the calendar. Somehow, that can easily disregard all the sacrifices our veterans made to protect our freedom.”

When George Sarros, who celebrated his 99th birthday in April, looks back on those days 80 years ago, he is emotional.

“We were all just kids over there and we were so gung-ho and loved our country so much,” he says, his voice catching as he fights back tears. “We would have made any sacrifice necessary, including our own lives, for America.”

Then he pauses.

“That was a long time ago. That was history.”

Pamela A. Keene is a freelance journalist who writes for magazines and newspapers across the Southeast and nationally.

At least one North Carolinian will be going to Normandy, France, for the 80th D-Day Ceremony on June 6, 2024. At 98 years old, U.S. Army Col. Sam Kitchen (Ret.) will make the journey as part of “Veterans Back To Normandy,” a France-based organization that raises funds to bring American veterans to Normandy.

“This year, 12 veterans from across the U.S. will be traveling to Normandy with us for this important event,” says Roger Vickers, U.S. liaison for the group that was founded in 2012 by French national Valerie Gautier. “When we notified Sam that he would be going, he was at first speechless, then he said he couldn’t believe it.”

As a 16-year-old in 1943, Sam’s mother gave him permission to tell recruiters he was 17 because he was so determined to sign up. It was the start of a military career in the Marines and the Army that would take him to Okinawa and the Philippines during World War II, then to serve in Korea and Vietnam.

“Ever since I was a teen, I’ve wanted to visit the place where the paratroopers landed in Normandy right after midnight on June 6 for the start of the D-Day invasion,” says Sam, who lives in Cumberland County. “I’m finally realizing my life’s dream.” carolinacountry.com | 11

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CAROLINA VOICES Frisco Beach on Hatteras Island.

Kenneth Newman, a member of Cape Hatteras Electric

What do you

OLIN R A

C

Beaches?

A

LOVE about

The summer months are finally here, and for many, that means the ocean is calling. Way back in chilly February we asked readers to share stories and photos that describe what they love about our state’s beaches. Thank you for all of the great submissions—we’re now longing for the smell of a salty breeze! Here are some of our favorites.

Sanctuaries for the Soul

The enchantment of Carolina beaches is a tapestry of sensory delights and timeless memories, woven from the very essence of the sea and sand. There’s an ineffable aroma that greets you, a briny, life-affirming scent that awakens the senses in a profound embrace, unmatched by any other locale. It’s a fragrance that beckons the soul, inviting it to partake in the ocean’s age-old dance of ebb and flow.

Closing my eyes, the rhythmic symphony of waves rushing toward the shore transports me across the decades, erasing the years until I am twenty once more. Each crescendo of water against sand is a time machine, a gentle yet powerful reminder of youth’s eternal echo within us.

The tender caress of the water as it playfully nuzzles my toes with each advancing tide is a tactile sonnet, a

connection so intimate and rejuvenating that it defies the passage of time. And there, amidst this timeless ballet of nature, our little dog, Chelsea, despite her 18 years, dances at the water’s edge. Her joyous leaps and bounds against the frothy waves are a testament to the beach’s magical ability to renew, to inspire a jubilant zest for life akin to that of a puppy’s innocence.

Carolina beaches, with their symphonic waves, rejuvenating waters, and the ability to collapse the boundaries of time, are not just stretches of sand but sanctuaries for the soul, where every visit is a return to life’s most cherished moments.

Jimmy Smith, Youngsville, a member of Wake Electric

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Seaside Adventures

I have a very clear memory of going to the beaches of North Carolina just about every year since my family moved here from Florida.

We’ve stayed in many different places like the Outer Banks and Surf City, but no matter where we go the fun and beauty of the beach always seem to be present, ensuring a good time.

My family and I have climbed the Currituck Beach Lighthouse and have done tours to see Corolla’s wild horses and dolphins. We’ve also found a baby shark, horseshoe crabs and parts of a stingray skeleton; the excitement has never ceased to amaze me and pique my curiosity.

I also love the mysterious stories that surround the beaches, like the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse being haunted and the ghost of Edward Teach (Blackbeard) still looking for his head!

I cannot wait until the next time we decide to go, and I can once again see the warm, soft sand, roaring waves and make new memories.

Camryn Hildebrand, age 13 A member of Wake Electric

Sunrise , Sunset

While there are plenty of things to love about our Carolina beaches, the things I admire the most are the morning sunrises and evening sunsets. The unique geographical orientation of our home near Emerald Isle, and the rest of the Crystal Coast, gives us a southern view of the ocean. This positioning affords us the opportunity to witness the sun peeking over the eastern horizon and dipping below the water to the west. Doing morning walks before work, or evening walks after dinner, my wife and I have the perfect, picturesque view of an orange glow reflecting off the dark blue water as it washes over the soft sand. Moments like those are hard to take for granted.

Jordan Waugh, Peletier A member of Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative carolinacountry.com | 13

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Endless Canvas

Fiery sunsets, foggy days, shelling, fishing, wildlife and creamy sand under my feet are only a few things I love about Carolina beaches. But what I love best is the huge canvas the flat shore presents, beckoning to me. While carving mandala designs with the end of a PVC pole holder, with the constant wash of the waves over the shore, I’m transcended to a place of Zen in my mind.

Veronica Krug, Emerald Isle A member of Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative

‘Life Couldn’t Have Been Better’

We had a wonderful time in late September/early October 2017 at the Outer Banks with my husband’s family. I’ve always loved lighthouses and horses, and we were able to see both, blessed with pretty weather! The Spanish mustangs were beautiful with a backdrop of the shore and ocean waves splashing the white foam. It was a trip I’ll never forget.

We ate, talked, played fun group games, shopped, walked up and down the shore in front of our ocean front rental, smelled the fresh ocean air, enjoyed seafood, watched the dolphins jump, and little crabs running up and down the sand. Life couldn’t have been better, except for when the little dog, Molly, got into sand spurs, but thankfully I had a pair of scissors with me to help cut them out of her fur.

[And something special happened] … my sweet fatherin-law, Dan, who is now in Heaven, said: “There’s 10 of us,” every time we sat down at the large table to pray blessings over the meal.

Karen Gilliam, Morganton, a member of Rutherford EMC ON THE COVER

Boundless Joy

From early childhood, Carolina beaches have been a vital part of my life. I began visiting Carolina Beach for family beach week (much different in the 1960s than the Carolina Beach of today). Britt’s donuts, still a beloved institution, is a cherished memory.

As teenagers in the 1970s, we would often make a day trip from Raleigh to Atlantic Beach. Emerald Isle became more of a destination in the young adult years, including numerous church group trips.

In the past couple of decades, we have landed at Oak Island, our favorite destination, and the place we bought a vacation home in 2022. The lighthouse, access to both sunrises and sunsets as a southern-facing beach … shops, restaurants and watering holes all provide boundless joy.

Kim Milian, Raleigh, a member of Brunswick Electric

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Carolina Living

Illuminating the Night Experience the magic of fireflies

By Rue Reynold

As the warmth of June envelopes North Carolina, a whimsical spectacle unfolds under the cover of darkness. Amid the lush foliage and marshy landscapes, the enchanting dance of fireflies illuminates the night, weaving a tapestry of light that captivates both young and old.

The science behind the glow Fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, are beetles that produce a mesmerizing glow through a process called bioluminescence. This natural occurrence happens when a chemical reaction takes place within specialized cells in their abdomen, producing light without heat. The purpose of this luminous display varies among species, with some using it to attract mates, while others utilize it as a warning signal.

Folklore and cultural significance Fireflies can be found on every continent but Antarctica, and for centuries they have captured the imaginations of cultures worldwide, inspiring folklore and legends that celebrate their mystical allure. Every year, Japan holds Hotaru Matsuri, the Firefly Festival, where fireflies symbolize the transient nature of life and the arrival of summer. Japanese folklore tells of fireflies being the souls of samurai, while Chinese folklore depicts the lightning bugs as the souls of lovers separated by death.

In Europe, especially in countries like Italy and Spain, fireflies have long been associated with romance. Italian poets have often used fireflies as

metaphors for the flicker of new love.

They also often symbolize hope and the ephemeral nature of beauty.

Native American cultures also have rich folklore surrounding fireflies.

Some tribes believe fireflies carry the spirits of the dead, while others see them as bringers of light and wisdom.

Where to view in North Carolina North Carolina is home to several species of fireflies, each with its own preferred habitat.

■ MOUNTAIN: Fireflies thrive in

the cool, moist environments of the mountains, such as forests and meadows. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Pisgah National Forest are filled with lightning bugs during the summer months. The Elkmont area is famous for its synchronous fireflies, which flash in unison, creating a breathtaking natural light show.

■ PIEDMONT: In the piedmont, fire-

flies prosper in grasslands, fields and wooded areas. Parks such as Umstead State Park and Jordan Lake State Recreation Area provide perfect habitats for fireflies to light up the night and set you in a dream world.

■ COAST: Fireflies can be found in

abundance in the coastal plains, marshlands, forests, coastal dunes and along waterways. Places like Merchants Millpond State Park and Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge will make you feel like you’re living in a fairytale.

Rue Reynold is the editorial assistant for Carolina Country.

Firefly Facts 1. There are over 2,000 species of fireflies worldwide, with 30 to 40 species found in North Carolina.

2. The flash patterns of fireflies vary between species, with some emitting continuous glows, while others display synchronized flashing.

3. Fireflies are declining in number due to habitat loss, light pollution and pesticide use, making it more important than ever to appreciate and conserve these fascinating creatures.

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Carolina Living

Say Goodbye to Insomnia

Six tips to improve your sleep quality.

From consistent exercise to eating healthy and even daily journaling, it may seem like all your priorities are in order, but without sleep, you won’t be able to reap the full benefits of your hard work. Here are several tips to help improve your sleep quality so you can achieve your goals.

Sleep gains equal gym gains Morning workout warriors should schedule earlier bedtimes to ensure 7–8 hours of sleep. For evening workouts, aim to end your session as early in the evening as possible — too much physical activity before bed can keep you up at night.

Morning movement and light exposure Whether you’re a yogi or prefer a simple stretch when your feet hit the floor, movement and light during the day can help stimulate quality sleep later that night.

10-3-2-1-0 method Decrease caffeine intake at least 10 hours before bed and then avoid eating bothersome foods 3 hours beforehand. Engage in relaxing activities at the 2-hour mark and cut out screentime with 1 hour to spare.

These habits can lead to zero times of needing to hit the snooze button.

Bedroom sanctuary Keep the room dark, noise-free and comfortable with the thermostat set to 65–67 degrees for better sleep conditions.

Nightly rituals Create nightly rituals that activate circadian rhythms and allow your body to unwind. Consider activities that relax you the most, such as taking a bath, reading a book, journaling or sipping decaffeinated nighttime tea.

Drug-free sleep aid If you still occasionally struggle to fall or stay asleep, try a low-milligram melatonin supplement. They are designed to help you get quality sleep and wake up refreshed.

For more ways to improve sleep habits, visit Natrol.com.

—Family Features

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16 | June 2024

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2023 Annual Report P O W E R I N G T H E WAY

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Dear Member, Making life better for our members and our communities will always be at the heart of your cooperative as we seek to provide affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy.

In 2023 and today, our employees continue a tradition of providing members with reliable electricity and member service that rates among the best in the nation. We were also able to return $5.9 million in capital credits last year and over $6 million in 2024!

However, in 2023 we also began seeing unprecedented challenges due to inflation and wholesale power costs rising 12 percent in one year. These cost pressures continue this year, and are mostly originating from state and national energy policies which are moving too far, too fast to reshape the energy landscape in a way that puts electric reliability and energy costs for consumers at risk.

As we move to cleaner, renewable energy to reduce our nation’s carbon footprint, your cooperative will continue advocating for your best interests to elected officials with a goal of ensuring that reliability and affordability is protected.

Among the reasons we’ve been able to reduce cost impacts to our members so far is thanks to the success of our subsidiaries.

Members' rates would be much higher without the subsidiaries.

We want to thank our members for your continued support, particularly during these challenging times. We continue to focus on what matters most - the quality of the lives of our members and communities we serve so that together we can continue to build a brighter future!

Jeff Joines, President Doug Johnson, CEO

CHECK OUT THE CAROLINA COUNTRY COVER WRAP for more information on this year's Annual Meeting!

Our monthly podcast, Unplugged, features stories straight from your cooperative with special guests to talk about challenges and opportunities within the electric industry.

JOIN US

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Blue Ridge Energy

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2023 HIGHLIGHTS

THE COOPERATIVE DIFFERENCE

99.99% - Blue Ridge Energy ranks among the most reliable providers in the nation.

The concept of a member-owned cooperative is simple: local, local, local. It’s what makes Blue Ridge Energy, and other cooperatives like it, special. Governed by a board of directors elected by membership, Blue Ridge Energy is staffed with local people providing essential services while empowering efforts to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. It’s your friends and neighbors serving your friends and neighbors.

The Members Foundation awarded over $180,000 in grants to 26 community organizations that provide support services to our members and customers and promote community development.

Members received over $6 million in May thanks to the capital credits retirement.

Blue Ridge Energy awarded more than $25,578 to 21 local classrooms to supplement local budgets and fund innovative learning projects.

Electric cooperatives are unique because they’re owned by the members they serve, guided by a set of seven key principles. This helps provide at-cost service and keeps members’ best interests at heart.

Blue Ridge Energy line technicians maintain over 8,617 miles of power lines across seven counties.

The Members Foundation helped 1,265 households with crisis needs to help pay electric and fuel bills.

2023 SATISFACTION SCORE

9.3 Blue Ridge Energy continues to rank among the top utilities in the nation for overall satisfaction.

GRANT-FUNDED BROADBAND PROJECT Blue Ridge Energy and SkyLine/SkyBest continue to make excellent progress through our partnership to bring much-needed, high-speed internet to unserved areas of Watauga County. Over 800 residents now have access to high-speed Internet for the first time.

Upon completion, this multi-year effort will provide access to approximately 1,700 homes and businesses. The project was funded with an American Rescue Plan grant awarded by the Watauga County Board of Commissioners.

2023 Annual Report

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PROJECT UPDATE: RELIABILITY BOOST In late 2017, Blue Ridge Energy embarked on the largest electric reliability project in the cooperative’s history that was completed in 2023. The $46 million investment includes a major upgrade to 17 miles of 230kV transmission to serve our mountain districts of Alleghany, Ashe and Watauga. It also includes the new Rutherwood substation in Watauga, which will go online in 2024. The project increases capacity and improves reliability for all members by converting an existing 100 kV line to a 230 kV line to meet current and future member growth and demand for electricity.

The new substation will provide electricity and backup capacity for all our members and all parts of Blue Ridge Energy's system.

USDA RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOAN & GRANT PROGRAM (REDLG) As liaisons for the USDA REDLG program, we've helped qualifying local entities access over $14 million of government funding to support critical community services and economic development over nearly 20 years. It's all part of our commitment to supporting the economic and social well-being of the communities we serve. In 2023, over $1 million in zero-interest, federally funded loans were provided to Laurel Springs Volunteer Fire Department, Little River Volunteer Fire Department and Caldwell Memorial Hospital Foundation.

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CAPITAL CREDITS Members received over $6 million in capital credits retirements in May, thanks to the sound financial decisions made by our Board of Directors. Our board reviews the cooperative's financial health each year and determines the amount of capital credits that can be returned to our members.

Since our inception as an electric cooperative, we've returned over $98 million in capital credits retirements to members, demonstrating our commitment to operating as a not-for-profit cooperative.

FUELING OUR COMMUNITY Ensuring the well-being of our cooperative's members lies at the heart of our subsidiary ventures.

In 2023, Blue Ridge Energy's Propane and Fuels subsidiary played a pivotal role by giving $2 million of excess cash to the parent company, aiding in stabilizing the rates for our valued members.

Amidst mounting challenges stemming from inflation and escalating pressures on wholesale power both globally and domestically, our cooperative faces unprecedented strains. The contributions from our subsidiaries are instrumental in mitigating these pressures, striving to keep rates at the lowest feasible levels. The infusion of cash from our Propane and Fuels subsidiary arrived precisely when the need was most acute, when cost pressure is at an all-time high.

The profits generated by our subsidiaries are not only pivotal for maintaining affordable rates but also serve a noble cause. Each year, a portion of these profits is dedicated to the Members Foundation, assisting in addressing urgent heating needs and supporting various quality-of-life initiatives led by local not-forprofit organizations.

LINKING TO THE FUTURE

We take pride in the essential energy solutions offered by our Propane and Fuels subsidiary, knowing that every sale not only fulfills crucial energy needs but also directly benefits our members.

One of two Blue Ridge Energy subsidiaries, RidgeLink, LLC, was established in October 2008 to help provide value to members by more fully utilizing the fiber optic system the cooperative has put in place for its electric system.

RidgeLink, LLC provides broadband and telecommunication services to other businesses that provide end-use internet access services. Not only is this venture benefiting members through the profits it brings back to the cooperative and its members, it’s also a driving force for economic growth, quality of life for the region and positioning this area for the future.

2023 Annual Report

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ELECTRIC BILL BREAKDOWN BASED ON A $100 BILL Labor/Benefits Member • $15.15 Margins • $7.32

Power Cost • $50.18

B Subsidiary Profits/Other and Interest Income • $(5.00)

Utility Plant Cost • $18.01

Operating Cost • $14.34

J

VALUE TO MEMBERS 99.99%

Electric reliability

J

80,466

Electric meters in 2023

$5.7 Million

Member benefit from Blue Ridge Energies, LLC (propane and fuels subsidiary) and RidgeLink, LLC (telecommunications subsidiary)

$2 Million

Upstream of excess cash from Propane and Fuels subsidiary to the cooperative to help hold down rates and offset extreme rising costs

PROVIDING A VOICE Launched more than 50 years ago, our Member Advisory Committees (MAC) have provided Blue Ridge Energy members a voice in the community. These committees meet on a regular basis, hearing insights about Blue Ridge Energy operations and offering perspectives on how best to serve our members.

76

Member Advisory Committees members

295

Community Leaders Council members

Electric kilowatt hours sold in 2023

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Blue Ridge Energy

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1.06 Billion

Two groups made up of members from our four districts play an important role in the cooperative’s success. Our Member Advisory Committees (MAC), serve as a sounding board and help us keep the pulse of the membership. The Community Leaders Council (CLC) assists Blue Ridge Energy with local, state and national issues that impact the cooperative and its service area.

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COOPERATIVE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL REPORT OPERATING STATEMENT

2022

2023

$172,573

$176,621

Cost of Power/Sales

86,817

89,811

Operations & Maintenance

45,496

50,658

Depreciation & Amortization

19,428

20,032

Taxes

2,189

2,143

Year Ending Dec 31 (dollars in thousands)

INCOME Operating Revenues LESS OPERATING EXPENSES

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jeff Joines, President, Caldwell District John Wishon, Jr., Vice-President, Alleghany District Kelly Melton, Secretary-Treasurer, Caldwell District James Burl (JB) Lawrence, Assistant SecretaryTreasurer, Watauga District

David Eggers, Caldwell District Angie Miller, Watauga District Tom Trexler, Watauga District David Boone, Ashe District Cindy Price, Ashe District James Young, Ashe District Bryan Edwards, Alleghany District Mitch Franklin, Alleghany District

8,307

8,489

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

$162,237

$171,133

Margins from Operations

10,336

5,488

Non-Operating Margins

4,154

6,176

Income Tax Expense

1,645

764

$12,845

$10,900

$600,748

$621,550

Interest

Total Margins

BALANCE SHEET Year Ending Dec 31 (dollars in thousands)

ASSETS Electric Facilities Less Accumulated Depreciation

207,837

222,564

Net Electric Facilities

392,911

398,986

Net Non-Utility Property

23,787

24,381

Cash & Cash Equivalents

$16,386

$19,873

Accounts Receivable (Net)

31,330

24,821

Inventory

8,745

9,670

Other Current Assets

4,791

4,020

CURRENT ASSETS

VISIT ONE OF OUR SHOWROOMS TODAY! Located in each district office and in Morganton.

Short Term Investments

21,000

0

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS

$82,252

$58,384

Investments

15,260

16,044

Other Assets

14,130

15,439

TOTAL ASSETS

$528,340

$513,234

LIABILITIES & MEMBER EQUITY MARGINS & EQUITIES Memberships

$84

$80

Other Equities

7,605

7,947

Patronage Capital TOTAL MEMBERSHIP OWNERSHIP

188,785

192,687

$196,474

$200,714

$16,163

$13,262

CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts Payable

Products We Offer:

Lines of Credit

• Gas Logs & Fireplaces • Water Heaters • Grills • Space Heaters • Outdoor Fireplaces

Other Current & Accrued Liabilities

• Fire Pits & Tables • Outdoor Furniture • Outdoor Kitchens • Patio Heaters

TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES Long Term Debt

0

0

34,666

33,085

$50,829

$46,347

245,596

235,678

Other Non-Current Liabilities

35,441

30,495

LIABILITIES & MEMBER EQUITY

$528,340

$513,234

2023 Annual Report

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FINANCIAL REPORT The Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation is another example of the people behind the power.

You, our members, contribute to Operation Round Up® to help support the Members Foundation. Your Foundation is unique in that 100 percent of all donations go directly to help members, as well as funding community grants to small, local, not-for-profit organizations that help our members and improve their quality of life.

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES Year Ending Dec 31

2022

2023

$361,880

$314,797

29,321

30,217

REVENUE General Public Contributions Value of Contributed Service TOTAL

$391,201 $345,014

EXPENSES Assistance Provided

296,128

366,073

Administrative Services

29,321

30,217

CHANGE IN UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS

$65,752 ($51,276)

UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS Beginning of Year End of Year

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION Year Ending Dec 31

$87,917

$153,669

$153,669

$102,393

2022

2023

$153,669

$102,393

BLUE RIDGE ENERGY MEMBERS FOUNDATION The Foundation is funded by member donations to Operation Round Up® and our subsidiaries; Blue Ridge Energy Propane and Fuels, and RidgeLink, LLC, both contribute a portion of their annual profits.

THE IMPACT OF YOUR GENEROSITY Thanks to the generosity of our members and so many others, we’re proud to report that the Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation, now in its 18th year, continues making lasting impacts on the communities we serve. The Foundation has provided more than $3 million in crisis heating assistance and fuel bill assistance for more than 23,500 local families. Fulfilling our guiding principle to make life better for the communities we serve, the Foundation also awarded this year more than $180,000 in grants to 26 community organizations. This is all made possible through the support of more than 22,000 members, employees and board members who gave to the Foundation through Operation Round Up® and Operation Round Up Plus®.

ASSETS Cash & Cash Equivalents TOTAL ASSETS

$153,669 $102,393

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Unrestricted Net Assets TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

7

$153,669

$102,393

$153,669 $102,393

The Foundation has provided more than $3 million in crisis heating assistance and fuel bill assistance for more than 23,500 local families.

Blue Ridge Energy

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SOURCES OF 2023 FOUNDATION FUNDS

$353,163

$50,000

$65,303

Operation Round Up®

Blue Ridge Energies, LLC RidgeLink, LLC Subsidiary Profits

Capital Credits Donations to Operation Round Up®

(Includes Balance Forward From 2022 and other contributions)

$468,466

DISTRIBUTION OF 2023 FOUNDATION FUNDS Member & Customer Assistance

$151,073 Economic & Community Development Grants

$63,000 Health Wellness/Health Treatment Grants

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

$87,000 Education & Youth Grants

$30,000 Scholarships to Blue Ridge Energy Leadership Track Students

$25,000

$180,000 COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Heart of Program for Student Athletes

$10,000

Total Given Back to Our Local Communities

MEMBER ASSISTANCE Electric Bills and Fuel Assistance

1,265 Families

$366,073 2023 Annual Report

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Carolina Living

Creative DIY Mason Jar Projects for a Vibrant Summer Turn old jars, cans or containers into works of art

By Rue Reynold

June is the perfect time to embrace creativity and add a touch of charm to your outdoor spaces. With just a few simple materials and a dash of imagination, you can transform ordinary containers such as mason jars into delightful summer-themed lanterns and stylish outdoor planters. Here is a step-by-step guide to creating these fun and eco-friendly projects.

Lantern Jar

Use flameless tea lights for non-heat resistant containers or for extra caution. Their soft glow will not disappoint.

Mason Jar or other heat-resistant, transparent container Acrylic paint

Tea lights or flameless tea lights Twine or string (optional)

Paintbrushes Clean and dry your container thoroughly.

Carefully paint the exterior of the container with a design of your choice. Let dry completely.

If desired, attach or glue embellishments to the container.

Let dry or ensure the decorations are secure.

Place a tea light candle or flameless tea light inside the finished container and set the container in your desired location.

Light the candle and enjoy the warm, inviting glow.

Create a hanging lantern by tying twine securely around the rim to form a handle.

Rue Reynold is the editorial assistant for Carolina Country.

Single Planter

Recycle any container by turning it into a planter. Consider upcycling your DIY lantern into a planter after evening festivities. Just add soil and a plant!

Mason Jar or other heat-resistant, transparent container Acrylic paint Paintbrushes Soil

Plants or herbs Fertilizer (optional) Glue (optional) Decorative embellishments like twine, ribbons or stickers (optional)

Gravel or small rocks Clean and dry your container thoroughly.

Carefully paint the exterior of the container with a design of your choice. Let dry completely.

If desired, attach or glue embellishments to the container.

Let dry or ensure the decorations are secure.

Add 1–2 inches of gravel or small rocks to the container to act as a drainage layer. Fill the rest of the container with soil and a small amount of fertilizer, leaving enough space for your plant to grow and thrive.

Carefully plant your chosen greenery into the soil, ensuring it is securely nestled.

Arrange your newly created planters in your garden, or on your balcony, patio or window.

Follow your plant’s care instructions so it can grow strong and healthy.

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Energy Sense

Powering Down on Vacay

Mark Gilliland

Give your home a break while you’re away

By Miranda Boutelle

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ust like you, the equipment in your home is hard at work getting through the daily grind. While you are off enjoying a new adventure or time away, your home’s equipment can benefit from a vacation, too. Doing so can reduce unnecessary energy waste and unneeded wear and tear on your heating and cooling system, appliances and more. Here’s how to set your home to vacay mode.

Your heating and cooling system keeps you comfortable. If you aren’t there, it doesn’t need to be quite so comfortable in your home. Setting the thermostat closer to the outdoor temperature can save you energy and money. I don’t recommend completely turning off the heating or cooling system. In extreme weather, your heating and cooling system also helps protect your home from freezing pipes or damage from excessive heat.

As a rule, you can typically set your thermostat 5 to 10 degrees closer to the outdoor temperature when you aren’t home. Each home is different, and the weather varies depending on where you live. Consider the right temperature balance for your home.

Installing a smart thermostat gives you the ability to control your settings remotely from your smart phone. This allows you to adjust the temperature after you leave home and right before you return.

Most water heaters include a vacation mode setting. This setting drops the temperature to reduce wasted energy when you’re away. A storage water heater is like an insulated tea kettle, standing by and ready for you to have hot water whenever you need it. Give that water heater a vacation, too. Changing the setting to vacation mode keeps it on at a lower setting, saving energy. Leave yourself a note with a reminder to turn it back on when you get home, so you don’t wind up with a disappointing shower before the first day back at work.

Closing the curtains can provide two benefits. It can keep heat from the sun at bay. This reduces the load on your heating and cooling system, which saves energy. It also has the benefit of blocking visibility into your home when you’re away.

For security, some people use timers or leave on exterior lights.

Make sure any lights left on are LEDs,

instead of incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs. LEDs use less energy and have less impact on your electric use when left on all night. You can also consider adding smart LEDs to your home. Smart LEDs can be controlled remotely through an app on your phone.

Did you know there are devices in your home that continue to draw power from your electrical outlets even when turned off or on standby?

Before you leave, walk through your home and unplug devices and small appliances. Make sure gaming consoles and computers are fully powered down. Unplugging any devices that have lights, clocks or use standby mode can also reduce wasted energy.

Having peace of mind that your home is powered down and secure can help you enjoy your vacation. After all, we all need an occasional break.

This column was written by Miranda Boutelle of the Efficiency Services Group.

Visit CarolinaCountry.com/your-energy for more ideas on energy efficiency.

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r e p e e K The

ea

P of

d n a l Is

ll Smith e b p m a aC

By Donn Richard Etheridge and his historic life-saving station

On June 28, 1848,

in order to “save lives from the perils of the sea,” the U.S. Federal government began funding volunteer lifesaving efforts along the Atlantic coast — an act that sowed the seeds of what would become the U.S. LifeSaving Service.

North Carolina’s coast, known as the graveyard of the Atlantic, was in dire need of this service. In all, there were 29 life-saving stations along the North Carolina coast, spaced about six miles apart from the Virginia line to the South Carolina border. Each station had a commanding officer, called the keeper, and a staff of six surfmen.

Of those North Carolina stations, one stands out as unique in American history: the Pea Island Life-Saving Station in Rodanthe. This was the only one of approximately 450 stations in the country to be commanded by a Black keeper, and the only life-saving station with an all-Black staff.

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Before the Pea Island station rose to this distinction, however, there were problems reported within the North Carolina network of stations. Lives were not being saved.

Between 1876 and 1878 there were three major wrecks along the North Carolina coast, and 211 lives were lost.

The wreck of the schooner M&E Henderson was the straw that broke the camel’s back. National news covered the story and reported four lives were lost. Three survived only because they got ashore on their own. Investigators learned that the keeper and some of the surfmen of the Pea Island station were absent at the time of the shipwreck. Help arrived too late because the absentees had gone hunting.

General Superintendent Summers Kimball began an investigation. His investigations revealed the stations’ keepers were not knowledgeable seamen. The position of keeper was a prestigious one. It was found that keepers were placed in these positions because of who they knew in high places rather than their ability and knowledge of the sea. While there were some Black surfmen who had grown up working on fishing boats and did know the sea, there certainly were no Black keepers.

U.S. Life-Saving Service Inspectors Frank Newcome and Charles Shoemaker were assigned to conduct further investigations. Newcome asked for names of the best surfmen of the life-saving stations. They wanted men who knew the sea and had the best work ethics. One name kept coming up: Richard Etheridge. Richard Etheridge was a Black man, born a slave in 1842 on Roanoke Island in Manteo. He had been illegally taught to read and write by his owner, John B. Etheridge.

Richard Etheridge enlisted in the Union Army in 1863, serving in the 36th U.S. Colored Troops. He became a sergeant. After the war, Etheridge came back to the Outer Banks, married, and returned to working as a fisherman. He joined the staff of the life-saving station at Oregon Inlet in 1875 and later was transferred to the Bodie Island station, holding the lowest ranking job.

Newcome and Shoemaker recommended Etheridge for the position of keeper of the Pea Island Life-Saving Station. He was hired. His training in the U.S. Army gave him the skills to be a good leader. The surfmen were a “checkerboard” crew, meaning they were made up of both white and Black men. The white men did not want to work under a Black superior and resigned. Etheridge recruited Black men from other stations to fill the vacated spots, making Pea Island Life-Saving Station the first and only all-Black staff in the country.

There was resistance in the white community. They threatened the Black workers. In 1880 the Pea Island

station was burned to the ground. But that was not the end of the Pea Island station. It was rebuilt and Etheridge carried on with his job. He took to his responsibilities like he’d learned in the military, conducting daily drills with the life-saving equipment, and testing the men on their knowledge.

On Oct. 11, 1896, the Pea Island crew was put to the true test when the E.S. Newman ran aground south of the station during a hurricane. Etheridge immediately assembled his crew when he saw the distress signal. The storm was too violent to use the life-saving equipment.

Etheridge issued an order that line be tied between his two strongest surfmen, who were then tethered to shore, and that they “go down through the surf as near the side of the vessel as possible.” They then carried each survivor safely ashore, one-by-one. All nine people aboard the Newman were rescued that night, and as Etheridge noted in his

They wanted men who knew the sea and had the best work ethics. One name kept coming up: Richard Etheridge.

Richard Etheridge was a Black man, born a slave in 1842 on Roanoke Island in Manteo. log, “the voice of gladden hearts greeted the arrival of the station crew.”

Etheridge worked as keeper of the Pea Island station for 20 years. In January 1900, he became sick and died at the station. The Pea Island Life-Saving Station continued to be staffed by an all-Black crew until it was decommissioned in 1947.

The legacy of Etheridge and the Pea Island LifeSaving Station remains an important part of our state and national history, and a point of pride in the local community.

“If we are to promote unity, love and community, we need to provide inclusivity and exposure of all history in Dare County such as Captain Richard Etheridge and the all-Black life-saving station at Pea Island, the enslaved and the free,” says Coquetta Laverna C. Brooks, secretary of the Pea Island Preservation Society. “The beauty of a fabric is in the detail, and the detail is in the thread. We are all pieces of thread!”

Donna Campbell Smith is a Carolina Country contributing writer who lives in Franklin County.

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Sea Bounty

SEA FACT Many bivalves possess nacre, or mother-of-pearl, and can create pearls if an irritant such as a grain of sand gets inside their shell. Our native Eastern oyster (Crassotrea virginica) creates small, chalky pearls without nacre and have no value.

of the

North Carolina’s coast is teeming with sea life, many of which has been prepared in recipes passed down for generations. Celebrate our coast with these kitchen-tested seafood recipes from “Mariner’s Menu,” courtesy of NC Sea Grant.

SE d p p

Recipes from ‘Mariner’s Menu’ Photos by Vanda Lewis

SEA FACT The shells of the hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria, were ground up and used by Algonquin tribes to make beaded necklaces used as wampum. Look for the violet-purple interior portion of the shell the next time you’re at the beach!

Southern Fried Oysters

SE h n

1 pint shucked oysters, standard or select Bisquick (or similar baking mix) Oil for deep frying Drain oysters and pat dry. Roll in baking mix.

Deep fry in preheated 375-degree oil until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Baked Clams with Garlic Butter

The Seafood Experts These recipes come from “Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas,” published by UNC Press on behalf of NC Sea Grant—the non-profit research and outreach organization focused on enhancing the sustainable use of North Carolina’s ocean, coastal and watershed resources. Visit marinersmenu.org to find more recipes or order the cookbook.

Sea Facts courtesy of NC Sea Grant Coastal and Marine Education Specialist Erika Young.

36 littleneck clams ¼ pound butter, softened 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped green onion, including tops ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup dry white wine ¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese Rock salt

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Scrub clams thoroughly with a stiff brush under cold, running water. Open clams and discard top shell.

Combine butter, garlic, green onion, parsley, wine, crumbs, salt, pepper and half the Parmesan. Blend until smooth.

Place clams on the half shell in a bed of rock salt in a cooking pan. Spoon butter mixture evenly over clams.

Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and bake until clams are done and cheese is melted, about 6 to 8 minutes.

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Seafood-Stuffed Avocados

½ pound backfin crabmeat ½ pound cooked small shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 3 tablespoons sour cream ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper 3 avocados, chilled Paprika Lettuce leaves

SEA FACT The female blue crab has a signature triangular or domed shaped covering on the abdomen, which provides protection and coverage for the eggs. It is illegal in NC to possess immature females at any time.

Carefully remove any shell or cartilage from crabmeat. In a medium bowl, lightly toss crabmeat and shrimp. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and pepper. Add to crab and shrimp.

Mix gently but thoroughly. Chill for several hours.

When ready to serve, peel and remove pit from avocados. Cut in half lengthwise.

Pile centers with salad. Sprinkle with paprika. Place on lettuce leaves.

Fried Triggerfish SEA FACT Triggerfish are shaped like a flattened football and have rough, sandpaper-like skin. They deposit eggs in guarded nests, and some species are extremely territorial.

With shallot butter Fish

1½ pounds triggerfish fillets, skinless 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper, to taste Flour Shallot Butter

½ cup butter, softened 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil ¼ salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

For shallot butter, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet to 375 degrees.

Add 2 tablespoons butter and melt.

Lightly salt and pepper fish then dredge lightly in flour. Place in skillet and sauté until lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the fish over and repeat, cooking until done.

Spread shallot butter over warm fish and serve.

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Carolina Adventures

Paddlers’ Paradise

Self-service kayak rentals make getting on the water easy

By Vanessa Infanzon | Photos courtesy of Visit Jacksonville

Lisa Miller has been kayaking all over the country for more than 30 years. Last fall, she tried out the new kayak kiosk, a self-service kayak rental station, at Riverwalk Crossing Park in downtown Jacksonville. Lisa came prepared to rent one of the four single-person kayaks: She downloaded the Rent.Fun app to her phone. Once she paid the hourly fee through the app, she heard the click to let her know the door to the vending machine was open. She grabbed the kayak, paddle and personal flotation device and carried it to the New River, just steps away from the kiosk.

Lisa spent the day on the New River, one of Jacksonville’s blueways (visitjacksonvillenc.com/209/ Blueways) water routes in Onslow County. She checked out the osprey nest at the Louis Sewell Jr. Bridge and found a shady stop near Wilson Bay for a break.

“The cool thing about being on the New River is there is a lot of nature to see as you go along the banks of the river,” says Lisa, a Jacksonville resident and former

Have App, Will Travel Try out these kayak kiosks in North Carolina. Use the free Rent.Fun app or go online to rent.fun to get more information.

■ City Lake Park, 815 Concord Road, Albemarle ■ Hertford Bay Marina, 421 Albemarle Blvd., Hertford ■ Jacksonville Landing, 135 S Marine Blvd, Jacksonville ■ Northeast Creek Park, 910 Corbin St., Jacksonville ■ Riverwalk Marina, 15 Kerr St., Jacksonville ■ Slocum Creek Recreation Area, 120 Church

Road, Havelock

Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative member. “You can see turtles, herons, egrets and kingfishers. It’s just a beautiful place to go.”

Albemarle, Havelock and Jacksonville are the first cities in the state to offer this “kayak vending machine” option.

“Several cities in North Carolina have added kayak kiosks as amenities,” says Susan Baptist, director of recreation services for Jacksonville. The kiosks are a great option for vacationers who don’t bring kayaks with them, military families who move often, and for those who don’t want to commit to purchasing a personal kayak. The rentals are $5 to $15 per hour, depending on the location.

“This is an opportunity for people to put their toe in the water,” Susan explains, “and explore without the investment and transport of a kayak.”

Vanessa Infanzon moved to Charlotte for college and never left.

When she’s not writing about business or travel, she’s paddle boarding on the Catawba River.

Kayak Safety Tips 1. Dress in a T-shirt and shorts or a bathing suit.

The seat in the kayak might get wet.

2. Bring sunscreen, bug spray, binoculars, a hat, water and a dry bag or plastic bag for your phone.

3. Wear flip-flops or water shoes in case you get out of the kayak where there are sharp rocks or oysters.

4. Clip a safety whistle to the kayak so it will float in case of an emergency.

5. Always tell someone of your plans, including your route and when to expect you back.

26 | June 2024

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I then showed the massive grizzly over 6 inches of 420 surgical grade stainless steel, raised my hands and yelled, “Whoa bear! Whoa bear!”

I must have made my point, as he gave me an almost admiring grunt before turning tail and heading back into the woods.

Join more than 322,000 sharp people who collect stauer knives I was pretty shaken, but otherwise fine. Once the adrenaline high subsided, I decided I had some work to do back home too. That was more than enough adventure for one day.

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Carolina Voices

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OCTOBER’S QUESTION:

What was your favorite Halloween costume?

Submit your answer (roughly 200 words) and any related photos for a chance to be in an upcoming issue.

We retain reprint rights, and we’ll pay $50 for those we publish in the print version of the magazine.

Scan to learn more!

Deadline: August 15 Online: carolinacountry.com/voices No emails, please.

Mail: Carolina Country—Carolina Voices 3400 Sumner Blvd.

Raleigh, NC 27616 Advertising published in Carolina Country is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and willingly sold to customers at the advertised price. All ads must adhere to Carolina Country’s advertising policy, which can be found in our media kit at carolinacountry.com/advertise/MediaKit.

visit waterfurnace.com/MainStreet ©2023 WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc.

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an

Carolina Kitchen

Arugula-Radicchio Salad With Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Texture and flavor contrasts make a good salad, and this one is sweet, peppery, rich and crunchy — plus it looks beautiful. The vinaigrette offers the taste of blue cheese dressing without the heaviness of a creamy one. But sprinkle more blue cheese on if you’re a fan.

3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons blue cheese, finely crumbled ¼ teaspoon garlic, finely chopped ½ teaspoon oregano 2½ cups baby arugula 1 cup radicchio, coarsely chopped (about 1 small head) ½ cup red onion, sliced 1½ cups pear, peeled and chopped* ¼ cup honey toasted pecans, chopped**

Prepare the blue cheese vinaigrette by putting the olive oil, vinegar, pepper and salt in a medium-sized bowl and whisking until well combined. Stir in the blue cheese, garlic and oregano. Taste and add more salt if needed. Set aside or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day ahead. Bring to room temperature if refrigerated and stir well before using.

Put the arugula and radicchio in a large salad bowl and use your hands to gently toss and combine. Add the onion and pear.

Lightly drizzle on the vinaigrette (don’t drown the salad; you likely won’t need all of it) and gently toss with serving spoons.

Top with the pecans and serve immediately. *Sprinkle lemon juice on the chopped pear to prevent browning. **Look for honey toasted pecans in the produce section or substitute a different sweetened nut.

Yield: 4–6 servings

From Your Kitchen Bangin’ Bang Bang Shrimp ½ cup mayonnaise (we used Duke’s) ¹/₃ cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (we used Mae Ploy) 1 tablespoon Sriracha Hot Sauce 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt 2–3 dashes cayenne pepper 2 pounds medium peeled/deveined shrimp, tails removed Cornstarch Oil for frying Sliced scallions (green and white) Chopped lettuce Lemon wedges Whisk together sauce ingredients (mayonnaise through pepper) and refrigerate. The sauce can be made a day ahead.

Recipe courtesy of Cynthia Gray of Newport, a member of CarteretCraven Electric Cooperative Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and generously toss with cornstarch in a large bowl.

Line a full-sized sheet pan with waxed paper. Place shrimp on sheet pan, shaking off excess cornstarch.

Heat oil to 375 degrees and fry shrimp in batches until crisp, about 1–2 minutes.

Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate.

Toss fried shrimp with sauce and serve over chopped lettuce topped with scallions and lemon wedges. Refrigerate leftover sauce for up to 2 weeks.

Submit your recipe online at: carolinacountry.com/myrecipe.

Contributors whose recipes are published will receive $25.

Savory Parmesan Mini Muffins Switch up your typical Italian dinner bread with these herby, cheesy little muffins. Or pop them in your mouth for a savory snack anytime.

Freeze any extras.

1½ cups cornmeal ½ cup flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons basil 2 teaspoons dried oregano or marjoram 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly cooled 1¼ cups buttermilk 1 egg, beaten Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and powder, salt, Parmesan and herbs until well combined.

When the butter has cooled, whisk in the buttermilk and egg. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well but don’t overmix.

Divide the batter evenly into the mini muffin pan. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: Makes about 20 mini muffins

Recipes by Debbie Moose unless otherwise noted. Learn more about Debbie at debbiemoose.com.

Digital Extra Visit carolinacountry.com/recipes to search more than 1,000 recipes by name or ingredient.

30 | June 2024

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June Events

JUN. 9–15

June Bloom Lavender Festival Sunshine Lavender Farm, Hurdle Mills 919-414-4982 JUN. 13

Celebration on the Sound Carteret Community College, Morehead City 252-222-6143 JUNE 14–15

301 Endless Yard Sale Various locations along U.S. Highway 301, Selma 919-989-8687

JUN. 1

Black Bear Festival Water Street, Plymouth 252-793-6627

JUN. 15

Blueberry Fest Vernon Blades Park, Bridgeton JUN. 22

MAY 3–JUN. 2

JUN. 1

JUN. 7–8

Gold Hill Bicentennial Celebration

Carolina Beach Music Festival

Cherry Bounce Festival

Cape Fear Blvd & Carolina Beach Ave., Carolina Beach 910-458-8434

Forest City Pavilion, Forest City 828-447-1730

Yadkin Valley Carnival

MAY 31–JUN. 1

Creeper Trail Park Music & Mt. Craft Festival

Ole Smoky Antique Tractor & Engine Show

Creeper Trail Park, Lansing 336-384-3938

Smoky Mountain Event Center, Waynesville 828-593-8330

Enfield Fishing Creek Paddle

Gold Hill Mines Historic Park, Gold Hill 704-279-5674

JUN. 1–30

Artists in Residence at Edgewood Edgewood Cottage, Blowing Rock 828-295-7851

Heritage Center, Elkin 336-526-1111

Ocracoke Village 252-921-0260 JUN. 8–20

Bear Town Exchange

Juneteenth of New Bern

JUN. 1

Art in the Garden

JUN. 5–9

Davidson County Agriculture Center, Lexington 336-407-2853

Ocrafolk Music & Storytelling Festival

JUN. 2

Downtown Farmer’s Market, New Bern 315-430-7951

Disney’s The Little Mermaid Carolina Civic Center Historic Theater, Lumberton 910-738-4339

Creeper Trail Park, Lansing 336-384-3938

Great Trent River Raft Race

JUN. 7–9

Paddling, food, music, giveaways Bellamy Mill, Enfield

Music in the Creeper Trail Park

Henderson Park, New Bern 252-497-8838

Union Point Park, New Bern 252-637-3111 JUN. 25

Korean War Remembrance A tribute to veterans and the Korean people Brevard College, Brevard 828-507-3171 JUN. 29

Heritage Day Crafts, music Bolick and Traditions Pottery, Lenoir 828-295-3862

Visit carolinacountry.com/calendar for more information about each event, including links to the most current information, or to submit your own event.

where in Carolina Country is this?

Send your answer by June 15, with your name, address and the name of your electric cooperative.

Online: carolinacountry.com/where By mail: Where in Carolina Country? 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616 Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. The winner, chosen at random and announced in our August issue, will receive $25.

Have a roadside gem you’d like to share? Submit a photo, plus a brief description and general location information, at carolinacountry.com/where.

April’s winner The April “Where Is This” photo by Neha Shah of Pittsboro features artwork located in the Siler City downtown courtyard near Chatham Avenue and Third Street, outside the Chatham Rabbit coffee shop and NC Arts Incubator. The coffee shop is a local gathering spot in the historic downtown area and a good starting point to explore the district’s stores, galleries, murals and restaurants. The courtyard area also houses the monthly Siler City Downtown Music Series from April to October. The winning entry chosen at random from all correct submissions came from Ed Slaby of Denver, a Rutherford EMC member.

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Powering a Brighter Future

Reliability & Innovation North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives are leading the way to a brighter future for 2.5 million cooperative members and communities through:

Leveraging new technologies and innovation to deliver reliable electricity across resilient, co‑op operated electric grids.

Affordable, Sustainable Energy Advancing a goal of net‑zero carbon emissions by 2050 using new and existing resources to ensure electricity continues to be delivered at the lowest possible cost.

Local Community Support NCElectricCooperatives.com/Brighter

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Enriching the lives of our local members through continued education initiatives, economic development and community‑focused activities.

5/9/24 4:13 PM

A. Voting Body: The voting body shall consist of those members as defined and authorized in the Bylaws as of the close of business on the seventh calendar day preceding the Annual Meeting in June each year, who registered in person or by properly executing and delivering a proxy or ballot.

Individuals included in the voting body as established may attend the Annual Meeting of the members on the date specified, or use the telephone call-in system. Nonmembers shall not be allowed to attend the meeting unless they are a spouse of the member in the official voting body.

B. Method of Voting: Director Elections – Members have multiple options for voting in the Director elections. A member may complete, properly execute and return a proxy to the designated election administrator by mail or internet by the due date specified. In addition, a member may register and vote by ballot during the Annual Meeting.

C. Member Recognition: Members may ask questions at the appropriate time on the agenda. When wishing to speak, a member must state his name, address, and district. If an individual is the duly designated representative of a member which is an organization, corporation, or government agency, the individual must state the organization whose membership he represents.

D. Motions: Only members of the voting body participating during the Annual Meeting may introduce motions (in person or by phone) for members attending.

E. Discussion: In order to allow the maximum participation of members who wish to address the Annual Meeting, any discussion, comments, and questions from the membership shall be limited to one minute for each speaker. The Question and Answer session shall be limited to a total of fifteen (15) minutes.

F. Commencement of Annual Meeting: The Annual Meeting of the Cooperative shall commence at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on the fourth Thursday in June of each year, unless the Board determines otherwise in accordance with the Cooperative’s Bylaws. Registration will begin no earlier than 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and continue until the polls are closed for voting. Consistent with the Cooperative’s Bylaws, the Board reserves the right to modify the Annual Meeting schedule as it deems appropriate.

G. Adjournment of Annual Meeting: The Annual Meeting, unless the Board determines otherwise in its sole discretion, shall adjourn by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

H. General Rules: Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall be followed at the Annual Meeting unless inconsistent with North Carolina law or the Charter or Bylaws of the Cooperative.

I. Solicitation of Members: Individuals shall not be allowed to solicit the Cooperative’s membership on the day of or during the Annual Meeting unless approved prior to the Annual Meeting by the Chief Executive Officer or his designee. Solicitation of members shall include any use of banners, placards, distribution of publications, gifts, etc. The Chief Executive Officer shall designate certain management employees to ensure compliance with Section I. J. Audio/Video Restrictions: The use of video or audio equipment for the recording of meeting activities shall be restricted to the Cooperative. Members may not record activities of any meeting of the Cooperative.

K. Media Attendance: Except attending as a member, media attendance will be prohibited at the Annual Meeting. Media may coordinate any member meeting information with the Cooperative’s Director of Public Relations.

L. Member Attendance Requirements: Members shall be required to follow established rules for this meeting.

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OTE

!

N I TO W

Voting for your directors is important, easy, and you could win one of five prizes!

Voting for the directors who guide and oversee Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation is an important way you can exercise your right and responsibility as a member of a cooperative. This is your opportunity as a member to elect the people who provide strategic oversight for your cooperative.

You should have received a director election kit by mail or email around May 29. Voting instructions, candidate biographical information and your proxy are all found in the kit.

We encourage you to participate in the election of your directors by returning your completed proxy by mail or in an electronic format. Your proxy must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, 2024.

Also, members wishing to vote or change their vote may do so in person during the Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at 4 p.m. at the Corporate Office, located at 1216 Blowing Rock Blvd., Lenoir, N.C. 28645. Voting will take place in a designated area.

An audio recording of the Annual Meeting will be available the day following the meeting at BlueRidgeEnergy.com/AnnualMeeting.

Members with disabilities and needing accommodations to participate in this Annual Meeting process should contact Christopher Hunt, (chunt@blueridgeenergy.com or 828-759-8995) by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 21, 2024.

Note: Your proxy cannot be accepted by a Blue Ridge employee or submitted at any of our offices.

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