The Transformer OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF CANOOCHEE ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION
November 2026
Canoochee EMC Breaks Ground on New Hinesville Office Construction Underway to Better Serve Growing Membership
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s approved by your Board of Directors during the September meeting, Canoochee EMC has begun construction on a new office in Hinesville. This exciting project will replace our current location, which we have outgrown due to our cooperative’s continued expansion and your evolving needs as member-owners. The new facility is being constructed on the same site as the existing Hinesville office. While construction is underway, we want to assure you that member services will continue without interruption at our temporary location. “Canoochee EMC is growing and, unfortunately, we have outgrown the current office—both in terms of member-facing needs, as well as operational necessities,” says Canoochee EMC Board President
Canoochee EMC Newsletter
Connie Thrift. “We realize members who utilize this office will be impacted and have come to the conclusion that it is necessary for a temporary site to be operational during the duration of the project. We feel that the improved office will be something members in the area will appreciate once it is operational.”
Why a New Office? The existing Hinesville office had previously undergone remodeling to enhance working conditions and upgrade drive-thru services. However, our cooperative’s continued growth has created the need for: • Additional space to accommodate current employees. • Enhanced facilities to better serve you, our member-owners. • Modern amenities to meet the local A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative
community’s evolving needs.
• Improved capacity for future
growth in the Hinesville area.
During Construction All member-facing operations, including bill payment and customer service, will continue at our temporary office location throughout the construction period. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to build a facility that will serve you better for years to come.
Temporary Office Information 5195 GA Highway 196, Suite A Hinesville, GA 31313
www.canoocheeemc.com
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Canoochee EMC Wins Best of Liberty
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e recently visited our crews at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield to share some exciting news and celebrate an accomplishment that reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team. Canoochee EMC was named Best Overall Utility Service for Liberty County! This recognition means so much, because it represents the commitment our crews bring to their work every single day. From responding when service is needed to maintaining reliable power and supporting the communities we serve, our team consistently goes above and beyond to make a difference. Our crews at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield play an important role in keeping the communities we serve powered and connected, and we were proud to stop by in person to share this special recognition with them. Awards like this reflect the people
Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield crews moments after hearing about their Best of Liberty win.
behind the work, as well as the dedicated employees who show up every day, work together as a team and take pride in serving our members and communities. We’re incredibly proud of this accomplishment and even prouder of
the people who made it possible. Congratulations to our entire Canoochee EMC team on this welldeserved recognition! Your hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence do not go unnoticed.
A Milestone Worth Celebrating
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s we approach the end of another year, November gives us an opportunity to slow down, reflect on the accomplishments of the past year and recognize the people who have worked hard to help move Canoochee EMC forward. This year, we are especially proud to recognize Garrett Earls and Ian Windham as they achieved an important milestone in their careers. After years of training, learning, long hours and gaining valuable experience in the field, they have successfully completed their apprenticeships and have each been promoted to lineman. Becoming a lineman is no small accomplishment. It takes years of dedication and perseverance to
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Georgia Magazine
November 2026
learn the skills, knowledge and responsibilities that come with the job. From working in the heat and cold to responding when our members need us most, linework requires commitment, teamwork and Garrett Earls Ian Windham a strong focus on safety. Their journey is a great example of what can Windham on this well-earned achievebe accomplished through hard work, ment! We are proud to have you as part determination and a willingness to of the Canoochee EMC family and look learn. forward to watching you continue to Congratulations to Earls and grow in your careers as linemen. A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative
Canoochee EMC Newsletter
Local Homeschool Group Visits Canoochee EMC
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he Christian Home Educators Association (CHEA), which serves families in Tattnall, Evans and surrounding counties, recently visited Canoochee EMC for an educational program focused on career opportunities and electrical safety. Students from pre-K through 12th grade learned about the wide range of careers available at the cooperative, as well as the education, training and skills that can help prepare them for those roles. Joe Sikes and Presley Craft of Canoochee EMC spoke with the group about career paths, workplace responsibilities and the importance of practicing electrical safety at home and in the community. Younger students also observed a Power Town demonstration that
illustrates common electrical hazards and showed students how everyday choices can help prevent accidents. Ted Sconyers and Keith
Durance of Canoochee EMC also gave students a closer look at a typical day for lineworkers, explaining their responsibilities and introducing some of the equipment used to keep electric service safe and reliable. The visit gave students an engaging opportunity to ask questions, connect with real-world careers and gain a deeper understanding of the people, skills and teamwork required to serve their local electric cooperative. By seeing these careers and safety principles in action, students left with practical knowledge, greater awareness of electrical hazards and a clearer sense of the many opportunities available in the electric utility industry.
Thanksgiving Closure
Happy Thanksgiving from Canoochee EMC! We’re grateful for the members and communities we love to serve. Our offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27, in observance of Thanksgiving. We hope you have a wonderful holiday with family and friends.
Canoochee EMC Newsletter
A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative
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The Transformer Official Publication of Canoochee EMC P.O. Box 487 Reidsville, GA 30453 (800) 342-0134 Joseph A. Sikes, Editor BOARD OF DIRECTORS Connie Thrift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 3 President Bob Floyd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 4 Vice President Kim Blocker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 9 Treasurer LaNell M. Oliver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 6 Secretary Ed Bradley Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 5 Robert Dasher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 8 Kenneth L. Durrence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 7 Lavanda Lynn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 2 Bernard Purvis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 1 Michael Wasson, Chief Executive Officer Andy Whiten, Chief Operations Officer Mat Olson, Chief Financial Officer Patrick Burkhalter, Chief Administration Officer Kyle E. Durrence, Member Services Manager WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR POWER IS OFF . . . 1. Check your fuses or breakers. 2. Check with your neighbors. 3. Call (800) 342-0134 or (912) 557-4391. There is a dispatcher on call 24 hours a day for your convenience. OFFICE HOURS Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Attention Students:
Walter Harrison Scholarship Open Now!
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anoochee EMC is accepting applications for the prestigious Walter Harrison Scholarship, a program sponsored by the member-owned electric membership corporations in Georgia. The $1,000 scholarship can be used for academic expenses at any accredited two- or four-year university, college or vocational-technical institute in Georgia. “We’re proud to participate in the Walter Harrison Scholarship and to offer financial assistance to students and their families,” says Joe Sikes with Canoochee EMC. “We recognize the growing cost of education, and we’re happy to play a part in helping members of our community.” Students applying for the Walter Harrison Scholarship must be accepted or enrolled in an accredited undergraduate degree program, complete a twopage application and write a two-page autobiographical sketch with references to future plans and goals. The scholarship is available to any college-level student of any age. The Walter Harrison Scholarship is awarded to students who possess exemplary academic records. GPA, SAT scores, academic standing and scholastic honors are all taken into consideration when determining a student’s eligibility. In addition, a student’s specific financial needs are considered by the scholarship committee, which is comprised of directors
and managers of Georgia EMCs. The committee’s goal is to award the scholarships to remarkable students who may otherwise not be able to afford college. The Walter Harrison Scholarship was created in 1985 by the Board of Directors of the Georgia Electric Membership Corp., the trade association for the EMCs of Georgia. The award pays tribute to the late Walter Harrison, a pioneer in the rural electricity movement and a leader at the local, state and national level in the electric cooperative program. Since 1985, Georgia’s EMCs, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the Georgia Rural Electric Supply Corporation have awarded more than $250,000 to students through the Walter Harrison Scholarship program. To apply, visit www.canoocheeemc. com and fill out the form located under the Community tab. Applications are due by Feb. 1, 2027.
Closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays
Touchstone Energy Senior Citizen of the Month
Branch offices Highway 196 West Hinesville, GA 31313
Congratulations to Roger Timothy Odum of Claxton
Highway 280 East Pembroke, GA 31321
Energy Senior Citizen of the Month.
Georgia Magazine
November 2026
for being selected as the November 2026 Touchstone
A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative
Canoochee EMC Newsletter