2015 December Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative Florida Currents

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative

D E C E M B E R 2015

Happy Holidays from the employees and trustees of Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative

Reflecting on the Past Year PAGE 4 Project Helping Hand PAGE 26 n

Gulf Coast

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Do you SEER What i SEER? When it comes to SEER—the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio—of your home’s heating and cooling system, the higher the number, the more efficient it runs. And that can mean big savings in energy bills.

Treat yourself to savings this holiday season and upgrade to a high-efficiency air-source, dualfuel or geothermal heat pump!

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative has a Christmas gift for you that will make your purchase of a high-efficiency heat pump easier. We are offering as much as $600 a ton in rebates to homeowners—saving you money in energy costs now and in the future.

For more details, visit www.gcec.com today, or call Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative at (800) 568-3667.

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Inside

December 2015 Vol. 5, No. 2

Separated by the Miles 12

Find new ways to connect with far-away family during the holidays.

Also In This Issue Side Roads 10 In the Kitchen 16 Great Picture Hunt 18

Festival Roundup 22 Outdoor Pursuits 24 Parting Shot 30

Your utility pages: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32

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Gulf Coast

Reflecting on the Past Year

By Michael White, CEO/General Manager, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative

As the end of 2015 approaches, I would like to reflect on the events of the past year. As CEO and general manager of Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative, I evaluate opportunities the cooperative has had and the challenges we have faced.

I asked myself, “Did we provide the highest level of member service? Have we Michael White implemented programs that offer our membership added value?”

In answering such questions, I developed a list of some of our accomplishments during the past year.

As you read this, I hope you see that our employees come to work each day with one goal in mind: to safely provide you with a reliable source of energy services.

I thank you for your patronage of the cooperative, and wish you a merry Christmas and a happy 2016.

Capital Credits We are in the process of distributing capital credit checks. Those who were members of GCEC in

1983 and 2014 will receive credits totaling $400,000.

Estates of deceased patrons will share an additional $50,000.

GCEC is a member-owned, nonprofit organization. Therefore, at the end of each year and after all operating expenses have been paid, a prorated percentage of its margins—referred to as capital credits—are allocated to members based on the amount they paid for electricity during the year.

The decision to make a refund and how much to refund is made by the board of trustees, and is based on the financial health of the cooperative.

Fortunately, the health of the cooperative has allowed for the amount of capital credit refunds to increase the past few years.

Employee Training and Safety At least once a month, our employees participate in safety training sessions that cover everything from first aid and CPR to the training our line technicians need to safely work on power lines each day.

Our No. 1 priority is the safety of our employees, our members and the public.

Equipment and Material Purchases The co-op bought many needed items in 2015, including several new trucks and right-of-way equipment, all while reducing the overall material inventory level from the previous year through continuously improving material management practices.

Turning over material and rotating equipment helps our employees provide you with reliable service, restoring power when needed.

OSHA Compliance GCEC is 100 percent compliant with Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules. We have gone to great lengths to ensure all of our employees have received safety training as required by OSHA, and that all of our offices and equipment adhere to OSHA standards.

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative Senior Warehouse Clerk Harold Ruth maneuvers a forklift through traffic cones as instructor Tracy Strickland observes. Forklift operators were required to drive the forklift around the cones, pick up wooden pallets, then back the forklift through the cones.

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Padmount Equipment, Wood Pole Inspections To improve system reliability and extend the useful life of field equipment, in 2015 GCEC focused on best practices for maintenance and inspection of

padmount transformers, junction cabinets and other underground equipment, as well as wood poles used for overhead lines.

GCEC is required by the Florida Public Service Commission and Rural Utilities Service to inspect each pole on its system once every eight years.

We inspected nearly 6,600 poles this year alone.

Similarly this year, GCEC has inspected and repaired more than 600 padmount equipment devices.

Rights of Way Throughout 2015, GCEC trimmed the rights-of-way in the Southport and Wewahitchka areas, as well as Tyndall Air Force Base.

If vegetation comes into contact with power lines, it can interfere with your electric service and cause a potentially dangerous situation. It is vital this vegetation be cleared from power lines to provide reliable electric service and prevent a hazardous condition.

Your board and management team is taking a different approach to trimming than in years past. We are reclaiming our rights-of-ways.

The co-op tries to work with each landowner to preserve landscaping when maintaining

rights-of-way. We realize most property owners regard trees as an asset; however, federal law states it is GCEC’s responsibility to eliminate hazardous conditions.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to bring you quality, reliable service.

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative continues to operate the water and electric systems at Tyndall Air Force Base.

The co-op is four years into a 50-year contract.

Tyndall Air Force Base As we push forward with our 50-year contract, we have corrected many issues with the water and electric systems at Tyndall AFB. We have completed several water and electric projects, including replacing aging infrastructure to assist Tyndall in fulfilling its mission.

This contract has given us the opportunity to hire more employees and help stimulate local economies by buying materials and expanding your cooperative.

We are proud to be a part of Team Tyndall.

Future GCEC is looking to roll out more online tools for your account and other marketing programs to assist members. We constantly evaluate ourselves, and your feedback is sought each day.

I appreciate the opportunity to serve you. n D E C E M B E R 2 0 15

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Gulf Coast

Clinton’s Energy Plan has Big Price Ambitious policies fine, but we need to understand the cost

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In recent weeks, Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton has begun to offer details of energy policies she plans to pursue if elected.

As expected, those plans are heavy on policies that promote renewable energy sources. Specifically, Clinton wants renewables to supply 33 percent of America’s electricity by 2027.

According to her campaign, that would be enough to power every home in America.

But what will that cost?

And is it doable?

Today, all renewable sources combined supply about 13 percent of America’s power. Hydropower accounts for nearly half of that amount (6 percent), with wind providing 4.4 percent and solar contributing just 0.5 percent.

Other renewables such as biomass and geothermal constitute the remainder.

The numbers paint a picture far different than what many voters likely believe.

Despite massive public subsidy and government favor, solar remains a marginal source of American power.

At current rates of deployment, renewable energy technologies are forecasted to provide as much as 16 percent of American power by 2027.

Add in the effects of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s carbon mandate, dubbed the Clean Power Plan,

Guest Column

By Lance Brown Executive Director Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy

and that amount could be as high as 25 percent by 2027.

Keep in mind, reports have placed the cost of EPA’s plan in the range of $41 billion to $73 billion.

In other words, just obtaining a quarter of American power from renewables is going to be massively expensive.

Clinton’s ambitious target—which calls for a third of American power to come from renewables—will cost even more. Under her plan, installed solar capacity would increase from roughly 20 gigawatts today to 140

gigawatts by 2020.

That is a seven-fold increase in installed solar capacity.

For context, 2014 saw the installation of about 6.2 gigawatts of solar. Clinton proposes to raise that number to around 30 gigawatts a year during her administration.

Assuming the cost of installed solar capacity remains flat and subsidies continue, Clinton’s goal of 140 GW goal could have a price tag of close to $250 billion.

If demand places upward pressure on solar prices, the cost could be even higher.

There is nothing wrong with thinking big, but voters deserve an understanding of just how much massive energy proposals could cost.

They also need to know that deploying that much renewable energy will have significant effects on the operation of the U.S. grid, requiring even more money from electricity ratepayers and government coffers to upgrade our grid.

Another Democratic presidential nominee, Martin O’Malley, has called for the U.S. to obtain all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050.

Let’s hope reasonable voters and the media are not so mystified by the ambition of these plans that they forget to ask what these proposals cost.

After all, we can only have the future we can afford. n

GCEC Vice President of Operations Francis Hinson, second from left, explains the pole-top rescue procedure before employees begin training.

Employees Complete Safety Course

After climbing to the top of the pole to “rescue” the victim, Cole Barfield releases the 150pound dummy. T.J. Davis waits to retrieve the dummy. Part of the training covers the type of knots to tie in the straps, bottom right.

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative employees recently completed a pole-top rescue course, which is required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The purpose of this training is to teach employees how to save their co-workers in the event of accidental contact with an electric line. The course consisted of each employee “rescuing” a 150-pound dummy from the top of a pole. The employees learned the proper way to climb a pole, which tools were needed to rescue a co-worker and the type of knots to tie in the straps.

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Gulf Coast

GCEC Distributes Capital Credit Checks Watch your mailbox for your refund

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative is distributing capital credit checks. Members of the cooperative in 1983 and 2014 will receive credits totaling $400,000.

An additional $50,000 has been allocated for distribution to estates of deceased patrons.

The year, or percentage of a year, to be refunded is determined by using a combination of the first-in, first-out and last-in, first-out philosophy that provides for refunds based on the order of allocation.

GCEC is a member-owned, nonprofit organization. Therefore, at the end of each year and after all operating expenses are paid, a prorated percentage of its margins—referred to as capital credits—are allocated to members based on the amount they paid for electricity during the year.

The decision to make a refund and how much to refund is made by the GCEC Board of Trustees based on the financial health of the cooperative.

Refunding of capital credits is spread over time because the cooperative uses the capital to finance plant and equipment purchases instead of borrowing funds and paying interest.

Capital credits represent most of the cooperative’s equity, which has reached a level that enables the cooperative to borrow at the most attractive rates.

Capital credits are used wisely to keep the cost of

electricity as low as possible before they are refunded.

Here are other frequently asked questions regarding capital credits: How do you calculate my capital credits?

First, the percentage of margins to the total amount of electric revenues received by the cooperative is calculated. That percentage is multiplied by the total amount of your bills for the year. This figure is your capital credit allocation for the year.

Is interest earned on capital credits?

Although capital credits are your investment, GCEC’s bylaws (Article VII, Section1) do not permit interest to be paid. Paying interest on capital credits would be like paying interest on borrowed money, which would increase rates. Members would not gain anything by receiving interest on capital credits.

What is the difference between capital credits and dividends?

Capital credits represent a return of money being paid by the member for electricity. Dividends represent earnings on an investment that was made by an investor with the desire to make a profit.

If I do not own the home or property can I still be eligible to receive capital credits?

The distribution of capital credits is not based on home or property ownership, but on the amount of electricity purchases while a member of the co-op. If electric service is in your name, you will be entitled to the margins allocated to that particular account.

What happens if I move off the co-op’s lines?

Capital credits cannot be applied to your final bill, nor can they be refunded to you in a lump sum.

That would give preference to people leaving the cooperative over the members who continue to support it. You will be mailed a check for your capital credits whenever the year earned is refunded. You should keep the cooperative notified of address changes; otherwise, you may not receive your refund check when mailed at a future date. n Should you have any questions regarding capital credits, contact the Panama City office at 481-1188, the Southport office at 265-3631 or the Wewahitchka office at 639-2216.

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Gulf Coast

Trading Post For Rent Four-bedroom, one-bath, 1,800-sq.-ft. home in Scotts Ferry. Rents monthly. (850) 265-0872 or (850) 674-6409.

Horse barn with five stalls, paddock and about 4 acres of pasture in Wewahitchka, one block from the old courthouse. Lease by the stall, with discount for multiple horses. (740) 334-0341.

For Sale Great gifts: JBL Synchros E40BT Bluetooth wireless headset, new in box, retail $100, sell $70. Nikon Ultra Wideview Action 7x35 binoculars, new in package, retail $80, sell $60. (850) 773-1970.

Ladies scrubs sizes L-XL. Six full matched sets plus extra top and white lab coat. Freshly laundered and ready for work. All for $40. (850) 773-1970.

2002 Dutchmen 19’ Sport Lite camper. $3,950.

(352) 409-8249.

Electric hospital bed with mattress, $200 OBO. Therapeutic twin mattress, $200 OBO. Jazzy electric chair, $2,500 OBO. (850) 773-0053 or (850) 260-9220.

2001 Coachmen travel trailer. Catalina 366 TBS model. Two bedrooms, one-and-a-half baths, two slides, 36’. Needs a little TLC. $4,500. Willing to trade up to $1,200 of the asking price for minor home repair and yard maintenance (must be licensed/insured in Florida). (850) 647-9227.

14.51 acres on Brian Setterich Road, north of Wewahitchka. Sale includes 0.83-acre lot on Dead Lakes and 13.68 acres on paved road about one-half mile from Dead Lakes. $35,500.

(850) 832-1726.

FSBO. Two adjacent lots, about 2.5 acres on paved road, 10 miles north of Wewahitchka, 45 minutes from beaches. Borders the Chipola River and Cypress Creek. Cleared and ready to build.

Quiet and peaceful; no neighbors. Deeded restrictions. Underground utilities, deep well and many fruit trees. $69,900. (850) 648-4214. ½-acre corner lot. (850) 639-2220. ½-acre lot with septic tank, power pole, deep well, fence, pole barn and culvert pipe. (850) 827-1127 or (850) 340-1464.

Three lots in Vernon just off Highway 79. (850) 625-121 or (850) 535-4634.

Three lots at Chipola River in Scotts Ferry. Deep well, septic tank, power pole for RV or mobile home. Good hunting and fishing. (850) 6431459 or (850) 408-8461.

1.5-acre lakefront property in Altha with threebedroom, two-bath mobile home. New metal roof, fireplace, front and back decks, shed and greenhouse. $155,000. (850) 896-3188.

24’x32’ modular home/camp with new interior.

Must be moved. (850) 209-9299.

Two- or three-bedroom cabin. About 1,200 sq. ft. with large screened porch. 150 ft. on West Arm Creek in Meeks subdivision. (850) 271-9040.

Trading Post is a FREE service to members of Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative.

GCEC reserves the right to edit or reject ads. PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY OR TYPE. Please circle the category that applies: For Rent

For Sale

Real Estate

Free

Miscellaneous

Trade

Wanted

Items:

Local gallberry, tupelo and wildflower honey.

(850) 832-0457 or (850) 628-1361.

Pomegranates, figs and lemons. (850) 639-9698.

Miniature donkeys. Jacks and Jennys, black, brown, gray and paints. All ages. $300 and up.

Make great pets. Also standard donkeys. Betty, (850) 899-7424.

Quarter horses. Ride well on trails, gentle, good for lessons. (850) 773-1957.

Name:

Trees: pomegranate, 10 varieties of figs, Japanese snowball, dwarf sweet lady finger banana and lemongrass. (850) 639-9698.

Address:

Real Estate Your ideal fish camp awaits you at Howard Creek. Four acres with two ponds on a paved road. Includes deep well, electric and 25’x40’ barn. Within minutes of two boat landings. Will divide into 1- or 3-acre parcels. $29,950 or make a reasonable offer. (850) 774-8048.

Three-bedroom, two-bath home on 1-acre lot in Wewahitchka. Move-in ready; private. Insulated storage shed, appliances and furniture. $65,000.

(859) 643-0056.

City/State/Zip: Phone: Mail your ad to: The Trading Post; Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative; P.O. Box 8370; Southport, FL 32409; return with your electric payment; or email ad information to tradingpost@gcec.com. ** Due to press deadlines, please expect up to 60 days from submission for your advertisement to appear.

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If you have visited one of our offices between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you probably noticed red and green paper light bulbs decorating the lobbies. For the past several holiday seasons, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative has given its members the opportunity to buy light bulbs for $1 each and write the name of a loved one on it to be displayed between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

This year’s fundraiser begins Monday, November 30. All proceeds benefit Project Helping Hand.

Project Helping Hand began assisting members in 2004. Funds raised for this program are only shared with GCEC members.

Working with Family Service Agency, Project Helping Hand provides temporary assistance to GCEC’s members in need. The program assists the elderly, the disabled, the low-income, the ill, the military and others experiencing difficulty paying their utility bill.

If you are not planning a trip to one of our offices, but would like to donate to Project Helping Hand, donations are accepted by phone, or you may clip out and return the form below. You may want to agree to have a recurring amount of $1, $3 or $5 added to your monthly electric bill.

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative would like to thank all of its members for their continued support of the Project Helping Hand program. n

Project Helping Hand Name: ___________________________________________________________ GCEC account number: _____________________________________________ Mailing address: ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Telephone number: _________________________________________________ Signature: ________________________________________________________ I pledge to have the following amount added to my utility bill each month and deposited into the Project Helping Hand account. I understand this is a perpetual agreement, and I must notify Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative by phone or mail to remove this recurring donation from my bill.

Select donation amount: _______ $1 Select: ____One-time contribution

_______$3

_______$5

____Recurring contribution

Cut out, complete and return this form with your electric payment or mail to: Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative; Attn. Kristin Evans; P.O. Box 8370; Southport, FL 32409.

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Help your neighbors by contributing to Project Helping Hand. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, buy a paper light bulb for $1 in honor of a loved one.

Gulf Coast

Help Reduce Demand for Electricity, Earn $25 Credit for Participating H2O Plus, a program available to you from Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative, has the potential to dramatically reduce the demand for electricity. But we need your participation.

Using energy wisely has never been easier. A device that allows our power supplier to cycle your unit for short periods is installed on your electric water heater.

By managing energy use when demand is high—when you and your neighbors are using the most electricity—our supplier can reduce demand when electricity is most expensive, putting off the need to build facilities to generate more power, alleviating or postponing those costs. An added benefit is the reduction of greenhouse gases, which helps our environment.

You still will have enough hot water for showers and household chores. In fact, you shouldn’t even notice a difference in the amount of hot water available.

For more information, please call GCEC Energy Services Representative Manuela Heyn. She will take your information and, after ensuring the program is a good fit for your household, schedule someone to come to your home and install the device at no cost to you.

For your participation, GCEC will make a one-time $25 credit to your electric bill. We look forward to hearing from you soon. n

Considering Solar? Call Us Members interested in solar should be aware that all solar applications must be preapproved and inspected to ensure they meet specific engineering codes and criteria.

If you are considering solar, please contact Sid Dykes in Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative’s engineering department.

Sid will schedule a time to meet with you on-site or in one of our offices.

Sid Dykes (850) 265-3631 ext. 3013 sdykes@gcec.com

Jones Earns Board Leadership Certificate Find GCEC On Social Media Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative is on Facebook and Twitter.

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“Like” our Facebook page by visiting www.facebook.com/ GulfCoastElectric.

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“Follow” us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ GulfCoastEC.

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Eddie Jones, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative District II, Group 3 trustee, recently earned the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Board Leadership Certificate.

To begin fulfilling the requirements of this certificate proEddie Jones gram, Eddie first had to earn NRECA’s Credentialed Cooperative Director Certificate. That curriculum consists of five courses designed to provide basic governance knowledge and skills required of cooperative directors.

The Board Leadership Certificate program

consists of 10 courses focusing in greater depth on specific industry and governance issues.

The courses provide advanced study in areas such as risk management, ratemaking and policy development.

More than 62 percent of eligible directors have earned CCD credentials—all current GCEC trustees are CCD certified—while just more than 25 percent have obtained BLC distinction.

Eddie began serving on GCEC’s Board of Trustees in 1995. He is serving as board secretary. Throughout his tenure, he also has been president, vice president and treasurer. He also has served as an alternate on the Florida Electric Cooperative Association Board of Trustees and the PowerSouth Energy Cooperative Board of Trustees. n

Co-op Offers Various Payment Options For your convenience, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative offers a number of ways to pay your electric bill: Automatic Withdrawal Each month, you can have payment for your bill automatically drawn from your bank account or credit card (Discover, MasterCard or Visa). This way you do not have to worry about due dates. To enroll in this program, please stop by one of our offices for a form, or print the form from our website, www.gcec.com.

Customized Billing Cycles To better serve our Social Security and disability recipients, we can place members on billing cycles based on the dates they receive their checks. If you are a recipient of government funds and are interested in this option, please call our office today for more information.

Flex Pay Tired of paying late and disconnect fees?

GCEC now offers Flex Pay—a prepaid metering solution that could lead to savings of $141 in monthly fees. With this program, there are no delinquent fees ($1), no late fees ($15), no disconnect fees ($60) and no reconnect fees ($60 plus an additional $15 for after hours).

The deposit for this program, if required, is $50, which is a savings of up to $350.

Contact one of our offices for more information.

In Our Offices You may pay your bill in person using cash, check or credit/debit card (Discover, MasterCard or Visa) at one of our office locations listed at right. Offices

are open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST. If you need to bring a payment by outside of these hours, we have a drop box at each office.

Online We offer online bill pay. Simply go to www.gcec.com to enroll for this service.

Payment may be made using a credit/ debit card (Discover, MasterCard or Visa) or through your bank account. You can even do this through your smartphone. You need to type our web address into the phone’s browser.

By Phone Our member service representatives accept payments by phone using Discover, MasterCard or Visa. Members also can use our 24-hour automated system to pay with one of those credit card types, as well as pay by e-check using their bank routing and account numbers.

There is no service charge for making a payment by phone.

Gulf Coast Electric Offices XX

Southport

9434 Highway 77 (850) 265-3631; (800) 568-3667 XX

Wewahitchka

722 W. Highway 22 (850) 639-2216; (800) 333-9392 XX

Panama City

6243 E. Highway 98 (850) 481-1188

Through the Mail You may mail your payment. Return the portion of the paper bill that tears off, along with your check, in the envelope that is provided. n D E C E M B E R 2 0 15

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FL-154

Offices 722 West Highway 22 P. O. Box 220 Wewahitchka, FL 32465 (850) 639-2216 or (800) 333-9392

9434 Highway 77 P. O. Box 8370 Southport, FL 32409 (850) 265-3631 or (800) 568-3667 6243 East Highway 98 Panama City, FL 32404 Phone: (850) 481-1188 www.gcec.com

CEO/General Manager Michael E. White

Trustees President Waylon Graham Vice President Jimmy Black Secretary Eddie Jones Treasurer Rupert Brown Doug Birmingham Robert Byrd Gary Cox Kinneth Daniels Betty Moore Trustees normally meet the third Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. CST. The board meets at the Wewahitchka office in even-numbered months (February, April, June, August, October and December) and the Southport office in odd-numbered months (January, March, May, July, September and November).

The mission of GCEC: Fulfilling the changing needs of our membership and communities by providing cost effective, reliable and safe utility services through a dedicated and responsive workforce.

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GCEC President’s Message

Imagine Life Without GCEC In the holiday movie classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the lead character, George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart), experiences financial troubles and wishes he had never been born. Through the help of an angel, he sees how many lives would have been negatively affected if he did not exist. George comes to realize that even with his problems, he has a wonderful life with great friends and family.

What do you think life would be like if community leaders had not founded Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative nearly 75 years ago?

Living in the U.S. in 2015, it is nearly impossible to imagine life without electricity. So many modern conveniences that improve Waylon Graham our quality of life are dependent on electricity: the alarm clock that wakes us up, the refrigerator that keeps our morning milk cold and fresh, the HVAC unit that keeps us cool in the summer and warm in the winter, the vacuum that helps us clean more efficiently, and all those kitchen appliances that save us time and physical energy. So much of our entertainment—whether it comes from the TV, radio or computer—depends on the kilowatt-hours GEC provides. Just think, there would be no smartphones or cell phones if there were no electricity.

Businesses of all kinds rely on electricity to produce and sell the products we need.

It is no wonder many electric cooperatives feel that while our primary product is electricity, we are really in the quality of life business.

As we celebrate the season that reminds us to be thankful for all we have, it is important to remember the 1.3 billion people in the world who still live without reliable electric service. That is about four times the U.S. population! Many of the things we take for granted living in the U.S. are much harder and more time consuming for people in developing countries. We are proud members of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Through the NRECA International Foundation, we are helping to bring power to people in countries such as Haiti and Liberia. You can read more about that at www.nreca.coop/it-starts-with-power.

We are thankful our community ancestors had the vision and foresight to do what needed to be done, gathering our friends and neighbors to form our electric cooperative. As the electric utility business of the 21st century continues to evolve, you can count on GCEC to meet all of your electric energy needs. More importantly, we pledge to continue to work to help improve the quality of your wonderful life. n

December Holiday Hours Southport lobby closed Friday, December 4, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central.

Wewahitchka lobby closed Friday, December 11, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central.

Panama City lobby closed Wednesday, December 16, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central.

All offices closed Wednesday, December 23, through Friday, December 25.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative!