2019 July North Arkansas Electric Cooperative The Messenger

JULY 2019

THE MESSENGER A Publication for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative Members

Preston Gurley gives two Annual Meeting attendees a lift around the Fulton County Fairgrounds on June 6.

From left, Benton Hardin, Shane Albright and Jesse Romine provide members utensils, ice cream and lemonade to go with their barbecue.

Beckwith re-elected to board

Members and their families play bingo for NAEC coolers, shirts, totes and other prizes during the co-op’s 79th Annual Meeting on June 6.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY — NAEC offices will be closed July 4. Crews will be on call in the event of an outage. Please call 870895-3221 or use the free NAEC Mobile App to report an outage at any time.

North Arkansas Electric Cooperative’s 79th Annual Meeting included 1,381 registered members and their families. It was held at the Fulton County Fairgrounds on June 6.

During the business session, CEO Mel Coleman announced the 19 Operation Round Up® scholarship recipients, recognized employees marking milestone years of service and gave an update on the co-op.

Members re-elected Sonya Beckwith of Melbourne to a six-year term on the See ANNUAL MEETING on back.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIP OF THE MONTH When it’s warm out, avoid using the oven. Try cooking on the stove, using the microwave or grilling outside instead.

— energy.gov

Stay back, stay safe: Give crews space while working Working with electricity can be a hazardous job, especially for line workers. That’s why for NAEC, safety is the number one priority. This is not empty talk. Over time, we have created a culture of putting our crews’ safety and that of the community above all else.

Our mission is to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to you, our members. Yes, we strive to deliver affordable and reliable electricity to you, but equally important, we want our employees to return home safely to their loved ones. This requires ongoing focus, dedication, vigilance — and your help!

Distractions can be deadly. Although we appreciate your kindness and interest in the work of our crews, we ask that you stay back and let them focus on their task

at hand. Even routine work takes their full attention and that of their colleagues, who are also responsible for the team’s safety. Distractions can have deadly consequences. If a line worker is on or near your property during a power outage, for vegetation management or for routine maintenance, please allow them ample room to work.

These accommodations help protect our crews and you.

If you have a dog, try to keep it indoors while line workers are on or near your property. Most dogs are friendly, but some are defensive of their territory and can’t distinguish between a burglar and a utility worker.

We also ask that you move over or slow down when approaching a utility vehicle. This is an extra barrier of safety to help those who help all of us.

— ANNUAL MEETING NAEC Board of Directors.

She represents members in Izard County.

Following the business session, door prizes were drawn from registered members. Those present had the chance to win a television, iPad®, coffee maker, wet/dry vacuum and more. Chris Cozad of Viola drove home with the biggest prize when he won the retired Chevrolet Silverado service truck.

We thank all who attended and look forward to next year!

FIREWORKS SAFETY TIPS Fireworks and the Fourth of July go hand-in-hand, and we want you to have a safe, fun-filled celebration!

About two-thirds of all fireworksrelated injuries occur between June 16 and July 16, so keep these safety tips in mind:

Make sure fireworks are legal in your community before using them.

Never buy professional-grade fireworks.

They are not designed for safe consumer use.

Keep small children a safe distance from all fireworks including sparklers which can burn at temperatures in excess of 2,000 degrees.

Never reignite or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby to thoroughly soak duds before throwing them away.

Keep pets indoors and away from fireworks to avoid contact injuries or noise reactions.

DAILY HIGHS & LOWS — MAY 2019 Average Daily High: 80.31° compared to 87.04° in 2018

TEMPERATURE

Average Daily Low: 56.2° compared to 60.62° in 2018 Total Rainfall Amount: 10.06” compared to 3.7” in 2018 Warmest Day: May 16, 92.9° at 4 p.m.

Coolest Day: May 13, 42.8° at 6 a.m.

DAYS

CONTACT NAEC 870-895-3221 info@naeci.com naeci.com

IMAGES: TORI MOSS; PIXABAY.COM/UTROJA0; NRECA

RIGHT-OF-WAY Salesville; south of Norfork; south of Viola; south of Three Brothers; Rossi Road and Meadowcrest areas in Mtn. Home

ON THE FRONT Sherry Jackson presents the retired Chevy service truck’s key to winner Chris Cozad of Viola at Annual Meeting.