Currents-August 2024

AUGUST 2024

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS

INSIDE: TOOLS FOR THE JOB SVEC has new ways to manage your account THE SIMPLE LIFE Discover the relaxing pace of Big Pine Key AROUND THE COMMUNITY Local students represent SVEC in Washington, D.C.

CEO’S MESSAGE

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS August 2024

Michael S. McWaters Executive VP/CEO

Suwannee Valley Currents is a monthly newsletter published by Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, © 2024. It is distributed without charge to all consumermembers of the cooperative.

What Guides Us Many of us have our own core principles that guide the decisions we make each day. They might come from our faith, a piece of advice that has stuck with us or just what our own conscience tells us.

Cooperatives are no different. No matter what service they offer or where they might be located, all cooperatives are built around the same seven cooperative principles, each designed to put the people we serve first.

Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative is no exception. Regular readers will know I’ve gone deeper on each of those seven principles right here in this column at various times.

But we haven’t stopped there. Years ago, we went a step further and established a few principles of our own that guide our specific mission at SVEC. Collectively, we refer to those principles as SMORE: Safety, Member Experience, Outreach to Community, Reliability and Economic Viability.

Safety, of course, comes first since so many SVEC employees work around high-voltage lines. But you may have noticed that second only to that is the member experience.

Placing it so high serves as a reminder to all of us that our consumer-members are the reason for everything we do. Whether we’re working directly with you at the office or indirectly by restoring and improving the electric service we provide, it’s all about the people we serve.

We are here because of you, and we

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continuously think about how we can make your experience with the cooperative better.

Our member services team is on the front line of that effort, always looking for new ways to make your business with SVEC quicker and more convenient. They do an incredible job each day, but it isn’t always possible for our members to come talk to them face to face or make time for a phone call.

That’s why we also have a suite of tools to help you better manage your account when and how it’s convenient for you, whether at home or on the go.

In this newsletter, you can learn more about those tools and services.

Some of them you may be familiar with, while others will likely be new to anyone who hasn’t explored what’s available for a while. I encourage everyone to take some time to learn about them. You may even find new ways to save time and money.

You’ll also find some information about an upcoming blood drive here at the SVEC office and an update on the recently completed Washington, D.C. electric cooperative Youth Tour.

Providing this amazing opportunity for local students is always a highlight of the year and something we’re proud to be a part of.

I hope all of you are proud to be part of a cooperative that makes sure to keep its guiding principles front of mind. It isn’t always the easy way to do things, but it is the right way. And that’s what we strive for 

WE BELONG TO THOSE WE SERVE Business Office: 800-447-4509 11340 100th St. Live Oak, FL 32060 Lobby Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday Drive-thru Kiosk Open 24 Hours 24/7 Power Outage Reporting 800-752-0025

svec-coop.com facebook.com/sveccoop Instagram.com/sveccoop SVEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

On the cover: Whether it’s paying your bill on the go, studying your usage or managing your account, SVEC has the tools that can help. Read more on Page 4.

Photo courtesy of shutterstock.com

Suwannee Valley Currents

IS PICKING UP SPEED Find out if Rapid Fiber Internet is available at your location. Visit rapid-fiber.com/ project-info.

Keep Your Pets Safe in the Heat Summer can be uncomfortable—even dangerous—for pets as well as humans. Here are some tips to keep your furry friends safe and comfortable this summer.

NEVER LEAVE PETS IN A PARKED CAR

Not even for a minute. On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows cracked can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die.

WATCH THE HUMIDITY

SVEC’S OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY MONDAY, SEPT. 2.

The 24-hour outage reporting system is always available, as is our drivethru payment kiosk. We will have standby crews ready to restore power if needed.

Suwannee Valley Currents

It’s not just the ambient temperature.

Humidity can also affect your pet.

Animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, they are unable to cool themselves and their temperature will quickly skyrocket to dangerous levels.

LIMIT EXERCISE ON HOT DAYS

Adjust the intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. On very hot days, limit exercise to early-morning or evening hours. Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet’s paws, so walk your dog on the grass if possible. Always carry water with you to keep your dog hydrated.

PROVIDE AMPLE SHADE AND WATER

Any time your pet is outside, make sure it has protection from heat and sun and plenty of fresh, cold water. Tree shade and tarps are ideal because they don’t obstruct air flow. A doghouse does not provide relief from heat—in fact, it makes it worse.

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At Your Conven Tools that Make the Member Experience Better for Everyone

SVEC works hard to exceed the expectations of its consumermembers by continually working to make it easier for you to do business with the cooperative. For that purpose, we offer a variety of tools to help you contact us, manage your account and stay on top of your electric service in a way that’s most convenient for you.

PAY YOUR WAY SVEC offers a variety of ways for consumermembers to pay their bills.

ONLINE Consumer-members with SmartHub accounts can log in and pay their bills anytime at svecsmarthub.com.

Have your email address and password ready.

MOBILE APP Use the SmartHub mobile app available in the Apple App Store and Google Play store to view and pay your bill from anywhere in just seconds.

AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS Sign up for bank drafts or recurring credit card payments to have funds automatically withdrawn on a set date before your bill is due. Both can be set up from your SmartHub account.

DRIVE-THRU KIOSK Consumer-members can use the kiosk in the outer drive-thru lane at our office to make a payment. Have your account number ready or scan your bill to pay using a check, credit card or cash. The machine doesn’t provide change, but it is available 24/7, and your payment will post within minutes.

REPORT AN OUTAGE SMARTHUB Outages and other issues with your electric service can be reported using SmartHub. You can also receive a notification when your power is restored—a huge benefit if you have been waiting at another location for the outage at your home or business to end.

TEXT POWER Text “out” to 800-752-0025 to let us know your power is out. To enable this option, you must first authorize it by texting “SVEC” to the same phone number. Text Power is only available to members with fewer than five accounts PHONE You can, of course, still report your outage by calling our outage line, 800-752-0025.

PHONE Call our interactive payment system at 877-562-5504 to pay your bill over the phone. Have your account number or the phone number on file for the account ready.

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Suwannee Valley Currents

nience

Manage your payments, usage, notifications and much more right from your phone with the SmartHub app.

MANAGE YOUR ACCOUNT SmartHub isn’t just for paying your bill or reporting an outage. Consumermembers who sign up for SmartHub gain access to a comprehensive tool for managing their SVEC accounts. Log in to SmartHub to: ANALYZE YOUR USAGE View your electricity usage and compare it with previous time periods. Take advantage of enhanced features like historical weather data to see how your daily activities and other factors impact your electricity consumption.

VIEW AND COMPARE BILLS See your current bill and compare it to past bills.

MANAGE NOTIFICATIONS Sign up for email or text notifications in the app, and even set specifics such as when you want to receive them. Common notifications include when your bill is available, when a payment is due, payment confirmation and credit card expiration reminders.

GET THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE CO-OP Tap a link on the mobile app home page and have instant access to SVEC’s website, outage map, monthly E-news or Facebook page.

MAKE AN INQUIRY SMARTHUB SmartHub makes it easy to contact SVEC about any issue or question you may have regarding your account or service.

EMAIL Send an email with your questions to info@svec-coop.com.

One of our representatives will look into your issue and be in touch quickly with the information you need.

MESSAGE Click on the “Message Form” link at the bottom of our website and submit a completed electronic form. A member service representative will respond to you by the end of the next business day.

IN PERSON For those who are more comfortable doing business in person, our friendly and knowledgeable member services representatives are happy to work with you in the office or over the phone at 800-447-4509. Se habla español.

FIND YOUR FORM

Want to apply for service, sign up for the MyChoice pay-as-you-go plan or update your account information, such as phone number and email address? You can do all these things and more from home by filling out and submitting electronic forms located on SVEC’s website.

Suwannee Valley Currents

AUGUST 2024 | 5

Frosty Strawberry Dessert INGREDIENTS 1 cup flour ¼ cup brown sugar ½ cup nuts, finely chopped ½ cup butter, melted 3 egg whites ⅔ cup sugar

DIRECTIONS 1. Stir together flour, sugar, nuts and butter. Spread in 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until it forms golden crumbs. Reserve 1/3 of crumb mixture for topping.

Spread remainder evenly across pan and cool.

10-ounce package frozen strawberries with juice 1 teaspoon vanilla 8 ounces Cool Whip

2. Combine egg whites, sugar and berries with juice in

large bowl. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes (quicker if you use a mixer). Fold in whipped topping. Spoon berry mixture over crumbs. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Freeze 6 hours or overnight.

Keep frozen until ready to serve. 

SAFETY FIRST

Electricity powers modern life, but it can be dangerous if not handled carefully. Check back here each month for new tips on how to stay safe around electric power at your home or business. Kitchens are often the heart of a home and where many appliances reside. So be sure to take extra care when operating, cleaning and placing your kitchen appliances.

• Water and electricity never mix, but they’re especially close in the kitchen. Make sure all plugs and sockets are away from the sink and consider equipping them with a residual current device to shut off power if there’s a fault.

• Always dry your hands before using switches or touching electrical equipment.

• Unplug any appliance before cleaning.

Devices like toasters have live parts inside that could still give you a shock if you aren’t careful.

• Clean your oven to prevent grease buildup and keep it from becoming a fire hazard.

• Don’t place appliances on top or in front of a vent. It stops air circulation, which could cause a fire.  To learn more about building safe electric habits, click the Outages & Safety tab on the SVEC website, svec-coop.com, and follow us on social media. /sveccoop

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@sveccoop

Suwannee Valley Currents

Photos courtesy of Nancy Morehead

Big Pine Key: An Oasis of Natural Simplicity

Two Key deer stop for a snack at the Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge & Campground.

BY NANCY MORELAND, VISIT FLORIDA

Say “South Florida” and high-rise, high-fashion, high-intensity images might spring to mind. But three hours south of Miami, South Florida reveals its simpler side on Big Pine Key. Sandwiched between the National Key Deer Refuge and Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, it’s an oasis of natural simplicity with no malls, zero night life and island-wide speed limits limited to 45 mph.

Two don’t-miss-spots include Long Beach Trail and the Blue Hole.

Adjacent to the Fishing Lodge, Long Beach Trail leads to a primitive beach dotted with tidal pools. Further inland, the Blue Hole appears like a mirage in the Florida forest. The old limestone quarry is a rare freshwater commodity on an island surrounded by salty seas.

It attracts Key deer, alligators and tourists hoping to see them.

TIME TRAVELING AT THE BIG PINE KEY FISHING LODGE

BACKCOUNTRY BEAUTY

For instant immersion into the land of laid-back, stay at Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge and Campground.

Wedged on a coral outcropping between the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, the destination has attracted fishermen and families since 1959. Wholesome diversions—shuffleboard, family movie nights, craft lessons—evoke a more leisurely era while the rooms are ’50s Florida down to the terrazzo floors and jalousie windows.

A REFUGE FOR NATURE LOVERS

“With 8,500 acres and miles of hiking trails, Big Pine allows visitors to experience a variety of Florida habitats, from hardwood hammocks to mangrove forests and shoreline,” says Jim Bell, a volunteer at National Key Deer Refuge Visitor Center.

Suwannee Valley Currents

Your Big Pine explorations may begin on land but shouldn’t end there.

“In the backcountry waters, you get the sense you’re in the middle of nowhere minutes after taking off in your kayak,” Refuge Ranger Kristie Killam says.

On Bill Keogh’s backcountry tours, kayakers travel by motorboat to outer islands before launching into clear, knee-deep waters. “Paddling over sponge and grass flats, we see stingrays, sea turtles, baby sharks and other marine life,” Keogh says.

bar, brothel, bait shop and general store. Inside, the walls and ceiling are papered with enough dollar bills to jump-start the owner’s retirement. The pub prides itself on being a nice place if you can find it, and judging from the out-of-state plates in the parking lot, plenty of people have.

Decidedly low key, the Lower Keys of Big Pine and No Name are not the place to see and be seen, unless you want to see Florida’s natural beauty and be seen by people who feel the same.  Natalie Nieves, of Coconut Grove, staples a dollar bill to the wall at the No Name Pub.

NO NAME PUB

To fuel your adventures, visit the notorious No Name Pub. The 1930s grotto-like building has been a AUGUST 2024 | 7

Give the Gift of Life Did you know that your single act of kindness can have a monumental impact, saving up to three lives with every donation? That’s right, your decision to donate blood can truly make a life-changing difference for those in need. This is a heartfelt invitation for all members of the SVEC community to step forward, showcase our collective compassion and participate in this vital cause.

We will host a LifeSouth blood drive at the co-op, 11340 100th St., Live Oak, on WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 18, from 1:30-5:30 P.M. Join us in making a difference. Your participation not only helps meet to a critical community need but is also a gesture that spreads hope and the invaluable gift of life.

Youth Tour Students Visit Washington SVEC was proud to sponsor two local students for the National Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. This year’s representatives were Alyssa Jones, from Lafayette High School, and Whitton Musgrove, from Suwannee Valley High School.

They joined students from around the country in visiting landmarks like the White House and U.S. Capitol, monuments along the National Mall and the Smithsonian’s American history and natural history museums.

Alyssa was particularly moved by the Holocaust Museum and enjoyed having the opportunity to meet students from other states.

“A lot of these kids were from rural areas and grew up in similar communities,” she says. “You might think you’re the only one living in a town with one red light and going through certain things in our country. And then you realize these people from all over the nation are living just like me.”

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For Whitton, it was a chance to clarify her goals for the future and see herself in the places she was visiting.

“I always tell people that I want to be the first female governor of a state that has not had one before. And obviously, you have to work yourself up to being there,” she says. “So going to D.C. this time I kind of set my mindset to let me see myself there. It definitely helped me realize anything is possible.”

Alyssa Jones, left, and Whitton Musgrove Suwannee Valley Currents