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Currents Suwannee Valley

JANUARY 2025

THE COOPERATIVE WAY Kicking off the Year of Cooperatives

FLORIDA BEER PAIRING Coppertail Brewing is the perfect complement for exploring Tampa AROUND THE COMMUNITY SVEC brings the holiday spirit to local Christmas parades

CEO’S MESSAGE

Building a better world cooperatively

Being part of a cooperative family has many benefits. Our consumer-members get to enjoy the safe, reliable and affordable electricity everyone at SVEC works hard to provide, while also sharing in the ownership of the co-op. If the money we bring in for that power is more than we need to keep the system working and growing, we don’t pocket it or send it to shareholders. Instead, we return it to you in the form of capital credits. Each of you also has a voice in how our cooperative runs when you cast your vote for the trustees who represent you. These are all strengths that make a cooperative profoundly different from any other utility in the industry. Executive VP/CEO But what you might not know is that cooperatives around MICHAEL S. MCWATERS the country provide so much more than electricity or internet service. When you open your fridge, look at the milk. Odds are good — 85% — that it came from a farmer-owned dairy cooperative. One out of every three Americans has an account at a cooperatively owned credit union. If you shop at Ace Hardware, that’s a co-op, too! There are plenty of co-ops out there, at least 65,000 in America and 3 million across the world. Some co-ops are owned by workers or farmers. Others are owned by businesses that pool resources. You — and everyone else we serve — own SVEC. Co-ops make life better for everyone, from local businesses to the people who get power from us. But not everyone knows this story. To spread the word, the United Nations declared 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives. As we gear up to celebrate how cooperatives build a better world, we’re taking a moment in this newsletter to explore how co-ops strengthen our community. In this issue, you’ll find information about the principles and goals that unite cooperatives no matter what industry they are in. You can also read about the many services co-ops provide, from food to banking and so much more, as well as details about how to get involved if you’re looking to embrace the cooperative way of life even more. At heart, what makes cooperatives special is that in a cooperative you are so much more than a customer. Your ideas help us innovate to meet changing local needs. Whether you send us an email or talk to us at a local event, we’re all ears. Your thoughts help us grow and serve you better. You can also rest easy knowing you are supporting local jobs, scholarships and more. We put our money where our heart is — right here at home. We do more than provide a service. We help our neighborhoods thrive. When we work together and keep it cooperative, we all win. It keeps us connected, innovative and focused on what matters — you and our community. Thanks for being part of our SVEC family. ■ 2 | JANUARY 2025

Suwannee Valley

Currents January 2025

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: The United Nations has designated 2025 the Year of Cooperatives. SVEC is just one of many cooperatives around the country that bring essential services to their local communities while following the cooperative principles that make you more than just a customer. Read more on Page 4.

Suwannee Valley Currents

SVEC NEWS

Don’t get left in the dark Register medical necessities with SVEC

SVEC recognizes that many of our members have unique needs. In some cases, they may be immobile or reliant on medical equipment or oxygen. It is important for members with medical needs dependent on electricity to register with SVEC so we can tell you of planned or extended outages. You should also keep the information SVEC has on file for you current. To update your information, please visit our office or download the Medical Necessity Form at svec-coop.com/ member-services/medical-necessity.

Hurricane Idalia cost recovery update SVEC’s electric system sustained the most damage in our cooperative’s history when Hurricane Idalia struck last year. The cost of recovery was substantial, and we are still recouping some of those expenses. Here’s a quick snapshot of where cost recovery currently stands: INVOICES PAID

$75,270,427

Reimbursements received

$28,563,990

Idalia cost recovery collected

$3,775,360

REMAINING BALANCE

$42,931,077

Suwannee Valley Currents

The Florida Division of Emergency Management allows citizens with special needs to register with their county’s emergency management agency. Information submitted to the registry will only be used for planning and, if necessary, to provide emergency or disaster services. Residents of all Florida counties can register using the online Florida Special Needs Registry, snr.flhealthresponse.com. Residents of Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette and Suwannee counties can also request a special needs registration form by visiting or calling their county’s emergency management office.

COLUMBIA COUNTY: 263 NW Lake City Ave. Lake City, FL 32055 386-758-1383 HAMILTON COUNTY: 1133 U.S. Highway 41 NW, Suite 1 Jasper, FL 32052 386-792-6647 LAFAYETTE COUNTY: 194 SW Virginia Circle Mayo, FL 32066 386-294-1950 SUWANNEE COUNTY: 617 Ontario Ave. SW Live Oak, FL 32064 386-364-3405

Pay your way with Getting a monthly electric bill doesn’t have to cause you stress. With MyChoice billing, you can say goodbye to the monthly bill and pay for electricity when you use it. Here’s how it works: • Get rid of the monthly power bill. • Pay for the electricity you use, when you use it. • Never pay a late charge or disconnect fee. • Track your energy usage last week, last month or last year in the SmartHub app. • Save money learning about your energy habits. When you switch to MyChoice, your existing security deposit can be put toward paying for your electricity usage. Start saving today by visiting svecmychoice.com or calling our Member Service Department at 800-447-4509. JANUARY 2025 | 3

Co-ops = Co 2025 is the International Year of Cooperatives Money. Food. Housing. Electricity. Broadband. Cooperatives, a locally grown business model, are steadily helping people connect with each of these basic needs. The United Nations declared 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives, and the yearlong theme — Cooperatives Build a Better World — highlights the impact co-ops have on local communities. Co-ops are everywhere, from rural towns to big cities. Across the United States, more than 65,000 co-ops thrive. Some are owned by workers or farmers. Some, like Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, are owned by the people who use the services the co-ops provide. Others are owned by businesses that pool resources. And the co-op impact isn’t limited to America; 3 million co-ops support communities around the globe. All of these co-ops share a simple mission—making life better in the communities they serve. From local credit unions fighting payday loan schemes to brand giants like Land O’Lakes helping farmers reach markets, co-ops are proof that when people work together, everyone wins. “We’re proud of our co-op identity,” says SVEC Executive VP and CEO Michael S. McWaters. “Our members support us, and in turn, we support them with local jobs, scholarships, community grants and economic opportunities. Co-ops connect our community, and, by working together, we’re all stronger.” Here are three ways to strengthen your community through cooperation.

Eat co-op food

Cooperation tastes good. Farmer-owned dairy cooperatives account for 85% of the milk that flows through America, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Prefer almond milk? Buy Blue Diamond, owned by almond farmers. Store shelves are packed with co-op food brands, including: • American Crystal Sugar Co. (sugar)

• Cabot Creamery (cheese, butter) • Equal Exchange (chocolate, coffee, tea) • Florida’s Natural Growers Inc. (orange juice, lemonade, grapefruit juice)

• Land O’Lakes (butter, eggs, cheese) • Ocean Spray (cranberry juice, cranberry sauce and fruit) • Organic Valley (milk, cheese, butter, eggs, sour cream) • Sunkist Growers Inc. (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, orange juice, snacks)

• SunMaid (raisins, apricots, prunes, yogurt-covered raisins, bread)

• Tillamook Creamery (cheese, ice cream, yogurt) • Welch Foods Inc. (grape juice, spreads, snacks) There are many regional co-op brands, too. The best way to find co-op food is at a community-owned food store. Food co-op members have a say in what community stores stock on their shelves. There are 230 food co-ops serving communities in 39 states, and they are popular. National Co-op Grocers reports combined sales of $2.5 billion each year. “Co-ops are essential cornerstones of their communities,” says NCG CEO C.E. Pugh. “Co-ops lead all food retailers nationwide in percentage of sales derived from local, organic and fair-trade foods and products.” According to NCG’s 2023 Food Impact Report, the average food co-op works with 169 local farms and producers. That’s the impact of keeping food cooperative.

• Blue Diamond (almonds, crackers, milk)

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Suwannee Valley Currents

Community Bank with co-ops

Does your bank have your best interest at heart? America’s Credit Unions reports that credit union members are 1.4 times more likely than nonmembers to receive personalized financial counseling. “Credit unions support and advocate for innovative programs, including pilot programs for first-time homebuyers. Credit unions are community-oriented and have an interest in any programs focused on vulnerable and underserved communities,” says Amanda Smith, America’s Credit Unions Regulatory Advocacy Senior Counsel. Since they are not profit-driven, credit unions often offer lower loan rates and higher return rates than bank rate averages, according to Datatrac. Credit unions also pioneered payday alternative loans to help members learn to save money and avoid cycles of debt. One of every three Americans has a credit union account. Since education and training is a shared co-op principle, many credit unions have special accounts and matching programs for children learning how to save money. Keep money cooperative. Bank with a credit union.

Choose co-op service

When you have a choice of who provides a service in your neighborhood, choose a co-op. When you do, you’re not just a customer, you’re a member-owner. You have a voice in how the co-op is run and where profits are reinvested. Locally owned service co-ops, including SVEC, invest in the future of the areas they serve with scholarships, community grants and economic development efforts. “Our members support us, and we support the communities where they live,” McWaters says. Want to support your community? Join local co-ops.

Celebrate our co-op community

Why take a year to celebrate co-ops? The co-op model prioritizes people over profit and community over competition. When we work cooperatively, we invest in a better future for everyone. From your local electric utility to international fair-trade organizations, cooperatives prove that when we work together, everyone wins. So, the next time you’re choosing where to bank, buy your groceries or subscribe for internet access, keep it cooperative. You’re part of a global movement that’s building stronger communities and a better world, one member at a time. ■

Sometimes you don’t have a choice about who provides services to your home. Only a few states let people pick their electricity provider, for example. But a growing number of cooperatives are offering internet access to members, competing with big providers known for tricky contracts and poor customer service. “We’re more than a power provider,” McWaters says. “We’re your community partner, invested in the success of every member we serve.”

Want to keep life cooperative? Start by looking for co-op food. From fruit and nuts to cheese and coffee, farmer-owned co-op brands are easy to find. PHOTO COURTESY OF PIONEER UTILITY RESOURCES

Find Your Co-ops

• Search for a food co-op with National Cooperative Grocers at ncg.coop/find-co-op.

• Get a list of credit unions in your community at mapping.ncua.gov.

• Discover other types of co-ops in your community at BetterWorld.coop.

• Attend SVEC’s 2025 annual meeting on Saturday, April 26. Details will be in the March Currents.

Suwannee Valley Currents

JANUARY 2025 | 5

RECIPE and SAFETY

Bacon Cheese Grits INGREDIENTS

6 strips of thick bacon, diced 2 cups chicken stock 2 cups whole milk 1 cup white or yellow grits

½ teaspoon salt ½ cup cream 1 ½ cups grated white cheddar cheese 4 green onions

DIRECTIONS Place diced bacon in a cold cast iron skillet. Cook over medium heat until the bacon is crisp. Move bacon to paper towel to drain. Reserve 2 teaspoons of the bacon grease. Pour off the excess drippings and set the skillet off to the side. Place chicken stock and milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and gradually add the grits, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon until grits are soft and creamy, about 45 minutes (add more chicken stock if needed). Stir in cream and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the reserved bacon drippings, cooked bacon, 1 cup of cheese and two green onions. Preheat the broiler. Spread the grits back into the cast iron skillet. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Place under the broiler just until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with the remaining green onions and 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. The start of a new year is a great time to make sure your house is in order, and that goes for simple checks of your electrical system. Performing a basic inspection of the electric items around your home is a good habit to get into and can be quick and easy when you check off the following to-dos.

• Make sure switches are working and that plugs fit snugly into outlets.

• Check the wattage on bulbs and make sure they’re

compatible with the light fixtures they’re installed in.

• Ensure that insulation on wires is intact, and wires

are not pinched by windows, doors, nails or staples.

• Make sure appliances and wiring aren’t in contact with water and have seals showing they are properly certified.

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.

6 | JANUARY 2025

/sveccoop

@sveccoop

Suwannee Valley Currents

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Casey Hughes is the brewmaster at Coppertail Brewing Company. Customers can sample beers in the taproom. With little effort, visitors can cruise the Hillsborough River at 5 mph.

Florida beer pairings: BY STEPHEN KUBIAK, VISIT FLORIDA The view from the brewery’s balcony unfolds like a slideshow of Tampa’s transformation over the years. The brewery sits on the edge of where old and new Tampa converge, a theme echoed on the taps inside. It’s a place where classic beer styles and timehonored brewing techniques mix with rogue experimentation and radical ingredients. This is Coppertail Brewing Company.

Coppertail Brewing Company’s Story

Founded in 2014, Coppertail Brewing Company is the passion project of Brewery President Kent Bailey, a former attorney who was looking for a change. “I was doing really boring stuff,” says Bailey of his days as an attorney. “On the weekends, I was brewing beer, and I found myself working for those weekends thinking, ‘How can I make this my job?’” Enlisting the help of brewmaster Casey Hughes, who couldn’t even sample his product when he began his career as an 18-year-old at the now-defunct Key West Brewery, Bailey Suwannee Valley Currents

was ready to take what he calls “the biggest risk” of his life. “I’d been wanting to move back to Florida for years,” Bailey says with a laugh. Tampa is the heart of Florida’s craft beer movement with over 60 breweries in the area and craft beer giant Cigar City Brewing Company at the helm. Knowing that Tampa had one of the most mature beer markets in Florida, Bailey chose to open his brewery at the edge of the city’s most famous neighborhood. “I always loved Ybor City,” Bailey says. “There’s more visibility, more visitors here than any other place in the city. Also, the history of area is amazing.” Once Bailey had a location, he needed a name. “The name of the brewery came from my little girl, Sophia,” Bailey says. “I was struggling for a name for the brewery, and she was telling me about this Coppertail sea monster that supposedly lived in Tampa Bay. It got stuck in my head and it sounded good. What really connected me to that name was the fact that it’s impossible for a sea monster to live in Tampa Bay. It’s crazy. We’re doing something crazy, but we believe in it.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEPHEN KUBIAK

Coppertail Brewing Company and Tampa

Exploring the waters surrounding Tampa Bay

Along the edge of Downtown Tampa, where the Hillsborough River meets Hillsborough Bay, there are several local outfitters that can get you out and exploring the waterways. With Urban Kai Stand Up Paddleboarding, you can rent a paddleboard, take a paddleboard fitness class or go on a paddling excursion. If you feel like you still need exercise but would rather sit down, the Tampa Bay Water Bike Company rents out water bikes that you can pedal up and down the Hillsborough River while following the Tampa Riverwalk. If you’d rather the boat do all the work, eBoats Tampa is a great way to explore the local waterways in an ecologically friendly way. The boats are electric, so they’re quiet — perfect for sneaking up on the Coppertail. ■ JANUARY 2025 | 7

SVEC IN THE COMMUNITY Live Oak

Live Oak

Mayo

SVEC on parade SVEC was proud to take part in four local Christmas parades last month. The Christmas on the Square celebration in Live Oak is always a popular hometown holiday tradition. This year, the SVEC crew also brought the mini bucket truck and a full-sized bucket truck to parades in Branford, Jasper and Mayo. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SVEC

Jasper 8 | JANUARY 2025

Branford Suwannee Valley Currents