HIGH-SPEED BUILD C urrents
HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES
Explore Christmas and seasonal festivals across Florida
Rapid Fiber Internet construction nears completion
AROUND
THE
COMMUNITY
Get the latest on Operation Round Up®, a December blood drive and more
Decades in the making
From its earliest days, this cooperative’s mission has always been about expanding access. Back when Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative was first incorporated in 1937, it was access to electricity.
As major cities were lighting up the night with the relatively new technology, many rural areas were getting left behind. Major power companies looked at areas like ours, where neighbors could be miles apart, and determined there was no profit to be made in running miles of line to serve only a handful of people.
So, with a helping hand from the newly passed Rural Electrification Act, rural communities took matters into their own hands. The founding leaders of SVEC went door to door — signing up their neighbors as members of the cooperative — and built an electric system they owned and operated.
Decades later, that cooperative is still providing a crucial service to our community. But in recent years, it became clear that access to electricity wasn’t the only essential service our neighbors in the Suwannee Valley needed. When the pandemic struck, school districts found themselves delivering homework packets by bus because students lacked sufficient internet access. Jobs shifted to remote work-fromhome positions, and even healthcare moved to online platforms. The need for a true high-speed internet network in our area was evident.
Two years later, a small group of people met with a note pad and a vision: to build a homegrown, 100% fiber network for the Suwannee Valley. The advantages to our community were clear, from creating new opportunities in business and education to revolutionizing health care access. Additionally, the network would serve as the backbone for a SmartGrid, expanding system capabilities to enhance service and reliability for our members.
I couldn’t help seeing the parallels with our original mission more than 85 years ago. Just as we did in 1937, we would bridge the gap and make that transformation happen ourselves.
We could not be prouder of the progress everyone at SVEC and Rapid Fiber Internet has made. Crews have laid more than 2,500 miles of fiber, our service team has signed up more than 6,000 customers and we have expanded service to 32 zones across our system, with the last 10 expected to be complete ahead of schedule next summer.
You can read more about the efforts behind that progress in this month’s newsletter. For my part, I can say that it has been inspiring to see everyone at SVEC and Rapid Fiber Internet embrace the cooperative spirit the way they have over the last few years. The job isn’t done yet. But when it is, our community will have come together to build something that will stand right alongside the achievements of those founding SVEC members.
It’s a transformative time for our cooperative, and I look forward to bringing you more updates as the Rapid Fiber Internet project nears completion. Through it all, we remain committed to bringing reliable service as your local cooperative. ■
Currents
Suwannee
Rapid Fiber Internet relies on EnterSource broadband technicians, like Claire Mudd, to keep the network’s fiber buildout on schedule. Construction is now complete on more than three-quarters of that system. Read more on Page 4.
Executive VP/CEO MICHAEL S. McWATERS
Happy holidays
SVEC’s office will be closed for the Christmas holiday on Wednesday, Dec. 24, and Thursday, Dec. 25 The office will also be closed on New Year’s Day, Thursday, Jan. 1. The 24-hour outage reporting system is always available, as is our drive-thru payment kiosk. We will have standby crews ready to restore power if needed.
Employee appreciation
The SVEC office will be closed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18, while the cooperative hosts an employee luncheon to show our appreciation to our staff.
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FRAUD
Don’t let scammers steal your joy. If you are contacted by someone asking for personal and financial information or demanding an immediate payment, always assume it is a scammer. If it’s a phone call, hang up. If it’s a suspicious email, do not click on it.
Some SVEC consumer-members have reported getting calls and even visits from people who, claiming to be cooperative employees, threaten to cut off electric service unless a payment is made on the spot. If this happens to you, hang up the phone or close the door. Then, please call our Member Services Department at 800-447-4509.
• No contracts • No data caps
No
Rapid Fiber Internet nears finish line
Project will make high-speed broadband available to every SVEC member
SVEC’s broadband subsidiary, Rapid Fiber Internet, is approaching completion of its trailblazing project to deliver fast, reliable fiber service across the cooperative’s service area.
“We are very, very close to completing our project,” says Ashley Robinson, marketing and communications coordinator. “By mid-October, 35 of our 42 zones were open and available to SVEC members.”
That milestone also marked the completion of the first two phases of the three-phase build-out. The final phase is already nearing its midpoint. When complete, access to true, high-speed internet will be available to 100% of SVEC’s members — a dramatic change from when the project launched in 2023.
ABOVE: Rapid Fiber Internet Marketing Coordinator Ashley Robinson speaks with SVEC members at the annual meeting.
RIGHT: So far, Rapid Fiber Internet has installed around 2,587 miles of fiber line.
“Before we began, only about 6.5% of people in Suwannee County had access to what the FCC defines as high-speed internet,” Ashley says. “Once we finish, every member will have access to at least 100 megabits upload and download speed, with plans of up to 2 gigabits per second available.”
Ahead of schedule despite storms
The project, originally slated for completion in August 2026, is now on track to finish ahead of schedule in May. The accelerated progress comes despite challenges from several major storms, including Hurricane Idalia and the Mother’s Day tornado outbreak that damaged poles and power lines.
“The storms have definitely been part of our story,” Ashley says. “But even then, some of our customers never lost service. With generators and the resiliency built into our system, people were able to stay connected.”
Rapid Fiber Internet now serves more than 6,500 active SVEC members, up from 5,000 in June, and continues to expand across Suwannee, Hamilton, Lafayette and parts of Columbia counties. The network is 100% fiber to the home, with no copper connections, ensuring what Ashley calls “future-proof technology.”
A Rapid Fiber Internet technician sets up the external connection for a new customer.
GETTING ONLINE IS QUICK AND EASY
Sign up — Subscribe online or with a representative. Service drop — Exterior installation will happen first, running fiber from the closest existing line to the exterior of your home. This can take one to three weeks, depending on where underground fiber and electric lines are located.
In-home installation — A representative from our contracted partners, EnterSource, will call to schedule your home installation shortly after the drop is completed. The in-home installation takes place in two-hour windows between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
To sign up, find your zone or get more information, visit rapid-fiber.com or call 866-64RAPID (866-647-2743) Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A film crew from the Office of Broadband visits Rapid Fiber Internet for a collaboration
Connecting communities for the future
Beyond streaming and gaming, reliable internet is now essential for education, business and agriculture.
“We have farmers running irrigation pivots from their phones because of our service,” Ashley says. “It’s no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity.”
Members can track zone openings and updates at rapid-fiber.com and Rapid Fiber Internet’s pages on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. A referral program rewarding members for sharing their experience is also coming soon.
“We’re proud to be local — local internet, local support, local faces,” Ashley says. “No contracts, no installation fees, no hidden costs. Just reliable service built for our community.” ■
BY THE NUMBERS
6,500 sign-ups and active customers
2,587 miles of mainline fiber
76% of buildout currently complete 35 out of 42 zones completed
STREAMING 101
Don’t miss this chance to get answers to all your questions about online streaming, internet safety and fiber availability in your area.
Join us at the Suwannee River Regional Library, Live Oak Branch, 1848 Ohio Ave. S., on Nov. 21, from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
GET EVEN MORE FROM YOUR CONNECTION
Along with to high-speed internet connections, Rapid Fiber Internet can also give you access to these additional services:
ExperienceIQ — Extensive parental controls to help you set rules for specific users and devices on your home network.
ProtectIQ — Network-level security suite that proactively monitors network traffic to defend against malicious websites, viruses and other intrusions.
Voice service — Reliable phone service with all the features you need at a price you can afford.
Streaming service tool – Our partnership with MyBundle.TV makes cord-cutting easy with personalized recommendations to find the streaming platform that fits your needs.
with Broadband Nation.
Grilled Turkey Skewers With Dipping Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups orange juice
½ cup rum
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds uncooked turkey breast
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup orange juice, divided
½ cup grapefruit juice
½ cup tangerine juice
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
DIRECTIONS
Cut the turkey breast into 1-inch cubes. Slide the meat onto skewers, preferably made of sugarcane, and place the turkey skewers into a flat, nonmetal dish. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the orange juice and rum, cooking over medium heat until the liquid volume is reduced by more than half. Add in the lime juice, oregano, garlic powder, cumin and black pepper, stirring to combine well. Pour the mixture over the skewered turkey, cover the dish and refrigerate it at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
As the turkey marinates, prepare the dipping sauce. Stir the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons orange juice in a small bowl or cup; set aside. In a saucepan, combine the remaining orange juice with the grapefruit and tangerine juices, rice wine vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Reduce the heat, simmer until thickened and then set the sauce aside to cool to room temperature. Remove the pan of turkey skewers from the refrigerator and discard the marinade. Grill the turkey skewers over medium-high heat until cooked through. Serve with the sweet-and-sour dipping sauce. ■
Electricity powers modern life, but it is 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. If your house is the gathering spot this Thanksgiving holiday, electrical safety needs to be part of the meal plan.
• Burning the turkey is an obvious worry, but overloaded outlets can cause a kitchen fire.
• With oven and stovetop space at a premium during meal prep, cooks might turn to extra appliances that, when all used at the same time, can wreak havoc on the electrical system, overloading circuits, tripping breakers and potentially damaging whatever is plugged in.
• Cooking appliances draw a sizable amount of electricity — about 10-12 amps for a roaster oven, 8-12 amps for a hot plate and 2-6 amps for a slow
cooker. These quickly add up to overloading the normal 20-amp outlet capacity.
• It’s tempting to turn to extension cords and multioutlet splitters to plug in those extra appliances, but this is never recommended. A regular extension cord can handle about 13 amps, and unless you do the math right, extra appliances can quickly overload its capacity and even cause a fire. ■
To learn more about building safe electric habits, click the Outages & Safety tab on svec-coop.com, and follow us on social media. /sveccoop @sveccoop
Enjoy festivities at home and beyond
Communities across Florida are gearing up for the holidays and shining a light on their unique celebrations. Here are a few to check out, from right here in your own backyard to some nearby western beaches.
Live Oak Christmas on the Square
Historic downtown Live Oak will be aglow with holiday spirit when Christmas on the Square returns for its 41st year the first weekend of December. Events start in Millennium Park on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 5:30 p.m. with a Christmas tree lighting, hot chocolate, popcorn, fun runs and a movie under the stars.
The agenda for Friday, Dec. 5, from 4-9 p.m. features vendors, live entertainment, a visit from Santa and a fireworks show. The events on Saturday, Dec. 6, will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include arts and food vendors, a car expo, Santa Land and live entertainment. A lighted Christmas parade at 6 p.m. will be the weekend’s grand finale. By the way, organizers say the Friday forecast calls for snow!
Head west to Big Bend
Christmas is also set to come early to Panacea and Sopchoppy in Wakulla County. The fun starts on Dec. 6 at 1505 Coastal Highway, where the Panacea Community Garden Farmers Market, open 9 a.m. to noon, offers local vendors, children’s activities, live music and farm-fresh produce and products. Christmas takes over the space from 4-6 p.m., bringing a 100% chance of snow throughout the event, the opportunity to take pictures with Santa and then a parade of lights starting at 6:30 p.m.
The following Saturday, Dec. 13, the holiday spirit migrates a bit west
for the Christmas in Sopchoppy Festival. From 1-7 p.m., Depot Park, at 34 Railroad Ave., will host an old-fashioned, small-town Christmas with a twist, featuring unique vendors of homemade treasures and treats. At 7 p.m., visitors can head to the historic Sopchoppy High School Auditorium, 164 Yellow Jacket Ave., to enjoy The Sopchoppy Opry – A Country Gold Christmas. Book your tickets at sopchoppyopry.com. All net proceeds are used to restore the historic Sopchoppy School for use as a community center.
Carrabelle Country Market
Continuing westward, remember to visit Florida’s Forgotten Coast on the first and third Saturday of each month for the Country Market at Crooked River Lighthouse. This Carrabelle treasure trove, open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the foot of the historic lighthouse, is the perfect place to shop for unique gifts and tasty treats while supporting regional vendors, from artists and bakers to farmers and crafters. Admission to the market and the lighthouse museum is free.
On Friday, Dec. 5, the lighthouse hosts Twilight at the Tower, an evening of live blues, barbecue and a bonfire, from 6-8 p.m. Other after-hours options at this tallest of the Forgotten Coast lighthouses include climbs to the top and a tour of the Keeper’s House Museum. Another lighthouse draw is the monthly Moon Event held on or around the full moon. See crookedriverlighthouse.com for more about the markets and events.
Beach Home for the Holidays
Thanksgiving Thursday may be the time for turkey, but that weekend, Santa Claus is coming to Panama City Beach. On Nov. 28-29, Beach Home for the Holidays waves goodbye to fall and sets the stage for the most magical month of the year. Starting at 3 p.m. each day, Aaron Bessant Park serves as the site of carol-themed concerts, s’mores, an appearance by Santa and activities for children. Each evening culminates in a fireworks display.
ABOVE: Live Oak Christmas on the Square PHOTO COURTESTY OF CHRISTY TUCKEY/SVEC
RIGHT: Carrabelle Country Market
PHOTO COURTESTY OF CROOKED RIVER LIGHTHOUSE
Crooked River Lighthouse
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID STAHLER
Healthy fall focus
Fall has been a whirlwind of local activities focused on life and health.
To usher in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Well Women welcomed more than 220 people to its inaugural awareness event at Live Oak’s Heritage Park & Gardens on Sept. 29, raising money to provide mammograms and cancer care.
On Sept. 27, The Arc of North Florida held its 27th annual Lawn Mower Race to fund its programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. And on Oct. 4, the First Federal Sportsplex was the site for Pregnancy Care Center’s 5K Walk/Run 4 Life, a fundraiser that event partner First Baptist Church calls a way “to support life and hope.”
Operation Round Up® spotlight
Sara Warner, a first grade teacher at Suwannee Pineview Elementary, uses recordable voice buttons to create an interactive activity that is a big hit with her students. Each button makes a letter sound and challenges students to blend the sounds together to decipher a mystery word. The activity fosters excitement about reading and encourages independence and problem-solving.
Sara changes the sound buttons frequently to make new mystery words, and the quest to solve them has become an exciting part of her classroom routine. She has taken it a step further by placing the buttons in the hallway outside her classroom so that anyone can join in the fun.
SVEC loves to see the work teachers like Sara are doing to energize student learning with the help of tools bought with funds provided by our consumermembers through Operation Round Up® .
Blood donations needed
SVEC urges the community to join us in rolling up our sleeves to help save lives as we host a blood drive on Monday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at our main office, 11340 100th St., Live Oak. In an October email sent to SVEC, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers reported dire shortages across the country and said it had less than a one-day supply of blood on the shelves, so please take part if you can.
First grade teacher Sara Warner uses an Operation Round Up® grant for recordable buttons to help her students sound out words.
SVEC lineworkers wear pink hard hats in October to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Lawn Mower Race helps fund programs for The Arc of North Florida.