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Currents Suwannee Valley

LASTING IMPACT Youth Tour is a life-changing opportunity for students

SEPTEMBER 2026

BEACH DREAMS Great spots to camp by the waves AROUND THE COMMUNITY Applications open for 2027 Youth Tour

CEO’S MESSAGE

Investing in the next generation Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative has always known that serving our consumer-members means doing more than keeping the lights on. Providing safe and reliable electricity will always be our first responsibility, but our commitment to this community goes well beyond the power lines. After all, this is our home, too. Our employees live and work here, raise families here and share an interest in seeing our communities prosper. That is why SVEC has long supported local organizations, events and programs that make the Suwannee Valley a better place to call home. Some of our most important investments are those we make in young people. Over the years, SVEC has supported students in a variety of ways, from educational programs and scholarships to opportunities introducing them to the cooperative Executive VP/CEO MICHAEL S. McWATERS business model and the important role civic engagement plays in our communities. One of the best examples is the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Each year, Youth Tour gives local students an opportunity to learn about government, leadership and electric cooperatives while meeting other young people from across Florida and the nation. For those selected to travel to Washington, D.C., the experience also provides a chance to see our nation’s capital, visit historic landmarks and learn firsthand about the institutions and people that shape our country. Those experiences can make an impression that lasts long after students return home. In this issue, our main feature catches up with three former Youth Tour participants to find out where life has taken them and what the experience meant to them. Their stories are a reminder that an opportunity to visit a new place, meet new people or see public service from a different perspective can help a young person discover an interest, build confidence or begin thinking differently about the future. I’m proud that SVEC can play a part in providing those opportunities. I’m also excited to see where the next generation of Youth Tour participants will go. If you know a student who would benefit from the experience, be sure to check this issue for information about applying for the 2027 trip. It could be the beginning of a journey they remember for years to come. Whether we’re supporting students, lending a hand at community events or delivering the electricity our consumer-members depend on every day, the principles that guide us are the same. We exist to serve the people who built and own this system. By investing in our young people today, we are not just supporting individual students. We’re helping to build the future of the communities we all call home. And I can think of few investments more worthwhile than that. ■

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Currents September 2026

WE BELONG TO THOSE WE SERVE Business Office: 800-447-4509 11340 100th St. Live Oak, FL 32060 Lobby Hours: 8 a.m. to 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. Whitton Musgrove was a Youth Tour delegate in 2024, first as a Florida delegate and then representing SVEC in Washington, D.C.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WHITTON MUSGROVE

Suwannee Valley Currents

SVEC NEWS

Area light out?

If you notice a streetlight or area light that isn’t on or is malfunctioning, please let SVEC know. You can report the issue and request a repair through the SmartHub app or by calling our Member Services Department at 800-447-4509. One of our member services representatives will respond by the end of the next business day.

Info updates are essential Just like you rely on SVEC to keep you current with any details affecting your electricity account or our services, we rely on you to keep your contact information — email, phone, mailing address — up to date so we can reach you when needed. A change of address, phone number or even your name can disrupt our ability to inform you of power-related events or updates. Please inform us of any contactrelated changes, either via SmartHub or by calling our member service representatives at 800-447-4509, option 3.

FALL

for our ultrafast internet! /rapidfiberinternet @rapidfiberinternet @rapidfiberinternet

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SEPTEMBER 2026 | 3

Lasting impact Youth Tour alumnae reflect on life-changing opportunity A trip to Washington, D.C., for typical students is a chance to experience places they’ve only seen on TV. For three Suwannee High School graduates, their participation in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Youth Tour was an opportunity to see beyond home, discover new possibilities and build confidence. Their experiences span three different decades, but Renee Clark-McDonald, Crystal Udell and Whitton Musgrove share similar sentiments about the trip. Each remembers being amazed by a world larger than the one they knew, and they all came home with a heightened awareness of life’s possibilities. They credit Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative with opening a door that otherwise might have stayed closed. LEFT: Crystal Udell collected mementos during her Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C. BELOW: Udell traveled to Washington, D.C., in 2006 as a Youth Tour delegate from Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative.

Locally, the annual Youth Tour begins with a two-day trip to Tallahassee, sponsored by SVEC. Selected high school juniors get an inside look at the cooperative’s business model and Florida government. From that group, two are selected to represent SVEC during an all-expenses-paid trip to the NRECA tour in Washington, D.C., alongside other students from cooperatives across the country.

Opening new horizons

Clark-McDonald was an 11th grader growing up in a tobacco-farming family in Live Oak when she took the trip in 1998. “I didn’t know there was more out there,” she says. “That trip was beyond anything our family could have provided.” In Washington, she visited monuments and memorials and met members of Congress. One especially personal moment came at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where she found the name of an aunt’s brother who died in Vietnam and created a stone rubbing of his name with pencil and paper. “It made me realize that there are other places and other things to do outside of Live Oak,” she says. Clark-McDonald earned a degree in human resources from Saint Leo University. Her career moved from HR into leadership. She is now chief operating officer of Cerio Corp., a power equipment supplier. Looking back on her Youth Tour experience, the most lasting part was not a particular landmark. “I think it was the pride of knowing somebody believed in me,” she says. “The members of Suwannee Valley Electric Co-op believed in me enough to send me there.”

A full-circle connection

Udell’s trip was in 2006. Growing up in McAlpin, she rarely traveled outside the region and had never flown. In Washington, she traded state pins and interacted with students from across the country, returning

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ABOVE: Renee ClarkMcDonald participated in Youth Tour in 1998. LEFT: Clark-McDonald, center, is chief operating officer at Cerio Corp., a power equipment supplier. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RENEE CLARK-MCDONALD

ABOVE: Whitton Musgrove, right, represented SVEC as a 2024 Youth Tour delegate in Washington, D.C., along with Alyssa Jones. LEFT: Musgrove spoke on an NRECA Youth Tour panel during the June 2025 event in Washington, D.C. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SVEC

home feeling more aware and more knowledgeable. “It was a privilege,” Udell says. “It was an honor to go and be chosen to go.” Udell initially planned to become a lawyer, but an economics and accounting class at North Florida College sparked an interest in finance. She later earned a master’s degree in accounting and built a career in banking before returning to Live Oak. That return eventually brought her to SVEC, where she has worked for nearly six years as a plant staff accountant. The organization that had broadened her horizons as a teenager became her workplace. Now Udell encourages the next generation of students to take advantage of the same opportunity.

Finding her direction

For Musgrove, the most recent Youth Tour participant, the experience was part of a whirlwind junior year. In 2024, she took part in the Florida Youth Tour and was

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chosen to represent SVEC in the nation’s capital. She was dual-enrolled, a student-athlete and preparing for college applications. She had also served as a Florida Senate page and interned for Rep. Kat Cammack. Those experiences ignited a passion for government and politics. Musgrove is completing her bachelor’s degree in political science at Florida State University, with plans to pursue a master’s degree and eventually attend law school. The Youth Tour was not her first visit to Washington, but it made her see it differently. “Being in the United States Capitol is definitely something people probably don’t appreciate as much as it should be appreciated,” Musgrove says. “The whole trip was insane.” This summer, Musgrove returned to Washington as an intern and spoke on the NRECA Youth Tour panel. She says the support she received from SVEC and others has given her a network of people who continue to encourage her. “The Youth Tour brought me to this moment,” she says. “It definitely was full circle.”

Paying it forward

For SVEC, the enduring value of the annual Youth Tour is focused on giving students a chance to see themselves somewhere they may never have imagined. High school juniors who would like to apply for the upcoming Youth Tour are encouraged to visit svec-coop.com/youth-tour. ■

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RECIPE and SAFETY

Cheesy Eggplant Rolls With Tomato Relish INGREDIENTS

2 medium Florida eggplants, unpeeled or peeled Olive oil Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped fine, plus more for garnish 8 ounces ricotta cheese 2 ounces grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped fine, divided

1 lemon 2 large Florida tomatoes, diced 1 pint of baby yellow tomatoes, halved

DIRECTIONS

Slice eggplants lengthwise, no thicker than ½ inch. Brush lightly or drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and a light sprinkling of some fresh chopped herbs. Bake eggplants on cookie sheets in a 400 F oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until almost tender and slightly brown on top. Let cool to room temperature. In a bowl, combine the cheeses, half of the chopped garlic and about half of the remaining fresh herbs. Squeeze in the juice of a fresh lemon and mix until combined.

Taste the cheese mixture and adjust with salt and pepper. To make the relish, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, the rest of the fresh herbs, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the remaining chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper. To assemble the rolls, place about 1 ounce of filling on the end of each slice of baked eggplant and gently roll lengthwise, taking care not to force out any of the cheese mixture. To serve, place 2 to 4 eggplant rolls on each plate and top with some tomato relish. Garnish each dish with fresh basil, extra Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. ■

Safety first 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. While rainfall is slightly down from the yearly average as fall approaches, our area still faces the potential for heavy downpours. On rainy days and after storms, be sure to:

• Check for exposed wiring outside.

• Ensure outlets have waterproof covers.

• Look for water pooling near electrical components.

• Never ignore flickering lights,

• Don’t overload circuits, which

increases the risk of breaker trips, electrical fires and appliance damage.

• Contact SVEC if you have

questions about surge protection options for your home. ■

buzzing sounds from outlets or electric panels, burning smells and tripped breakers. To learn more about building safe electric habits, click the Outages & Safety tab on svec-coop.com, and follow us on social media.

/sveccoop

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Suwannee Valley Currents

St. George Island’s beach stretches 9 miles. PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT FLORIDA/CALIOPE FILMS

Follow your dream, camp on the beach BY LAUREN TJADEN, VISIT FLORIDA Have you ever lain on your beach blanket as the sun was setting and dreamed about spending the night there, lulled to sleep by the music of the waves? You can make your dream a reality. However, camping right out on the beach near the waves is not usually permitted for safety reasons and to protect wildlife like sea turtles and nesting birds. Most beach campsites are in the slightly sheltered area behind the sand dunes. Some beach campgrounds cater more to RVers than to tent campers, but state park campgrounds generally make room for both. Many even accommodate pets, and most

offer sites that are Americans with Disabilities Act accessible. As summer winds down and the kids are getting back into school mode, enjoy a weekend drive along coastal Highway 98 and check out the camping options of one of the quietest and least developed areas in the state. Offshore from Apalachicola, you’ll find St. George Island State Park. If 9 miles of white-sand beaches sound tempting to you, consider reserving one of its 60 campsites. Nestled between the bay and the Gulf, under a canopy of pines about half a mile from the beach, the campsites offer electricity, water and a central dump station. The park also has primitive camping and a group camp area. The no-facilities primitive camp is accessible by canoe, kayak or a 2 ½-mile trail. The group camp, designed for organized groups, offers a restroom and cold showers. With a special permit and additional fee, anglers can access East Pass. St. Andrews State Park is at the east end of Panama City Beach. At any of its 176 campsites, you can get away from it all without being too far away. St. Andrews State Park has 176 campsites, coastal pines and a sugar-white beach. PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT FLORIDA

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Visitors to Grayton Beach show off their sand dollar treasure. PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT FLORIDA/RUSSELL MICK

Located roughly halfway between Panama City Beach and Destin is Grayton Beach State Park, a quiet respite with an award-winning beach. Its campground scores high marks for privacy between campsites, some of which even overlook a lake. Cabins are also available. The Miramar/Destin site Camping on the Gulf offers RV sites, from open beachfront spots to tree-shaded, grassy sites, all within walking distance of the Gulf’s emerald waters. A bit farther west, the Destin West RV Resort, directly on the bay and across the street from the Gulf, is convenient to restaurants, entertainment and more. On Santa Rosa Sound, halfway between Pensacola and Destin, Emerald Beach RV Park is one of the closest RV parks to the Gulf.  SEPTEMBER 2026 | 7

SVEC IN THE COMMUNITY

Celebrating new school year The 12th Annual Back-to-School Bash & Health Fair in honor of deacon Bryce Johnson kicked off July 24 with a worship service at African Missionary Baptist Church. The celebration then moved to Douglas M. Udell Funeral Home, where students were treated to free school supplies, food, fun, giveaways, health resources and college readiness information. SVEC donated pencil bags filled with pencils, pens, erasers, glue sticks, highlighters and dry-erase markers for the event, a special way to help students and their

families prepare for the new school year and start it off strong. Another fun event for students was the Chick-fil-A Back to School Bash held Aug. 4 in Live Oak to celebrate the start of a new school year. SVEC joined other service providers, including the Live Oak Police Department, in presenting the Touch-A-Truck event, giving attendees the chance to check out trucks and emergency vehicles used to protect and support the

community. Another hands-on event was Chalk-The-Walk, where kids could show off their sidewalk-chalk creativity. Topping off the event was the chance to enter the Back-to-School Giveaway.

SVEC donated pencil bags filled with school supplies for the 12th Annual Back-to-School Bash & Health Fair in honor of deacon Bryce Johnson.

SVEC joined other service providers for the Chick-fil-A Back to School Bash, which included a Touch-A-Truck event.

Apply for 2027 Youth Tour High school juniors, it’s almost time to apply to represent SVEC at the Florida Youth Tour with a trip to Tallahassee and the co-op’s campus in Live Oak. While in Tallahassee, students explore Florida’s legislative process, participate in mock bill debates and visit the Florida Supreme Court, Capitol and the offices of state legislators. Two students on the February tour will also be selected to represent SVEC in Washington, D.C., as part of the weeklong Electric Cooperative Youth Tour, hosted June 2027 by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Applications must be submitted to SVEC by Friday, Nov. 20.

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