Currents-August 2022

AUGUST 2022

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS

INSIDE: YOUTH TOUR Local student visits capital cities

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER SVEC gives safety demonstrations in the community

CEO’S MESSAGE

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS August 2022

Michael S. McWaters Executive V.P./CEO

Suwannee Valley Currents is a monthly newsletter published by Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, © 2022. It is distributed without charge to all consumermembers of the cooperative.

Giving something extra

As a long-time member of cooperatives, I’ve always appreciated the feeling of getting a little something extra. That’s because being part of a cooperative gets us more than just reliable and affordable electric service.

While providing that service is always our first priority at SVEC, we take great pride in furnishing other benefits as well.

We are members of this community, and we continually look for ways to demonstrate good citizenship. This is where we live, work and where some of us raise our families. I like to think that dedication to making this a better place to live for everyone shows in both the service we provide and the work we do for the community.

Being a member of a co-op also comes with responsibilities that not every utility customer has. We are stakeholders in the cooperative, not just customers, and as such we have a say in how it runs through participation in co-op elections and representation from our district trustees. That influence is one of the many factors that sets the cooperative model apart from other businesses. It also means it is important for each of us to have an understanding of our cooperative and the outside forces that affect it.

How do we give that information to our consumer-members? You’re holding one example in your hands. Each month we share the latest news about important goings-on that impact our system, as well as the work we’re doing in the

2 | August 2022

community. And we hold the annual meeting to keep everyone engaged and up to date.

We work hard to educate our youth, not just on the importance of electrical safety and responsible energy habits, but also on the cooperative model and what sets it apart. There is probably no better tool at our disposal for that than the Youth Tour.

Each year we sponsor a group of students to visit the state capital.

While there, they learn about how the legislative process works and also about the important role cooperatives play throughout Florida. Some of those students are even selected to visit Washington, D.C., to do the same on the national level. It’s a great opportunity for local students to broaden their horizons and even clarify what they may want to do with their lives.

You can learn more about the Washington Youth Tour in this newsletter. This year’s tour was especially impactful as it was the first time the event has been held in-person since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We couldn’t be more excited that these bright young people once again had the opportunity to see the nation’s capital in person, as well as meet their peers from across the country. It’s just one more way we’re giving back to the community we love and working to build an even better cooperative in the years to come. 

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 @SVEC_COOP_FL Instagram.com/sveccoop SVEC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

On the cover: Youth Tour students take in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Suwannee Valley Currents

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE SVEC’s office will be closed on Monday, Sept. 5, in observance of Labor Day. Our 24-hour outage reporting system is always available. The drive-thru kiosk and night depository will also be available for any members needing to make a payment. Standby crews will be ready to restore power, if needed.

We wish all of our members a safe and happy Labor Day!

Help keep our employees safe Please secure your dogs

From time to time, SVEC employees must enter a member’s property to complete a job. These visits may become hazardous when dog owners allow their pets to roam freely.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 4.5 million Americans are bitten by a dog each year. One in five dog bites result in injuries that require medical attention. Although children are the most common victims, many utility employees are injured by dogs each year. Also, our employees work with electricity and heavy equipment, which can be unsafe for curious pets.

Here are some tips to help provide a safe environment for both your pets and SVEC employees: • Restrain or keep your dog inside during scheduled visits by SVEC employees.

• Post a Beware of Dog sign on your fence or house to avoid any surprises.

• Be sure all your dog’s vaccinations and inoculations for rabies and parasites are up to date.

• Collar your dog, so you have the means to quickly restrain the animal in an emergency.

SVEC appreciates your attention and cooperation in this matter so we may all work as safely and efficiently as possible.

Suwannee Valley Currents

August 2022 | 3

2022

Youth Tour

Local student learns about government and cooperatives

Being involved in his community is in Morgan Griffin’s blood. Both of his grandfathers held local office, and Griffin says they both have a big influence on his life.

As a result, being a part of the 2022 Youth Tour and seeing how local, state and federal government works was a significant opportunity for the Jasper resident.

“I’ve always been in tune with politics,” Griffin says.

For more than 40 years, SVEC has chosen area high school students to participate in the Youth Tour. Eligible students must be in the 11th grade, have a minimum weighted grade-point average of 3.0 and submit a 250-500 word essay.

Seven students were selected to tour the state capital of Tallahassee in February. They also observed a mock trial at the state Supreme Court and debated and voted on a mock House bill.

After the Tallahassee tour, the cooperative selected Griffin, a junior at Hamilton County High School, to represent SVEC at the National Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. During this fully paid tour of the nation’s capital, the students saw the historic sights of Washington, D.C., and had the opportunity to meet with legislators who represent Florida.

Morgan Griffin stands in front of a quote by President Roosevelt at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial.

4 | August 2022

Participants are encouraged to mingle, and one way of doing that is by swapping pins from their respective states.

“Trading pins with the others was a lot of fun,” Griffin says.

“We had a competition for who could get the coolest pins.

One guy from Arizona made his own pins and was giving them out. Everyone was after them because they were the most rare.”

Griffin says it’s hard for him to choose a favorite highlight of the trip, but he really enjoyed visiting Arlington National Cemetery and watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “It was just amazing. The whole sense of patriotism was very strong there,” he says.

The group also toured Mount Vernon and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Griffin says he was moved to tears by the survivors’ stories.

“Seeing all of that was hard, but it taught me a lot,” he says. “We learned about the struggles Jewish people and other minorities went through. I think it’s important. I was shaken up, it’s hard not to walk through that and not be shaken.”

Griffin thanks SVEC for the experience.

“Coming from a small town, we don’t get many opportunities like this, and I’ve been very fortunate to share this experience with my peers,” he says. 

Students from Florida electric cooperatives sit for a photo in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Suwannee Valley Currents

FULL CIRCLE Alisia Hounshell, director of communications and Statewide Services at Florida Electric Cooperatives Association, is also the statewide Youth Tour director. She organizes the Tallahassee Youth Tour and coordinates Florida cooperatives’ participation in the Washington, D.C., tour.

This was the first in-person youth tour since 2019, due to COVID-19 restrictions and shelter-at-home precautions. Hounshell worked at Talquin Electric Cooperative in Quincy, Florida before the pandemic and this was her first year to plan the statewide event. While the last two years’ tours had virtual components, she says it’s just not the same as being there in person.

“I love seeing students who are shy open up,” she says. “Some have never been on a plane or even left their hometown before.”

Some students even choose their college major because of something they learn on the trip. “It’s amazing to see what kind of impact the tour can have,” Hounshell says.

“Over time, memories of some of the sites and monuments we see may fade, but seeing the long-term connections the kids make with each other is very special,” she says.

SVEC Accounting Coordinator Crystal Udell saw things come full circle about two years ago.

While cleaning out a closet she found a scrapbook she’d kept her senior year of high school.

Inside the book were all the pins she collected from kids from other states when she represented SVEC on the 2006 Youth Tour.

“It was about a week before I started my job at SVEC and I saw those state pins,” she says.

“It’s amazing how different times in your life can come together.”

Udell says any student who is thinking about applying for the Youth Tour should just do it.

“This is an experience that may come along once in a lifetime and it will not only give you the opportunity to meet others from all around the country, but also expand your knowledge of American history.” 

Morgan Griffin meets with U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn on the Capitol steps in Washington, D.C.

Youth Tour students participate in an interactive exercise at George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTED BY CHRISTY TUCKEY

Suwannee Valley Currents

August 2022 | 5

Traditional Hummus Ingredients 3 1/2 3/4 1/4

cups dry garbanzo beans, soaked overnight cup olive oil cup tahini paste, or more, to taste cup fresh lemon juice, or more, to taste Salt, to taste 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions Rinse the beans and place in a pot. Fill with enough water to cover by at least 1 inch. Allow to sit overnight.

Drain beans. Then add water to cover by at least an inch.

Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer over medium heat until the beans are very soft, 1 to 2 hours.

Drain the beans, reserving some of the water to use later.

Transfer the beans to a blender and blend until smooth, adding 1/2 cup of olive oil gradually. Add some of the reserved water if needed to help it blend. Add the tahini and blend in along with the lemon juice. Add salt. Taste and correct seasonings, adding more tahini, lemon and salt, as needed.

Spread the hummus into a flat serving dish and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with pita bread, pita chips, carrots, celery, cucumbers or a combination of any or all of them.

bright ideas When you save energy, you save money. Check back here each month for new ways to make your home or business more energy efficient.

6 | August 2022

If your home is feeling uncomfortably warm — and your utility bill is unexpectedly high — during these sweltering summer months, consider checking your air filter. Because the air conditioning system is running more frequently in longer cycles this time of year, more particles and dust are being sucked into the filter that could be clogging the airflow.

A dirty air filter can cause issues other than just a higher utility bill.

A dirty filter can also affect the air quality inside the home, possibly making the air stagnant and

unhealthy. Professionals recommend changing the air filter every three months, but during the summertime, it’s best to keep an eye on yours and change as needed.  For more energy-saving tips, the latest cooperative news and more, follow SVEC at: facebook.com/sveccoop @SVEC_COOP_FL @sveccoop

Suwannee Valley Currents

©GSDesign, soupstock/Adobe Stock

Take a

Day Trip!

Five great natural escapes near Ocala

By VisitFlorida.com

There’s not a shortage of places to explore near Ocala.

Multiday hikes on the Florida National Scenic Trail, fantastic off-road biking and scenic paddle trips are all close by. Ocala is horse country, so it’s a given there are terrific equestrian trails and camping here, too. Here, we offer a look at five great places that will keep you busy, no matter what outdoor activity you’re after:

HALPATA TASTANAKI PRESERVE — This is a place you might not be familiar with, but you should be. Located east of Ocala, this is a great place for birding, hiking, biking and horseback riding. It’s also a historically significant property. It’s named after a Seminole leader, also known as Chief Alligator, who took part in the largest battle in the Second Seminole Indian War in 1836. Access the preserve on State Road 200, or at the Pruitt Trailhead on County Road 484 in Dunnellon.

Suwannee Valley Currents

JUNIPER SPRINGS RECREATION AREA — Never

been to Juniper Springs? While it’s most popular during the summer months when folks are looking to beat the summer heat, it’s a great place to visit all year long. Set up camp and spend time hiking the Florida National Scenic Trail or paddling scenic Juniper Run, which is one of the best kayak trips in the state. Keep your eyes peeled for the endangered Florida scrub-jay, too.

SILVER RIVER STATE PARK — Another great do-it-all

location, Silver River State Park offers excellent full-facility camping, equestrian trails, group camping facilities, hiking — you name it. If you haven’t paddled the Silver River, make sure to add it to your list. It’s simply awesome.

CROSS FLORIDA GREENWAY-SANTOS TRAILHEAD — Most famous for some of Florida’s best mountain biking, Santos is also a major trailhead for hikers and horseback riders. Stay a few days in the campground and hike, bike or ride horses to your heart’s content.

OCKLAWAHA PRAIRIE RESTORATION AREA

— Bring your binoculars and scopes to Ocklawaha Prairie.

The wildlife viewing is great here. An observation tower is less than a mile from the parking area, and it offers a good vantage point for birders. Several trails are available for hiking, biking or horseback riding trips up to 10 miles — perfect for a day trip. 

August 2022 | 7

Blood drive

The LifeSouth bloodmobile visits SVEC about every three months.

Since March 2004, 751 units of blood have been donated.

The next blood drive will be Sept. 7 at SVEC. Please consider taking the time to donate, because you could help save up to three local lives! 

Keep up to date on power restoration After major storms like hurricanes, you can turn to these sources for the latest information on the progress of restoration efforts.

svec-coop.com/ storm-updates @SVEC_COOP_FL

Facebook.com/sveccoop WQHL 98.1 FM, Live Oak WJHC 107.5 FM, Jasper

(Tune in from 8 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 6 p.m.)

Safety First SVEC’s “Safety Guy,” Craig Ragan, visited Suwannee Riverside Elementary during its summer camp to talk about electrical safety. Since June, he has spoken to over 100 students and other community members about what to do, and what not to do, to stay safe around electricity. His demonstrations are interesting, interactive and, most of all, fun! 

Anyone interested in having Craig visit a group can email communications@svec-coop.com.

8 | August 2022

Suwannee Valley Currents