Currents-August 2021

AUGUST 2021

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS

INSIDE: STOCKED UP How the warehouse staff keeps SVEC running ISLAND GETAWAY Get off the mainland and explore Amelia Island AROUND THE COMMUNITY Join us at Wings Over Suwannee, Operation Round Up awards $250,000

CEO’S MESSAGE

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS August 2021

Michael S. McWaters Executive V.P./CEO

Suwannee Valley Currents is a monthly newsletter published by Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, © 2021. It is distributed without charge to all consumermembers of the cooperative.

It’s the little things It’s funny how the little things can add up. Let the dishes sit after a couple of meals and before you know it, the sink is a mess. Make a few extra purchases without thinking and all of a sudden, your budget is in bad shape.

At Suwannee Valley Electric, it is part of our responsibility to our consumermembers not to lose track of the little things. As a cooperative, fiscal responsibility isn’t just something we talk about — it’s one of the core principles that guides everything we do. We can never lose sight of the fact that every repair, upgrade and investment we make in the system draws on the funds of the people we serve.

That’s why we take great pains to ensure we use every penny of our consumer-members’ money wisely. That goes for major improvements to our system all the way down to the nuts and bolts that hold it together.

No one plays a more important role in keeping track of every piece of equipment that passes through our cooperative than the warehouse staff. You may not see them out in front of your house or making repairs on the side of the road, but they keep just about every part of this cooperative ticking by making sure everyone is well supplied.

That could mean making sure our line crews have the bucket trucks and power poles they need to do their job, or paper and hand sanitizer are well stocked in the office. Whatever our cooperative needs to operate, big or small, the warehouse crew keeps track of it all. It’s a crucial part of our work that helps us stay on top of expenses and keep rates affordable. You can learn more about everything the warehouse staff is responsible for and how they keep the co-op running in this month’s newsletter.

When done right, small things can also add up in a good way. That has certainly been the case for our Operation Round Up® program, which has already done so much good for students in our community. By simply rounding their electric bills up to the nearest dollar and donating that spare change, our consumer-members have funded $250,000 in grants that support education in our community.

It’s a milestone that I’m excited we were able to reach in less than three years and one you can read more about in this newsletter. I hope all of you are just as proud of what we have accomplished as those of us here at SVEC are. It’s just another reminder of the difference we can make when we don’t overlook the little things. 

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: The warehouse staff keeps SVEC stocked with everything from transformers to printer paper. See story, Page 4.

2 | August 2021

Suwannee Valley Currents

Managing your accounts is easy with service descriptions If you have more than one SVEC account, it can be difficult to remember the right account number to report an outage or check on your service. Setting a unique service description for each account makes paying your bill or tracking usage history much easier.

Simply assign each account an easy-to-remember description like “Home,” “Barn” or “Irrigation.” The description you choose will show up on the top left of your bill and can also be seen in the SmartHub mobile app.

CHECK OUT E-NEWS

Did you know you can catch up on all the latest stories and news from SVEC online? Enjoy this month’s featured articles, CEO message, community news, travel recommendations and tasty recipes from the convenience of your computer or smartphone.

You can even pull up the e-news version of past issues from this year or explore our archive of digital newsletters going back to 2018. Get the latest cooperative news at your fingertips by visiting svec-coop.com/ enews.

To change a bill description on your account, visit svec-coop.com/servicedescriptions and fill out the online form. You can also call a member service representative at 800-447-4509 or email the changes you would like to make to memberservicerep@svec-coop.com.

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

SVEC’s office will be closed on Monday, Sept. 6, in observance of Labor Day. Our 24-hour outage reporting system is always available. Our drive-thru kiosk and night depository will also be available for any members needing to make a payment. We will have standby crews available to restore power if needed.

Suwannee Valley Currents

August 2021 | 3

Warehouseman Chris Driver helps keep track of every piece of inventory that passes through the warehouse.

POWERING STATION SVEC warehouse supplies crews and members with materials for success

4 | August 2021

At Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, the nuts and bolts in the warehouse add up.

Managing more than $1 million in inventory, purchasing agent and warehouse coordinator Paul Schneider is shopping every day. He and warehouseman Chris Driver are responsible for supplying the line crews with the materials they need to build and maintain the electric system.

While the warehouse is sometimes overlooked, the cooperative couldn’t run smoothly without it. Everything from paper towels to computers, bucket trucks, transformers and more pass through the warehouse before being used to serve more than 27,000 SVEC consumers.

“We get a list of jobs each afternoon,” Schneider says.

“Then we’ll have the crews ready to go out in the field the next day. We help keep the power and lights on for members. It’s very gratifying.”

COUNTING SUPPLIES

If you ever want to catch Schneider when he’s under pressure, stop by the cooperative during the annual warehouse inventory audit.

“My two stressful times are hurricanes and the inventory audit,” he says. “We try to keep up with everything that’s ordered and counted. Everything that comes in and goes out, it’s all tracked. Plus, to add to the stress, the audit happens in October, right during storm season.”

After the October audit, around the first of the following year, Schneider puts out a request to different vendors for Suwannee Valley Currents

a year’s worth of materials. Whichever vendor provides the winning bid is required to help keep the SVEC warehouse stocked and to have additional supplies immediately on hand in its warehouse when SVEC calls for more.

“We want to get members the best possible price and keep rates down,” Schneider says.

PROVIDING SUPPLIES DURING STORMS

Much of the SVEC staff is on high alert during storms, sometimes even staying overnight at the cooperative. The warehouse is no exception. It plays a vital role in getting members up and running again.

“Storms make for a lot of late nights and early mornings,” says Driver, a 14-year SVEC employee. “I recall noticing the pedometer on my phone counted 16,000 steps one day during a hurricane, just around the warehouse and yard. It’s a busy time.”

“During a storm, other utilities are scrambling for the same materials,” Schneider says. “At times, we have to strip equipment off a broken pole and use it again because replacements are so sparse. We’re always thankful for the help of our fellow co-ops. Before they come, they’ll often ask if we have enough poles. But, if you don’t have enough equipment to put on top of a pole, the pole by itself will not get the lights back on. We always try to have enough material in the warehouse for three days of restoration, but storms can be tough.”

KEEPING SUPPLIES ON HAND

Ask Schneider about working to keep materials in stock during the ongoing coronavirus situation, and he offers a solemn one-word answer: “difficult.”

“Before COVID-19, delivery time for a three-phase transformer was four to eight weeks,” he says. “Now, the wait is anywhere from 22 to 28 weeks or longer. And because there’s so many transformer variations, you can’t constantly have one in stock. It might not be what’s needed.”

Combine the difficulties of COVID-19 with rising costs and it becomes even more important to reuse all the materials crew members can. “It’s always appreciated if we can take materials and put it back out in the field,” Driver says.

“It saves money for the cooperative and our members.”

The warehouse is also impacted by ongoing construction projects in the SVEC service area.

“We’ve seen an increase in land sales for new businesses and homes,” Driver says. “It’s great to have new people coming into the area, but it’s a challenge because we can’t predict what the future holds for new construction.”

GATHERING SPOT

Early in the morning, as linemen report to work, and in the afternoon when they return, the warehouse is buzzing.

“We enjoy the camaraderie with the crews every morning and every afternoon,” Schneider says. “It’s fun to get out and joke around. We have a good time.”

Suwannee Valley Currents

Warehouse coordinator Paul Schneider keeps supplies on hand for the next major storm.

During the October audit, staff account for every item the cooperative has purchased over the last year.

Schneider and Driver work to keep the cost of every piece of equipment affordable for members.

Don’t be surprised if there’s some playful ribbing and hearty laughs. “I enjoy my co-workers,” Driver says. “You can’t be a knot on a log back here. We like to cut up a lot.

There’s a lot of joking, kidding, teasing. We make it fun.”

While everyone has plenty of fun, there’s also plenty of serious work.

“Almost everything flows through the warehouse to support members,” Driver says. “We make sure our hard work helps everything else run smoothly here and for our members.”  August 2021 | 5

social media

SPOTLIGHT Follow SVEC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest on outages, cooperative programs, community events and more. Here are a few highlights from the last month.

White chocolate and caramel

Bread pudding 5 1 7 3 1 1 1 4 2 2 2

dinner rolls eggs teaspoons vanilla can evaporated milk teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon cinnamon cups whole milk cups sugar cups white chocolate chips cups caramel chips

WHITE CHOCOLATE SAUCE: 1 cup powdered sugar 1 can evaporated milk 2 cups white chocolate chips Heat oven to 425 F. Grease the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Cut rolls into small pieces and place them into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, blend eggs, vanilla, evaporated milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, whole milk and sugar. Pour the mixture over the bread pieces and fold to saturate the bread. Pour into a greased pan and top with white chocolate and caramel chips. Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Top with sauce.

Serve warm.

White chocolate sauce: Mix powdered sugar, evaporated milk and white chocolate chips and bring to low boil.

Pour over bread pudding. 

Do you have a great recipe? facebook.com/sveccoop instagram.com/sveccoop twitter.com/SVEC_COOP 6 | August 2021

Email a copy of a recipe you’d like to share to communications@svec-coop.com.

Suwannee Valley Currents

GET AWAY TO

Amelia Island

By Kara Franker

From beautiful beaches to historic brick streets, there is a wealth of things to see and do on Amelia Island, just a couple hours’ drive from Live Oak.

On a recent trip to the Northeast Florida island, I spent some time exploring the sites and natural beauty. Here are my recommendations on ways to make the most of your visit to the island.

Atlantic Ocean and search for seashell treasures like scallops, moon snail or whelk. You might even stumble upon a tooth belonging to a great white, hammerhead or bull shark.

EXPLORE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN FERNANDINA BEACH

DINE AT SALT AT THE RITZ-CARLTON

Learn about the island’s past 4,000 years while walking along the brick streets of historic Fernandina Beach. Many of the buildings here are on the National Register of Historic Places, and several historic homes are now cozy bed-andbreakfasts. Hop on a trolley for a tour, visit the Palace Saloon or make a dinner reservation at Joe’s 2nd Street Bistro.

HUNT FOR SEASHELLS AND SHARK TEETH

With a different ecosystem than most of the Sunshine State, Amelia Island offers a combination of spacious white-sand beaches and natural green marshes. Stroll the sand along the Suwannee Valley Currents

While you’re in town, you absolutely must make a reservation to dine at Salt. Not only is it one of the only five-diamond restaurants in Florida, chef de cuisine Richard Laughlin will blow you away with his creative and artful dishes. I recommend booking either the “Dine with the Chef” experience, where you get to nosh on dish after dish at the chef’s table in the kitchen, or try the “Chef’s Adventure Tasting Menu,” showcasing seasonal plates.

marshes and secluded beaches. It’s not uncommon to spot dolphins, sea turtles, manatees and herons along the way. Some cruises offer incredible views of wild horses roaming free on Cumberland Island. The guides with Amelia River Cruises & Charters will enlighten you with local history, as well as info about the ecosystem.

LISTEN TO LIVE MUSIC OR ATTEND A SPECIAL EVENT

The Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance brings together automobile enthusiasts and collectors from all over the world each March. Other events include the Amelia Island Blues Festival in September, Jazz Festival in October, B&B Cookie Tour in November and Holiday Home Tour in December. 

SET OUT ON A SUNSET SAIL

Set sail from Fernandina’s historic waterfront, and cruise along salt August 2021 | 7

Wings Over Suwannee Have a young aviation enthusiast at home? The fifth annual Wings Over Suwannee fly-in, hosted by the Live Oak Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association, is the perfect event for them! Take them to experience airplane, helicopter and Huey rides. There will also be static displays of aircraft, fire engines, cars and motorcycles, making it the perfect photo opportunity.

Last but not least, don’t forget to check out the SVEC booth for some extra fun!

Food, crafts, business vendors and FAASTeam Pilot seminars will also be available. Camping and admission to Suwannee County Airport for the event are free.

WHEN: Sept. 18 WHERE: Suwannee County Airport, 13302 80th Terrace, Live Oak

Manage your account anytime and anywhere with SmartHub SmartHub is the all-in-one tool for managing your SVEC account with ease. You can: Pay your bill and manage autopay.

ROUNDING UP

for good

Most of our consumer-members participate in Operation Round Up®, where SVEC rounds up their bill to the next dollar each month and puts the change toward helping local students. The program has been in place less than three years, but last month we awarded the 500th ORU grant.

We also passed the threshold of $250,000 in grants awarded since the beginning of the program. While each consumer-member only contributes an average of 50 cents a month, you can see how quickly each individual’s small donation adds up to help students in our area get a better education. This is just one of the many ways SVEC loves to give back to the community we serve.

8 | August 2021

View current bills and compare past bills.

Update your contact information.

Manage notifications.

Contact SVEC with issues or for more information.

Get started today at svecsmarthub.com.

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Take the worry out of your electric bill with MyChoice. Sign up today at svecmychoice.com or call our Member Service Department at 800-447-4509.

Suwannee Valley Currents