Currents-February 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS

INSIDE: STUDENT AID How SVEC supports local students DOWN THE RIVER Explore the legendary Suwannee River AROUND THE COMMUNITY Join us at blood drives, golf tournaments and more

CEO’S MESSAGE

Suwannee Valley

CURRENTS February 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.

Giving back to our community As SVEC members, we receive more than quality service. While providing safe, affordable and reliable electricity will always be the first priority, our sense of responsibility to the people we serve goes much further.

At SVEC, we are committed to making our community a better place to live, in part because it is our home, too. That extends not only to the service we provide but also to finding new ways to give back to the community that cre-ated this cooperative.

One of the most important ways we do that is by supporting our local stu-dents. By helping them make the most of their education now, SVEC is invest-ing in future business owners, future community leaders and even future lead-ers of this cooperative.

In just its second full year, Operation Round Up has already become a key part of our support for students. While each individual member’s monthly donation averaged just 50 cents in 2020, we were able to raise more than $100,000 that went toward more than 180 grants for important classroom materials like books, lab equipment and more.

Meanwhile, we have continued to give students unique opportunities to learn about our governing process and the role of cooperatives as part of the Youth Tour, as well as awarding thousands of dollars in scholarships to open new doors for deserving students. You can learn more about these programs and even more ways we support students in this newsletter.

You can also learn about some of the local events — from golf tournaments to lawnmower races — SVEC is sponsoring and participating in during the coming month. I hope each of you will take a look and consider joining us for these fun-filled events. Together, we can support the good work organizations like the Rotary Club of Branford and The Arc of North Florida do for our commu-nity. And if you see us out and about, I hope you’ll take a moment to say hello.

You’ll also find a new section in this month’s newsletter where we will highlight some favorite posts from SVEC’s social media channels. This month fea-tures our traveling Drive Safe trailer, a warning about scams and a blast from the past on Throwback Thursday.

If you want to be the first to get updates on SVEC around the community, or fun photos of past and present employees, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. As always, we are proud to serve you and the amazing students who are part of our Suwannee Valley community. 

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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: Riley Boss of Branford High School and Bryce Puckett of Suwannee High School represented SVEC at the 2017 NRECA Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. See story, Page 4.

Suwannee Valley Currents

SVEC board member Sam Roberson passes away Trustee Sam Roberson passed away on Jan. 26. Sam served as the voice for our District 3 consumer-members for over 10 years. When asked what he enjoyed most about serving on the board, Sam replied that he loved the co-op’s employees. We’ll miss him and the occasional visits he made to our office to say hello.

Make your voice heard in Districts 4, 5 & 6 It’s time for SVEC members living in Districts 4, 5 and 6 to meet and nominate a candidate to serve on the board of trustees. Each nominee will be voted on at the Annual Member Meeting scheduled for April 24.

In addition to a nomination, each district meeting will include an open discussion about other cooperative matters. Please plan to attend if you live in one of these districts:

District 4: 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 4, 2021, at the Day Community Center, located at 4673 N. FL-53, Mayo.

District 5: 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, at the Philadelphia Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, located at 15824 169th Road, Live Oak. District 6: 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, at the Lebanon Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, located at 6124 280th St., Branford.

NEED MONEY FOR COLLEGE?

SVEC CAN HELP!

SVEC is awarding up to 10 scholarships of $1,000 each to deserving high school seniors in our community.

Eligible students must graduate in the spring of 2021 from a public high school, home school, private school or charter school in SVEC’s service territory. They must have a cumulative, unweighted high school GPA of at least 3.5, and they must plan to attend an accredited postsecondary or vocational education institution this fall.

Students must also be a dependent of an SVEC member, but they cannot be a child or grandchild of a current SVEC employee or trustee.

For more details or to apply, visit svec-coop.com/contact/community/scholarships.

Suwannee Valley Currents

February 2021 | 3

Students meet with Congressmen from Florida at the 2018 NRECA Youth Tour.

HIGHER EDUCATION How SVEC supports local students From its inception, Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative has maintained a laser focus on advancing the quality of life in the communities where it operates. And as anyone familiar with the cooperative knows, that commitment extends well beyond day-to-day electric operations.

Each year, SVEC’s efforts include sponsorship of and participation in local events and making financial contributions to a long list of nonprofit organizations that serve the residents of the Suwannee Valley. SVEC employees also proudly demonstrate their care for the welfare of the community by participating in volunteer service projects and by donating money to benefit people in need.

“As a local consumer-owned cooperative, one of our core principles is concern for the community,” SVEC Executive Vice President/CEO Mike McWaters says. “We continually seek to engage in actions that enhance the quality of life in our four counties.”

The development and aspirations of the area’s young people have been a particular point of emphasis in SVEC’s communitywide efforts through Operation Round Up, youth 4 | February 2021

tours of the state and national capitals, its college scholarship program, and sponsorship of numerous youth organizations and activities.

OPERATION ROUND UP®

In its two years, Operation Round Up has proven to be a resounding success. Over $216,000 in grants — 441 in all — were awarded to local teachers in 2019 and 2020 with funds generated by participating SVEC members who agree to round up their monthly electric bill to the next dollar.

In 2020, the average member contribution per month was 50 cents.

Operation Round Up is SVEC’s effort to help meet the significant financial needs of local schools, with all money raised funding grants for equipment and supplies that benefit students in the classroom. Grants are made available to certified pre-K through 12th grade teachers at accredited independent and private schools in SVEC’s service territory, at all public schools in Hamilton, Lafayette and Suwannee counties, and the Five Points and Pinemount elementary schools in Columbia County.

The Operation Round Up board of directors determines grant recipients each year from among teacher applicants, who can apply individually or in groups, with a maximum grant of $500 per teacher per semester.

“I couldn’t be happier about the way the program has gone in its first two years,” says George Scott, president of the nine-member Operation Round Up board. “SVEC members who participate should be proud of their contributions to the quality of education in our schools. Teachers frequently tell us how grateful they are for the tools now available to them through the grants.”

Suwannee Valley Currents

YOUTH TOUR

While Operation Round Up is one of its newest efforts to support local schools, SVEC’s Youth Tour program has sent select area high school juniors to the state capital in Tallahassee each February for more than four decades. The program also includes a tour of SVEC’s energy control center and other co-op facilities, as well as a chance to experience what the world looks like from a raised service bucket.

Tour participants are selected each year from a pool of eligible 11th graders who have a minimum weighted grade-point average of 3.0 and submit a 250- to 500-word essay. While in Tallahassee, tour participants explore the cooperative business model, as well as Florida’s legislative process, and also observe a mock trial at the state Supreme Court and a mock bill on the floor of the House of Representatives or Senate.

Afterward, two students are selected to represent SVEC at the National Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. On the paid trip, they join students from around the country on visits to sites such as the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, Smithsonian Institution and Mount Vernon. They also have the opportunity to meet with lawmakers who represent Florida.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS

In addition to Operation Round Up and the annual Youth Tour, SVEC’s support of area students includes numerous other programs to aid in their development and continued education.

Since 2015, SVEC has awarded $48,500 in college scholarships to graduating high school seniors throughout the area who are dependents of cooperative members. Applicants are recommended for a $1,000 scholarship based on their cumulative, unweighted grade-point average and the quality of their extracurricular, church, community, civic, work and/or volunteer activities. They also must present two letters of recommendation and a 250- to 500-word essay on why they want to continue their education and how the scholarship would help them do so.

In 2020, SVEC also provided an additional $7,850 in sponsorships for schools, school clubs and sports programs, and in January presented a total of $550 in art supplies to the four winners of its fifth grade Christmas card design contest and their respective teachers.

Last fall, SVEC conducted a new shoe drive for school-age children and donated 28 refurbished iPads to schools for use by teachers. Also, each year, SVEC heads into the classrooms throughout its service area to provide electrical safety demonstrations for students and teachers.

“SVEC continues to support the educational system of Suwannee County through countless donations including the Operation Round Up program, supporting teacher grants and donating items requested by the district administration,” says Suwannee County School District Superintendent Ted Roush.

“SVEC’s dedication to furthering educational opportunities for our young people is a testament to their investment in the future of our great county.” 

Suwannee Valley Currents

SVEC has awarded nearly $50,000 in scholarships since 2015.

2018 Tallahassee Youth Tour Students visit the Florida Supreme Court.

Ashley Sullivan, fifth grade teacher at Lafayette Elementary, reads with Emerson Kerry.

Students visit the Florida State Capitol.

February 2021 | 5

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

https://www.facebook. com/sveccoop/ posts/3666429636725835

https://twitter.com/ SVEC_COOP_FL/ status/1347583910323089409

https://www.instagram. com/p/CKPKVbUFkJB/

facebook.com/sveccoop

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@SVEC_COOP_FL

Instagram.com/sveccoop

Black bean enchiladas 2 large portobello mushroom caps, thinly sliced 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons lime juice 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water 3 cups red enchilada sauce, store- bought or homemade 1 1/2 cups guacamole, store-bought or homemade 12 (8-inch) corn tortillas

For the garnish:

1 cup thinly sliced romaine lettuce 1 to 2 radishes, julienned

2 tablespoons minced red onion torn cilantro or parsley sour cream or Greek yogurt, optional Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Saute the sliced veggies for 6 to 7 minutes until tender. Add the drained and rinsed black beans, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, paprika, kosher salt, lime juice, and vegetable broth or water. Cook for 2 minutes until the liquid is thickened into a sauce.

Spread 1 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish.

Brush both sides of each tortilla lightly with olive oil.

Heat a large griddle to medium-high heat. Cook the tortillas in batches for 15 seconds per side until lightly browned.

Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup of the vegetable filling and about 2 tablespoons guacamole, running in a line down the center. Roll it up and place it in the baking dish, seam side down. Once all of the tortillas are in the dish, pour the remaining 2 cups of enchilada sauce over the top.

Bake for 5 minutes until warmed through. Top with garnishes and serve.  Suwannee Valley Currents

An epic paddle: Florida’s Suwannee River Take a trip along this legendary waterway and into the past

By James Davis, Visit Florida

People have been attracted to the dark waters of Florida’s Suwannee River for centuries. Spanish explorers encountered Timucua Indians in the 1530s who considered the waters a sacred place. The mineral-rich White Sulphur Springs in one of the river’s bends served as neutral, sacred ground for Native American tribes otherwise often at war.

The now-dry spring was said to possess healing powers, and the legend of its curative properties brought travelers to the area, especially when steamboats began traveling down the Suwannee River, essentially creating Florida’s first tourist destination.

These days, visitors can experience the history and natural beauty of the Suwannee River in Florida by plying the waters on any number of scenic paddling daytrips or extended journeys of up to 170 miles along the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. The river boasts a multitude of deep, crystal-clear springs that churn out millions of gallons of water daily — perfect for spontaneous side adventures on your paddling trip. The waters and surrounding lands provide habitat for a tremendous amount of diverse plant and animal life, making the Suwannee a nature lover’s dream.

aren’t comfortable in turbulent, fast-moving current. Bring along your camera, sunscreen, a snack and some water.

And prepare to get away from it all.

EXTENDED TRIPS ON THE SUWANNEE RIVER WILDERNESS TRAIL Be warned. Daytrips on the Suwannee can leave you wanting more time to experience and explore the river. If that’s the case, then set out for the adventure of a lifetime along the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, which provides paddlers an extensive network of hubs and river camps along its 170-mile route. Hubs are towns and parks along the route that can be used for resupply or other services needed while on your trip. In between these hubs are river camps complete with raised, screened-in shelters, bathrooms and showers. Primitive camping spots are also available at these locations.

Before setting out on day or multiday paddling trips, be sure to inform others with a travel plan. The Suwannee River Wilderness Trail has a form to place on the dashboard of your vehicle before setting out on your trip. 

DAYTRIPS ON THE SUWANNEE

Got a few hours to spare? Get a taste of this majestic waterway on a day paddling trip. White Springs is home to American Canoe Adventures, where you can create a custom trip and catch a shuttle to and from your route. You can also purchase your own watercraft, which might be a good idea, as paddling on the Suwannee River can be habit forming. Make sure to check out Florida’s only Class-III whitewater — during periods of high water — at Big Shoals State Park, but be prepared to portage this area if you Suwannee Valley Currents

Photo By Kevin Mims February 2021 | 7

Start your engines!

SVEC is hosting a pit stop at the 22nd Annual Arc North Florida Lawn Mower Race, where racers must see how fast they can thread nuts onto a bolt while wearing thick, rubber, lineman gloves.

Proceeds go to fund Arc’s support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

• John’s Lawn Equipment, Live Oak • Saturday, March 13 • Entry fee is $125 for individual racers, $250 for a team of four.

• Register today to join in the fun. Call 386-688-0385.

• Day-of-event registration starts at 9:30 a.m., and the race begins at 10 a.m.

Giving blood saves lives The LifeSouth bloodmobile visits SVEC every three months.

In 2020, SVEC employees donated 58 units of blood. According to LifeSouth, eacåh unit of blood can save up to three lives. Since 2004, SVEC employees have donated 691 units of blood, meaning our employees’ donations may have saved up to 2,073 lives!

Hit the links with SVEC SVEC is entering the Rotary Club of Branford’s annual golf tournament, with proceeds going to support programs including the annual rotary scholarships. Register today and see if you have what it takes to beat Team SVEC! Saturday, March 6, at 8 a.m. | Quail Heights Country Club, Lake City The $50 player entry fee includes cart, green fees, lunch and door prizes.

For more information, call Tournament Chairman John Lacquey at 386-362-8388.