January 2023

Each year, West Florida Electric Cooperative (WFEC) takes the opportunity to honor its employees with award presentations. The awards presented to employees include service anniversary awards, outstanding service awards and an employee of the year award. This year, Will Melton, Manager of Operations and Construction for the Sneads District Office, was named Employee of the Year by his peers. Melton was chosen to receive this award by his co-workers because he best exemplifies the following traits: personality, punctuality, safety habits, team work, flexibility and outstanding performance on the job.

He has worked at WFEC for 34 years, beginning his career as a meter reader in 1988. In his role as Manager of Operations and Construction, Melton is responsible for the day-to-day activities at the Sneads District Office; delegating daily construction jobs, which jobs are built and when. He is also responsible for the welfare of the cooperative’s system to ensure that it supplies safe and reliable power for all members. He has been married to Julie Melton for 23 years, and they have two children, a daughter, Payton Kressman (21) and a son, Parker Melton (16). In his free time, he enjoys hunting and fishing. He also enjoys long range shooting and finds it interesting to see how accurate a person can make a rifle shoot and what it takes to do so.

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Will Melton (center) was selected as WFEC's 2022 Employee of the Year. Wayne Williams, VP of Operations (left) and Derek Chadwell, Interim EVP & CEO (right) presented Melton with his award.

“I’m honored and very appreciative for the award. I feel a little like a quarterback winning MVP. I try to do the best job I can for the co-op and its members. But the truth of it all is without the GREAT group of men and women supporting me, and having my back I couldn’t accomplish anything. I’m literally the person that passes the job to someone else and relies on them completing the work to the best of their abilities. So, in reality I am only as good as the people around me and they’ve done a fantastic job of making me look good. I want to thank them for making my job easy,” said Melton.

In addition to recognizing the Employee of the Year, three other employees were recognized with the Outstanding Service Award – one at each district office. They were: Terrell Culbreth, a staking technician at the Bonifay office; David Gilpin, a journeyman lineman at the Sneads office; and Shannon Holton, Supervisor of Human Resources at the Graceville office.

Our employees and their families live and work in the communities we serve. Join us in congratulating them on their achievements this year.

*Not pictured David Gilpin*

Terrell Culbreth (center) was presented with an Outstanding Service Award for the Bonifay district by Wayne Williams, VP of Operations (left) & Derek Chadwell, Interim EVP & CEO (right).

Shannon Holton (right) was presented with an Outstanding Service Award for the Graceville district by Derek Chadwell, Interim EVP & CEO (left).

WFEC Provides Energy Education to Local Teachers

If you’re a K-12 educator interested in teaching your students more about energy, EMPOWER is for you. This Energy Education Workshop provides an exciting opportunity to learn about electric generation and distribution with a focus on energy education and fun ways to integrate it into your classroom using curriculum designed for your students.

Join us for two-days of engaging, hands-on energy explorations with curriculum developed by the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED).

Reserve your space now to join other K-12 educators June 4-7, 2023 in Destin, Florida. There, you will learn about the many aspects of energy generation and how electricity is distributed, with a focus on integrating energy education into curriculum for your students, whatever their grade level or learning style.

Energize your classroom with fun, up-to-date resources and curriculum that meet your state’s Common Core Standards. This FREE workshop will provide a balanced approach to the science of energy, sources of energy, transportation, electricity, efficiency, and environmental and economic impacts.

Benefits Include:

• Continuing Education Credits for each participant who completes the workshop.

• The workshop registration, event lodging at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa and meals at the event are included. Mileage to and from the workshop will also be reimbursed.

• Attendees receive a NEED Science of Energy Kit ($300 value), a class-set of NEED Energy Infobooks (at grade level), access to all NEED Curriculum Guides and supplemental resources.

• Network with fellow educators.

“This was a great conference which provided the opportunity to learn and develop classroom lessons surrounding the energy that is used in every day life. The hands-on experience really helped in solidifying certain points and allowed knowledge to be accessible for all kinds of learners,” said Kitana

(L-R): Local teachers, Haley Burdeshaw, Rachel Nandho and Kitana Passmore build a generator during the 2022 Empower Energy Education Workshop. After attending, teachers were able take tools and activities into their classrooms to help enrich their students' energy education.

Passmore, a teacher of gifted children at Marianna K-8. The co-op will provide scholarships for nine local educators to the Empower Energy Education Workshop this summer. If you are a teacher in Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson or Washington County, contact your school district’s county office or Candace Croft (ccroft@westflorida.coop) at West Florida Electric for

. Availability is limited. The deadline to apply is February 10, 2023.

Seal Air Leaks to Stop Drafts and Save Money

Air infiltration from the home’s “envelope” can cause homes to lose efficiency so sealing and insulating its outer walls, ceiling, windows, doors and floors – is often the most cost-effective way to improve energy efficiency and comfort. Sealing air leaks throughout the home stops drafts, blocks air flow and can help you save money and energy.

Many improvements can be made by rolling up your sleeves and tackling problem areas yourself, but you can also hire a contractor who will use tools to pinpoint and seal the hidden air leaks in your home.

You may already know where some air leakage occurs in your home, like an under-the-door draft, but you’ll need to find the less obvious gaps to properly seal your home.

You can start by conducting a visual inspection outside and inside your home. Here are some things you should look for:

On the outside of your house:

• Inspect all areas where two different building materials meet

• All exterior corners

• Outdoor water faucets

• Where siding and chimneys meet

• Areas where the foundation and the bottom of exterior brick or siding meet.

Inside your home, inspect around the following areas for any cracks and gaps that could cause air leaks:

• Electrical outlets

• Switch plates •

Door and window frames •

Electrical and gas service entrances •

Baseboards

Look for gaps around pipes and wires, foundation seals and mail slots. Check to see if the caulking and weather stripping are applied properly, leaving no gaps or cracks, and are in good condition. Many improvements can

•

Weather stripping around doors •

Fireplace dampers •

•

•

•

•

Attic hatches

Wall- or window-mounted air conditioners

Cable TV and phone lines

Where dryer vents pass through walls

Vents and fans

be made rolling up your and tackling areas

Check the exterior caulking around doors and windows, and see whether exterior storm doors and primary doors seal tightly. Sealing your home will reduce drafts & eliminate moisture problems caused by holes, cracks, and gaps.

Inspect windows and doors for air leaks. See if you can rattle themmovement means possible air leaks. If you can see daylight around a door or window frame, then the door or window leaks. You can usually seal these leaks by caulking or weatherstripping them. Check storm windows to see if they fit and are not broken. You may also consider replacing your old windows and doors with newer, high-efficiency ones.

Another area to check is the door leading from the outside or garage into the house - this is a common area for air leakage. By installing a door sweep to seal the gap, you can prevent conditioned inside air from escaping while blocking outside air from getting in. This helps keep the indoor living space comfortable. Another place air can infiltrate your home is through outlets and light switches. Use inexpensive outlet gaskets to seal any holes around them. You can also purchase these gaskets for light switches.

Caulking and sealing air leaks is a cost-effective measure that can help save money and energy. These upgrades and improvements to seal your home also qualify for low-interest financing with the cooperative’s Energy Efficiency Loan Program, making them even more affordable. Through an agreement with Regions Bank, our

members can take advantage of these low-interest loans. This program is available to residential members of WFEC who have received electric service from the co-op for at least one year, own the dwelling, meet income and credit score requirements, and are in good standing with WFEC – meaning they are current on utility payments and have made timely payments for the previous 12 months. This program is offered to owners of existing homes, including manufactured homes. All improvements and repairs must be performed by a licensed contractor to qualify for the loan program. For a list of all qualifying projects, visit www.westflorida.coop or contact the cooperative’s Energy Services department by calling (800)342-7400.

Why We Plan Outages

Have you ever received a notification from West Florida Electric Cooperative (WFEC) informing you of a “planned outage?” You may have wondered, “what is a planned outage?” and “why does one need to be performed?” Sometimes, the equipment we use to bring power to your home needs to be replaced, repaired or updated. When this happens, to keep our crews and you safe, we plan an interruption of electric service.

We do our best to plan these outages during times when you will be least inconvenienced, so we often perform planned outages during school and business hours, late at night or early in the morning. We also try to avoid planning these outages during extreme winter or summer temperatures. The exception to this unspoken rule is if there is an emergency repair that must be performed immediately or if specialized equipment must be utilized to make the repair.

The cooperative does its best to inform members about these planned outages ahead of time. If you are going to be impacted by a planned outage, the co-op will either contact you with an automated phone call, send you an email communication and post the information to its social media accounts, or all of the above.

While planned outages may sound slightly inconvenient, they are beneficial to our members. Regular system upgrades are necessary for optimal performance, and these upgrades increase reliability. Repairing and upgrading our equipment is also critical to maintaining public safety. If older lines or poles need to be replaced, we plan for it, repair or replace it, and that keeps everyone safe.

At WFEC, we want to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep you safe and to keep our system running smoothly. So, the next time you hear about a planned outage, know that it is one of the best ways we can provide you with quality electric service.

Dijon Chicken

Ingredients:

Equal parts Dijon mustard & sour cream

Italian seasoned bread crumbs (gluten free can be used instead, just add your favorite Italian seasoning blend)

Chicken thighs

Directions: Rinse, skin & pat the chicken dry. Mix equal amounts of Dijon mustard and sour cream in a pie pan, flat bowl, or plate. Pour breadcrumbs into a second flat bowl or plate. Coat chicken with mustard mixture, then roll in bread crumbs. Lay flat on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Submitted by: Lynn Kight Lowenthal

Tim Alford, District 2 Trustee, recently made a donation to the Town of Grand Ridge to assist the town with its annual Christmas Festival. The event took place on Dec. 9th immediately after the town's Christmas parade. Alford (far right) is pictured with Tracy Hagan (center) and Amanda Applewhite (left).

Community Calendar

Beginner's Pressure Canning Class

January 24; 6:00-9:30 p.m.

Washington County Ag Center, 1424 Jackson Ave., Chipley

Learn the basics of pressure canning by canning vegetables. Class format is demonstration and some hands-on. Registration fee is $5 and includes materials. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required by calling the Washington Co. Extension Office at 850-638-6265 or Holmes Co. Extension Office at 850-547-1108. UF is an equal opportunity institution. People with disabilities requiring special accommodations, call 850-638-6265 or 800-955-8771 at least 5 working days prior to the class so proper consideration may be given the request.

Tri-State Fruit and Vegetable Conference

January 26; 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Jackson County Ag Conference Center, 2471 Penn Ave., Marianna

The audience for this conference is primarily small/medium-sized, diversified cucurbit and vegetable producers in the tri-state region. The residential community is also welcome to attend. There will be a full morning of educational sessions with lunch to follow. A special section on drip irrigation and fertigation, specialty vegetable and fruit crops, cucurbit updates, cover crops and soil health, and budgeting and marketing a farm/specialty crop will also be provided. The cost is $5 at the door and pre-registration is highly encouraged. Call 850-482-9620 to reserve your seat.

Homebuyer Education Class

January 28; 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Jackson County Agriculture Office, 2741 Penn Ave., Marianna

Understand the homebuying process, analyze personal financial/credit situation, and learn basic home care/maintenance techniques to maintain the value of your home and save money. This course is open to all from individuals just starting out to those further along in the process. Completion satisfieds the homeownership education requirement for the SHIP and USDA Rural Development programs. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. No walk-ins due to class size limitations. For more info, class schedules or to register, call Jackson Co. Extension at 850-482-9620 or Washington Co. Extension at 850-638-6265. UF is an equal opportunity institution. People with disabilities requiring special accommodations, call 800-955-8771 at least 5 working days prior to the class so that proper consideration may be given the request.

Panhandle Corn/Soybean Update

February 3; 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Washington County Ag Center, 1424 Jackson Ave., Chipley Pesticide CEUs available at this event. Call 850-638-6265 for more info.

Jackson County Master Gardener Plant Sale

March 2023

Jackson County Agricultural Office, 2741 Penn Ave., Marianna Plant sale coming up in March 2023. Keep your eyes out for details in the next issue of the Current Light Flashes. There will be plant vendors, educational talks, and much more at this free event.

Animals/Livestock

Purebred Belgian Malinois pups, parents on premises, $300 each; 850-643-7894.

Tiny Shih tzu, boy, adorable, can send pics, he is a doll, $575; 850-768-0709, text or call.

Home/Farm

Rheem 50 gallon electric water heater; 850-209-8520.

5x8 trailer, mesh floor, built by Trailer World, $600; 850-272-2477.

Mahindra 4550 tractor, 4-wheel drive, 268 hours, more implements, $21,000; 850-394-7485.

Argentine Bahia hay, 4x5 rolls, barn stored; 850-579-2732.

Miscellaneous

Fiberglass topper, white, 72” wide by 72” long, A-1 shape; 320-304-5414.

Homemade/handmade quilts, lap quilts, baby quilts, twin, full or queen; two used bathtubs, great price; 850-547-3649.

Small amaryllis flower bulb business, approximately 5,500 potted plants, extensive ad listings on eBay and our website, present customer base information, rights to our 440+ YouTube videos, miscellaneous items, some training help, $54,000; 850-592-8769.

Climbing tree stand, Warren & Sweat, $50 firm; 850-703-1859.

Multiple Listings

Square bale annual peanut hay; 5x5 rolls grass hay; walkin cooler; grain fed beef; 850-263-3427.

Clearing out storage; end tables; ceiling fans; shelves; kitchen items; much more; 850-272-4935.

Large antique sewing cabinet, 21” wide, 42” long, 31” high, $100; seasonal wreaths, various and assorted Christmas decorations; 850-372-7500.

Large gas tank; medium gas tank; GE electric stove, white; GE microwave, white; GE dishwasher, white; best offer; 850-592-2153.

Three-horse slant trailer; 16’ hay trailer; barrel, pleasure, roping saddles; tack; coon dog; harness for mules and ponies; 850-592-2494 or 850-209-8532.

LocaL TeLephone prefixes

Alford 579

Altha 762

Bascom/Malone 569

Blountstown 674, 237

Bonifay 547

Caryville 548

Chipley 638, 415

Cottondale 352

Graceville 263

Grand Ridge 592 Greenwood 594 Marianna 482, 526

Ponce de Leon 836

Sneads 593

Sunny Hills 773 Vernon 535 Westville 956

CLF Free Ad Policy (Limited to one ad per household)

WFEC publishes free classified ads in the Current Light Flashes as a service to its members. The following limitations apply: 1) Ads must be 20 words or less and must be legible, with an active electric account number at the top. 2) Ads exceeding 20 words are subject to elimination. 3) Submit ads to the Graceville office by the 5th of the month to appear in the following month’s issue. (Example: An ad arriving by Jan. 5 will appear in the Feb. CLF) 4) Ads for services & businesses are not free. Service businesses include, but are not limited to, pet or livestock breeders or stud services, rentals, baby-sitting, etc. 5) Any buying or selling on a regular basis will be considered a business. On-going garage sales & the sale of similar items on a repeated basis do not qualify for free advertising. 6) WFEC may refuse to publish any ad . 7) You may submit your ad online at www.westflorida.coop WFEC will not accept ads over the phone.

CLF Free Ad Form Please Type or Print Neatly. Name Acct. # St. Address/P.O. Box City Phone # For Sale • Wanted • Free • Thank You • Lost (circle one)

Notification Statement

Notice is hereby given that the West Florida Electric Cooperative Association, Inc. Board of Trustees regularly meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, unless special circumstances warrant a change.

Main Business and Publications Offices 5282 Peanut Road Graceville, Florida 32440-0127 (850) 263-3231 or 1-800-342-7400

Subscription Rate Cooperative members, $2.50 per year Non-members, $6.00 per year

Change of Address Notices

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Current Light Flashes P. O. Box 127 Graceville, Florida 32440-0127

48.8 acres farmland, in the Graceville, Florida area, access from paved road; 651-230-2451. WANTED Live-in companion needed to live with elderly lady, free room and board in exchange for light housekeeping and cooking, references needed; 214-405-4720.

Horses; ponies; donkeys and mules; round pen panels; 850-592-2494 or 850-209-8532.

150-500 acres pastureland, in Holmes or Washington County; 850-234-7070.

Penny through dollar coins, loose, in jars, collections and estates, buy, trade or sell, honest and professional; 850-326-3437.

License plates from any state, mainly Florida, prior to 1980; old motorcycles or parts prior to 1960; 850-557-7030, Greg.