The Enlightener

July 2002

Blue Ridge Electric Continues Bright Ideas Program for Students and Teachers

Blue Ridge will again be awarding $18,000 in Bright Ideas grants to local educators for the 2002-2003 school year. Bright Ideas provides educators with funding of up to $2,000 per grant for innovative classroom projects that benefit students and would not otherwise be covered by the school budget. Bright Ideas has financed a variety of hands-on projects, including activities in math, science, history, language, reading, art, music, and information technology.

Applications are now being accepted by mail or e-mail and should be received by the deadline of September 30, 2002. Projects must directly benefit students, provide on-going benefits, and use innovative teaching methods. Proposals can come from any area of the curriculum. Full details of the Bright Ideas program and applications are being accepted on the program’s new website, http://www.ncbrightideas.com/.

Mailed applications should be postmarked by the deadline date and addressed to Grey Scheer, director of community relations, PO Box 112, Lenoir, NC 28645.

Blue Ridge Electric is in its ninth year of providing Bright Ideas grants as part of its support of youth and education in the communities it serves. The cooperative has awarded over $140,000 to 179 classrooms benefiting over 43,000 students. Bright Ideas reflects Blue Ridge Electric’s commitment to community and support of local education. For more information, visit www.BlueRidgeEMC.com.

Educators: Apply Early for Bright Ideas Grants and You May Win a Digital Camera!

North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC) is giving away a digital camera to one lucky educator who applies for a Bright Ideas grant by the “early bird” deadline of August 14.

The names of educators applying by August 14 will be entered into a drawing to be held by NCEMC on August 20. The winner will be contacted by NCEMC, which is the statewide organization serving 27 member-owned electric cooperatives.

Members Only News
-For Members of Blue Ridge Electric

Watauga District Director Named

James Burl (J.B.) Lawrence, Jr. has been appointed to the board of directors of Blue Ridge Electric.Lawrence fills the unexpired term of Watauga District director Johnnie Austin, who passed away in January. Lawrence was recommended by an ad hoc committee of the board and approved by board members at their regular May meeting in accordance with the bylaws of the cooperative. The term expires at the 2004 Annual Membership Meeting.

Lawrence, who graduated from Watauga High School and attended Appalachian State University, is mayor of Blowing Rock and is branch manager of First Citizens Bank in Boone. He was named Blowing Rock Citizen of the Year in 1998. A retired fireman, Lawrence has been a volunteer with Blowing Rock Rescue Squad for 24 years. He is a member of the Blowing Rock Rotary Club, Watauga County Economic Development Commission, Watauga County Community Foundation, and Region D Council of Governments. He is on the executive committee of the board of directors of Blowing Rock Hospital.

Lawrence and his wife, Lynn, reside in Blowing Rock.

Capital Credits Allocated

Your 2001 capital credits allocation is listed on your July bill. It is based on the amount of electricity you purchased from January 1 to December 31, 2001. This amount is added to your capital credits account, and each December the cooperative returns a portion of your account to you either by check or as a credit on your bill.

Your capital credits account is the amount of dollars from the cooperative’s operating margins that have been assigned to you. Not-for-profit electric cooperatives like Blue Ridge Electric exist to serve their member-owners and do not make a profit as do investor-owned utilities. All funds coming in to the cooperative go toward the purchase of power, the operation of the cooperative, and the investment in the electric system to provide members with reliable, high quality electric service.

Photo_CEO Johnson The Perspective

An Editorial by Chief Executive Officer Doug Johnson
The Cooperative Difference

At Blue Ridge Electric, one priority rings through loud and clear – you, the consumer, come first! The fact that we are a locally owned company – owned by the consumers we serve – keeps us focused on your needs and local priorities.

Your cooperative’s commitment to you begins with our mission to deliver power to you at the cost of the service. There are no hidden fees and no profits for investors in faraway cities. Any money that is left over after operating your cooperative and maintaining and investing in the electric system stays in our communities to be returned to our members in the form of capital credits or put to work strengthening the economic well being of our towns and neighborhoods.

Our commitment to you extends to partnering with local communities in making our area a place where we’re all proud to work and call home. In fact, it’s our official guiding purpose to be a major shaper of the future of our area.

Because we are so closely linked to our communities, there are countless examples of activities in which we’re involved, both corporately and on a volunteer basis by individual employees. A few examples of this “cooperative touch” include: supporting local health care, providing scholarships and grants, sponsoring local fairs, providing local groups with safety information, volunteering in worthy causes such as Little League, our schools, Relay for Life, and March of Dimes, supporting cultural activities – and the list goes on.

Why would an electric utility be involved in these kinds of activities? Because your cooperative has always believed we should be an exemplary corporate citizen in our communities. Service means not only making sure electricity is flowing, but also making sure that the community and its citizens are thriving.

Service means helping friends, neighbors, and business colleagues in our hometowns – the people you see on a day-to-day basis. Service means reaching toward new horizons to make life better for everyone.

Blue Ridge Electric is a company that has a deep sense of care about the people it serves. That care goes beyond keeping the lights on. It’s neighbors helping neighbors. And that’s what Blue Ridge Electric is all about – carrying out our cooperative values to benefit our member-owners and all the communities we serve.

Annual Meeting Update

Four directors were elected to the board of directors during the cooperative’s Annual Membership Meeting held at Watauga High School on June 8.

Re-elected in uncontested elections to serve three-year terms on the board were: Jackie Blackburn of Ashe district, Martha McKnight of Alleghany district and G.C. Norris of Watauga district.

In Caldwell district, David Eggers was elected to a three-year term to serve in a new seat approved by the board last year to more thoroughly represent the growing membership in Caldwell County.

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Referencing the challenges our country and state are facing, Chief Executive Officer Doug Johnson said that a changing wholesale energy market and mild winter weather affected Blue Ridge Electric and the energy industry as a whole last year. However, financial reports indicate the cooperative is in sound financial condition and was able to return $1.1 million in capital credits in 2001.

Published monthly by Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation for its 51,657 members.