Members Encouraged to Attend Annual Membership Meeting
GreenSmart Energy Efficiency Seminar: First 50 to Register get a Free Energy Efficiency Kit
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383, Ext. 3213; or E-mail: Renee Whitener
Lenoir, North Carolina (June 4, 2009) – The Annual Membership Meeting of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation will be held Saturday, June 13, at Ashe County High School in West Jefferson.
Among the business at the annual meeting will be the election of four nominees for the open seats on Blue Ridge Electric’s board of directors. Nominated for these seats by member representatives on this year’s nominating committee are: Kenneth Greene, Ashe district; Joy Coffey, Watauga district; Jimmy Hemphill, Caldwell district; and Charity Gambill-Gwyn, director-at-large. No nominations by petition were received by this year’s March 10 deadline.
While the business session begins at 10 a.m., members can register from 8 to 10 a.m. and are strongly encouraged to bring their registration card printed on the front cover wrap of their June Carolina Country electric cooperative magazine. All registered members receive an eco-friendly GreenSmart tote bag containing a three-pack of energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).
Members must be registered and present to win all prizes that will be awarded at the annual meeting, which include a total of four 32-inch HDTVs which will be awarded one per district; a portable DVD player per district; a Carolina Country gift basket per district; a two-pack of tickets per district to see Kenny Loggins live at An Appalachian Summer Festival; and four $50 bills per district.
Prior to the business session, ham biscuits and drinks will be served while they last in the cafeteria.
A variety of exhibits and entertainment will also be available prior to the business session, including a special GreenSmart seminar from 8:15 to 9:15 giving members the top 10 ways they can become more energy efficient to control energy costs and help the environment. GreenSmart is the cooperative’s new family of energy efficiency programs and products. The first 50 members to reserve seats for GreenSmart will receive a home energy efficiency kit valued at $35, limit one per household. To sign up, contact Karen Ford at 1-800-451-5474, Ext. 3258, or at kford@blueridgeemc.com.
Brian Crutchfield, director of sustainable development for Blue Ridge Electric and one of the seminar speakers, said “Our GreenSmart seminar is designed to help members see a difference right away. In less than an hour, the audience will receive ten tips that are easy to do in any home and can make a significant difference in your energy use and helping you control energy costs.”
Scott Suddreth, of Building Performance Engineering, will also be sharing tips and ideas on energy efficiency during the GreenSmart seminar.
Other events include the Cockman Family, which will perform from 8:45 to 9:30.
General exhibits include the cooperative’s GreenSmart discount CFLs and water heater wraps; Appalachian State University’s DAISE (Driving Appropriate Innovative Sustainability Energy Education) unit promoting green building ideas; the cooperatives heating fuels subsidiary Blue Ridge Energies; Carolina Country; Operation Round Up; and safety demonstrations. For the seventh consecutive year, members can also take advantage of free health screenings and information provided by Ashe Memorial Hospital. The health fair begins at 7 a.m.
For convenience, members can have children attend a special children’s program featuring games and refreshments from 9 a.m. until the end of the business session.
A highlight of this year’s Annual Membership Meeting will be a timely update from Chief Executive Officer Doug Johnson on our nation’s emerging energy policy as well as initiatives the cooperative is taking to continue delivering highly reliable power and serve the membership.
Reports will also be given on the state of the cooperative and community support activities such as the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation, which was formed to support local economic and community development initiatives. The Foundation, which is advised by a 12-person advisory committee made up of Blue Ridge Electric members, manages funds generated from the member supported Operation Round Up. Blue Ridge Energies, the cooperative’s propane subsidiary, also donates a portion of its profits to the Members Foundation.
Blue Ridge Electric is a member-owned electric cooperative utility serving some 73,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Avery and Alexander counties. Its heating fuels and propane subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, serves customers in an area stretching from Catawba to Alleghany County.
Members of the cooperative received full details of the annual meeting in their June issue of Carolina Country magazine mailed the last week of May. For more info, visit www.BlueRidgeEMC.com or contact your local Blue Ridge Electric office.
