Daily Lives of Alleghany Residents Positively Impacted
Through Programs Funded by Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation
For Immediate Release
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383, Ext. 3213; or E-mail: Renee Whitener
Sparta, North Carolina (June 12, 2008) ‑ A generations-old tradition of neighbors helping neighbors is still alive in the mountains of North Carolina, where Alleghany County organizations are checking on older citizens every day, standing ready to save heart attack victims, and helping young people fight obesity.
Assisting the groups providing these services is a program in which thousands of Northwestern North Carolina residents make small monthly contributions – often only pennies – to the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation. By combining these many small donations, the Foundation is able to make sizeable grants to worthy local charities. Last year, grant recipients included the Alleghany Council on Aging, Alleghany County Rescue Squad, and Alleghany Wellness Center.
In 2007, the Foundation was able to give more than $60,000 to 17 organizations in the area served by Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation. The monies came from Operation Round Up and a donation from the cooperative’s subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies. This year, it is projected that as much as $100,000 will be granted to groups in the area served by the co-op.
Operation Round Up is a program through which Blue Ridge members voluntarily choose to have their monthly electric bills rounded up to the next-highest dollar amount. The difference between the two figures – from a penny to a maximum of 99 cents – is the monthly tax-deductible gift.
One of the beneficiaries of Operation Round Up, Alleghany Council on Aging, was able to get its countywide “Phone Tree” project underwritten by a Members Foundation grant and operational by February 2008.
Available to seniors living independently, the “Phone Tree” program each morning places automated phone calls to participants. The call says the Senior Center is calling to check on them and instructs them to press number 1 on the phone pad if everything is all right at home.
Karon W. Edwards, assistant director for the Council, said the program provides participants with a sense of security. “If someone does not respond (to the call),” she said, “the system alerts us and we can go right out.”
“Phone Tree” is open to any senior citizen in Alleghany County who lives alone, as well as to home-bound individuals of any age if they have health issues. The service also is used to inform Alleghany Council of Aging volunteers, congregate meal participants, employees and others of special events, inclement weather and other matters.
Edwards said the Senior Center effort already serves 42 people daily, and that anyone wishing to participate should contact her at 336/372-4640.
“If it were not for receiving the grant from the Foundation, we would not have been able to purchase this system at all,” Edwards said.
Grant Helps Rescue Squad
A $7,500 grant from the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation also helped the Alleghany County Rescue Squad update the equipment most often needed when Squad volunteers respond to calls.
Stacy Henderson was captain at the time the Rescue Squad applied for the grant last fall. He has since stepped down in preparation for an upcoming planned retirement, and 1st Lt. Brandon Jones has assumed responsibility for the upgrade project.
The application explained that the organization’s Lifepak 12 units needed to be updated so the organization could provide the most advanced care in-field and to patients being transported to cardiac-care or trauma facilities.
Jones said the Rescue Squad was able to order one new Lifepak unit and update an existing unit by combining the Blue Ridge Members Foundation grant with a state grant and one from Hanes Corp.
A major reason for needing the updated equipment is for the safe transport of heart attack victims to medical centers. Jones said the Rescue Squad’s current Lifepak 12 units do not allow for capnography CO2 monitoring, which is required for ventilator use in transporting patients. With the new equipment, the Alleghany Rescue Squad can better care for heart attack victims and other patients during transport to medical facilities.
“National standards for this type of equipment have recently been updated, so our equipment is on backorder now and it could be in next week or two months from now,” Jones said.
Childhood Obesity Help
Another Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation grant allowed Alleghany Wellness Center to address obesity in children. Obesity statistics for Alleghany County youths at or below poverty level are the worst in the state.
Ted Orton, the new executive director of the Wellness Center, said a major focus of the Center’s efforts is to get young people away from TVs and video games and into facilities where they can be more active and where they can learn nutritious eating options.
Center employee Sherry Smith said funding from the Foundation was used to support a two-week day camp for ages 5 through 12, where activities included swim lessons, free swim time, hiking, horseback riding and active games. Nutritious snacks were served and classes taught ways to prepare nutritious snacks that are fast and easy.
In addition, the Foundation grant helped pay for a Red Cross Certified Water Safety Instructor to give monthly swim lessons to children, and is helping pay the salary for a staff member to teach children how to safely use cardio and weight equipment in the Center’s gym.
The grant also supported a one-month swim program in which Coach Chris Hill helped children up to age 17 learn to swim or improve their techniques. And it supports a pre-gymnastics program for ages 3 to 6, because research shows children who develop active habits at a young age are more likely to continue them into adulthood.
For 2008, the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation recently awarded the following grants worth $50,000, with another round of grants planned for this fall:
- Greater Lansing Area Development, $4,000. To develop a park area in the downtown area that would be part of a walking trail already in place.
- Hibriten High School Baseball Field Renovation, $5,000. To support the baseball field renovation currently underway, particularly the construction of a covered hitting cage.
- Southern Appalachian Historical Association, $1,500. To purchase two new lighting dimmer packs.
- Alleghany Trail Blazers, $500. To support a therapeutic riding program for mentally and physically handicapped people.
- Alleghany County Group Homes, $2,650. To purchase a computer for Compensatory Education and Basic Skills classes at WCC.
- Caldwell Friends, Inc., $5,000. To expand services to at-risk youth by providing weekly group mentoring to referred youth.
- Children’s Playhouse, $500. To provide five scholarships for low-income families.
- Cove Creek Farm, $1,200. To build an Outdoor Education Pavilion to serve residents who are working to overcome addictive behavior.
- Solid Rock Food Closet, $4,000. To support a weekend food program for needy families and a summer feeding program.
- Alleghany Partnership for Children/Child Care Resources, $1,000. To purchase required children’s car seats for low income, high risk families.
- Ashe County Free Medical Clinic, $3,650. To purchase 295 prescriptions to be dispensed through the clinic in 2008.
- Lenoir Soup Kitchen , $3,500. To purchase a Hot Table (serving table) that will ensure hot food for participants in the free lunch program. The table costs $3,500.
- Watauga Chapter, American Red Cross, $2,500. To help purchase an emergency response vehicle.
- Appalachian Senior Companion Program, $5,000. To support general annual funding of the program which is designed to provide an opportunity for senior citizens to remain active in the community by assisting other seniors who are at risk of losing their independence. Senior Companions serve other
- Ashe County Library, $10,000. To assist the county build and furnish a new public library. This supplements a larger corporate donation made by Blue Ridge Electric.
Agencies or programs interested in applying for a Members Foundation grant should contact Patty Wheeler, Foundation Manager at (828) 758-2382, Ext. 4207, or visit the “Community” area of the cooperative’s web site at www.BlueRidgeEMC.com
As a member-owned, non-profit cooperative, Blue Ridge Electric has a mission of providing members’ electric and energy services reliably, efficiently and with outstanding customer care. With the spirit that is typical of people in Northwest North Carolina, co-op members through their Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation are helping boost the quality of life for countless others in their area.
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