Safety Education for Caldwell Youngsters Getting Boost from 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; Pager: 1-800-471-1323; or E-mail: Renee Whitener

Lenoir, North Carolina (June 12, 2008) – Thanks in part to a grant from Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation, pre-kindergarten through third-grade children in Caldwell County will be getting safety education with the help of a new child-friendly robot named Andy.

The state-of-the-art miniature robotic ambulance, scheduled for delivery by the end of June, will replace an earlier version of the teaching tool. The squad will use Andy the Ambulance to teach children about public safety, first aid and emergency medicine at schools, churches, daycare facilities and other venues throughout Caldwell County. Some preschool classes will be held during the summer, but the main effort will begin in August when schools are back in session.

Andy the Ambulance is one of three Caldwell County projects receiving grants this year from Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation. Other grants are going toward a Communities in Schools (CIS) family-history project and to help the Caldwell Health Department purchase dental equipment needed to provide services to children receiving Medicaid.

Created in 2006, the Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation makes it possible for Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation members to help worthy causes in Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell and Watauga counties, where Blue Ridge serves some 70,000 consumers. Grants totaling more than $60,000 were awarded to 17 organizations in the Blue Ridge service area in 2007, and the Foundation expects to make more than $100,000 in grants this year.

Foundation grant monies come from Operation Round Up and donations from the cooperative’s subsidiary, Blue Ridge Energies, which provides heating fuels, propane and propane-powered items to consumers. Through Operation Round Up, 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.

“Blue Ridge Electric is excited to be part of improving the quality of life in the areas we serve,” said Doug Johnson, chief executive officer. “We’re pleased to be able to help the community in this true cooperative spirit. As member contributions to Operation Round Up increase, the amount of funds that the Foundation can grant to community organizations will grow, and greater numbers of our members will benefit.”

The Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation grant was combined with other available monies to pay for the new Andy the Ambulance, which cost about $9,000, said Tim Sanders, president of the Lenoir Rescue Squad board of directors.

Agile enough to maneuver easily in school classrooms and other restricted areas, Andy is remotely operated by a squad member standing out of sight. The fully animated teaching robot moves, speaks, listens, plays audio cassette tapes and activates flashing lights. The friendly looking, ambulance-shaped robot winks, blinks and moves its eyes as it communicates with children at their eye level.

“Andy is a great tool to help educate younger school children,” said Scott Swanson, chief of the Lenoir Rescue Squad. “We know from past experience that this remotely controlled miniature ambulance will get the attention of children and help them learn about personal safety practices while they’re having fun.”

The Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation grant to the Communities in Schools (CIS) program will help fund a project to preserve family history.

“Our students are writing family stories and personal family history that should help preserve unique family folklore,” said CIS executive director Debbie Eller. “Once we finish, we plan to have all of the stories printed in a bound book.”

Eller said that in addition to having a gifted writer, Candace Tippett, help the youngsters tell the stories, volunteers from Caldwell Community College have also greatly assisted the 32-week program.

“We believe all students, and especially our at-risk students, deserve numerous basics, including good one-on-one relationships with a caring adult, a safe place to learn and grow, a healthy start for the future and a marketable skill to use upon graduation,” Eller said.

Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation funds provided to the Caldwell Health Department helped purchase dental equipment badly needed to provide care to children receiving Medicaid health services. Funds to replace the worn-out items were not otherwise available.

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 residents in their areas.