Working Hard After March Storm and Beyond

Transcription

1 Working Hard After March Storm and Beyond MESSAGE FROM GENERAL MANAGER, KERRY KELTON POWER OUTAGES CAUSED BY STORMS LIKE THE ONE THAT HIT THE Huntsville area March 18 mean plain old hard work. The storm affected more than 6,200 meters. Swift and successful restoration efforts are critical to maintaining a high level of member satisfaction. The expectation and mission of the entire Mid-South Synergy team is always to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. One of the shining qualities of the employees who serve you is that they perform at their highest level in the face of disaster. Heading out to do their jobs, they leave their spouses and kids at home, many times without power themselves, because they live in the same communities affected by the severe weather. We experience the same winds, rain, lightning and fallen trees as our members. A select few can answer the call to work long shifts, kneedeep in mud or 40 feet in the air, tired and hungry. Nothing stops them; nothing deters them. They are heroes during disastrous storms. They are your electric cooperative linemen. If you see one of them, whether in a bucket truck or at the corner store, I encourage you to say thank you and shake their hand if you can. So often, they leave their children s birthday parties or holiday gatherings to make sure power is restored for our members. Their passion for line work runs deep, and I appreciate the value they bring to our cooperative. The team in our office provides critical support to the linemen in the field. Dispatchers maintain order and help ensure safety. Operations staff coordinate contract crews to assist with restoration efforts and make sure materials are delivered in the field. Member services representatives answer your calls so you can speak to a real person. The human resources team organizes food delivery to the hungry linemen. Our GIS team assists with damage assessment by thoroughly documenting damage and providing pictures for social media. Outage restoration is indeed hard work. The employees who serve our members work long hours so you can have the best experience possible during disaster situations. I sincerely appreciate all the positive comments we ve received on social media and over the phone. Encouragement from our members is the fuel we need to press forward during those late nights of hard work. 18 MID-SOUTH SYNERGY May 2018

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3 Walker County Master Gardeners IN MARCH, GRAY SKIES BEGIN TO GIVE WAY TO warm sunshine. It s when Texans start preparing for a treasured pastime: gardening! Hobbyist gardeners make plans for vegetable gardens, flower beds and backyard projects. Many of us struggle to find the proper ph balance, the right compost ratio and plants that will be successful in certain sunlight conditions. If you wrestle with similar questions, the Walker County Master Gardeners are your source for trusted answers. They are a volunteer group working through the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service with a mission to spread the message of horticulture in Texas. Each year, the master gardeners host spring and fall plant sales along with multiple events that educate the community and provide high-quality and well-priced plants for the public to purchase. On March 10, a line formed at the Walker County Ag Extension office, full of eager gardeners ready to enjoy the master gardeners spring sale. If you want to have first pick next time, you d better get there early! Hundreds of people from multiple counties make the drive to the sale on Highway 75 North, just a few miles north of Huntsville and directly across the road from the Mid-South Synergy office. There is no shortage of smiling faces and great experiences at the sale, and there are many other things to experience besides picking out strong and healthy plants. You can find a booth with seeds for sale, which are accompanied by free instructions on how to help them grow into a highyield crop or bright and beautiful flowers. Folks also can buy tasty baked goods, raffle tickets, gardening books, 5-gallon buckets of mushroom compost and honey from local beekeepers. In fact, the Walker County Beekeepers Association is a big attraction at the plant sale. The growing group is now so large and popular that it relocated its monthly meeting to the Walker Education Center at th St. in Huntsville. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month. The association s efforts to maintain productive hives is critical to successful gardens in the area. Bees are major pollinators of our world without healthy beehives, we would not have plants! The WCBA also offers a swarm service to assist homeowners and businesses with unwanted hives. They safely remove the bees and relocate them to an area where they can be productive without causing problems for people. Call the Walker County Ag Extension office at (936) to find a beekeeper near you. The Walker County Master Gardeners Butterfly Festival and Fall Plant Sale are upcoming fun activities for youngsters and the whole family. Mark your calendar for September 29 this year so you can enjoy the Fall Plant Sale. More native Texas plants will be for sale, along with fruit trees, nut trees, herbs and many other beautiful plants. At the eighth annual Butterfly Festival, monarch butterflies will be tagged and released for scientific research. The kids can have fun with crafts, face painting, bubbles and a treasure hunt. The festival is hosted at the Walker 20 MID-SOUTH SYNERGY May 2018

4 County Ag Extension office; a date will be confirmed on their Facebook page soon. The Master Gardeners first Garden Expo will take place February 23 24, 2019, at the Walker County Fairgrounds. Attendees will enjoy workshops, special speakers, vendors and kids activities. Every dollar raised will go toward a scholarship program, operating expenses and future facility projects. The Walker County Master Gardeners are a nonprofit organization of individuals who invest more than 8,000 volunteer hours in our community by educating the public about best gardening practices. To learn how to join this group of volunteers and become a master gardener, visit the group s Facebook page or the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension website at txmg.org. We are proud to provide our friends and neighbors at the Walker County Master Gardeners with electricity, and we invite you to support their efforts in our community. May 2018 MID-SOUTH SYNERGY 21

5 A Word About Your Capital Credits AS A COOPERATIVE, MID-SOUTH SYNERGY IS A NONPROFIT BUSIness owned by its members. Like any well-run business, each year, Mid-South Synergy reinvests a portion of its margins (revenue left over after all expenses are paid) to pay for facility repairs, equipment, system upgrades and other necessary improvements. After the period of investment, these margins are returned to our members; the amount of each return depends on the amount each member paid during the year. Each year, the board of directors determines the portion of capital credits that can be returned to the cooperative membership while still ensuring the co-op s financial health. Since 1998, Mid-South Synergy has returned more than $4 million to co-op members in the form of capital credits. SEVERE WEATHER Are You Ready? Some years, lightning strikes kill more Americans than tornadoes or hurricanes. Don t take chances with this deadly force of nature. Go inside a building and stay away from windows and doors. Avoid electric appliances and metal plumbing, and stay off the phone. Do not seek shelter under a tree they are easy targets. Move to low ground and avoid open fields. Whether at the beach or in a swimming pool, get out of the water immediately. Do not touch metal objects, such as golf clubs or bicycles. Inside a car is relatively safe, but do not touch interior metal. If your hair stands on end, you may be a target. Crouch low on the balls of your feet and keep your knees and hands off the ground. Mid-South Synergy encourages you to always practice safety. 22 MID-SOUTH SYNERGY May 2018

6 SAVE THE DATE! MID-SOUTH SYNERGY ANNUAL MEETING Friday, June 15 Walker County Fairgrounds Huntsville

7 Madison County Fair SINCE THE FOUNDING OF OUR NATION, FARMING AND RANCHING HAVE BEEN WAYS OF life. Organizations like 4-H and FFA help our youths reach their fullest potential as capable, competent, caring and contributing citizens. The employees of Mid-South Synergy are proud supporters of the Madison County Fair, and we extend a special salute to all the hard work and dedication of the fair s participants. BARTOSZ LUCZAK ISTOCK.COM DR PEPPER PULLED PORK SANDWICHES 3 4 pounds pork loin Pork seasonings (seasoned salt, cracked black pepper, garlic powder, mustard powder or cayenne) 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 sweet onions, thinly sliced 3/4 cup barbecue sauce ounces Dr Pepper For this recipe, you can season the pork loin simply, with salt and pepper, or use your favorite seasoning salt or mix of spices and herbs. 1. Coat a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or brush with oil. 2. Season the pork loin generously (can be done the night before), coat with garlic and place it in the slow cooker. 3. Top the pork with onion slices and barbecue sauce, then pour in enough Dr Pepper to cover. 4. Cook on low heat about 8 hours or on high 4 hours. 5. Shred the meat with two forks, allowing the mixture to soak up the sauce. Serve on buns with extra sauce, sliced onions and pickles. 24 MID-SOUTH SYNERGY May 2018

8 Synergy Spot Want Solar Power? TEXAS CO-OP POWER MID-SOUTH SYNERGY EDITION MAY 2018 Relay for Life Recap THE MID-SOUTH SYNERGY RELAY FOR Life team raised more than $5,000 for cancer research. Every penny raised is delivered to the American Cancer Society to help fight for a cure. Team members invested their personal time, money and resources to help others. Mid-South Synergy is proud of these great employees for their service and dedication to our community. Memorial Day Mid-South Synergy will be closed Monday, May 28, in observance of the holiday. MOMCILOG ISTOCK.COM Synergy Solar offers members a rate of 11.5 cents per kilowatt-hour/month, or $11.50 per block/month, guaranteed for five years. Our members can rest easy knowing that their rate is secured for the future. For our residential members who participate, Synergy Solar proves to be accessible, affordable and renewable by offering a maintenance-free program. To find out more, please call us at (936) or synergyspot@. Happy Mother s Day Sunday, May HIGHWAY 6 NAVASOTA, TX TEL TOLL-FREE FAX MIDSOUTHSYNERGY.COM We d love to hear from you! Have an interesting story or local community event? Or simply tell us how we re doing! Synergy Spot P.O. Box 970 Navasota, TX synergyspot@ May 2018 MID-SOUTH SYNERGY 25