Co-opConnection
Looking forward to your Annual Meeting
WE L arE OOKING FOR YOU at our Annual manage your energy use through 254 Hwy 15-401 Bypass East Meeting on Saturday, April 16, at energy-efficiency education and P.O. Box 1057 Marlboro County High School, where programs. Bennettsville, SC 29512 you will see how we’re looking We offer the Touchstone Energy General Information out for you. Cooperative website, TogetherWeSave. (843) 479-3855 Now, more than ever, we com. Whether you are sealing your (800) 922-9174 need to work together to keep air ducts, replacing old appliances, or www.marlboroelectric.coop your electric bills affordable. improving your home’s insulation, it is Office Hours Last year, Congress did not amazing how little changes can bring 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. pass a comprehensive climate savings on your electric bill. Monday–Friday bill. This January, the U.S. New technology also helps keep Environmental Protection your electric bills affordable and President/CEO SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2011 William L. Fleming Agency began regulating greenhouse reduces environmental impact. Our gasses—an action made by a 2007 investment in the advanced metering Chairman of the Board Supreme Court decision, followed infrastructure system allows us to Melvin Carabo by rulings allowing the EPA to use pinpoint outages, manage power, Board of Trustees the Clean Air Act to curb carbon improve service reliability and control th Eddie Gordon, District 1 emissions. daily operating costs. Marlboro Electric’s Annual Meeting! Raymond Woodle, District 2 70 Charles R. ‘Ricky’ Smith, District 3 Focused on affordability Focused on YOU We have a ‘seat’ waiting for you! Melvin Carabo, District 4 Chairman Stringent controls and policies on We continue to put our members John Alford, District 5 power plant emissions and state first, and represent your best interest. Marlboro Electric is celebrating 70 years of service! Each co-op member registered Sam P. McInnis, District 6 renewable energy requirements could Costs are rising for all of us, and and present at Marlboro Electric’s 70th Annual Meeting will receive a red fold-out Jeff Quick, District 7 lead to higher costs. Government our electric rates cover the cost of stadium chair and two compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Registered and present W. Ronald Quick, District 8 regulations will increase the cost of doing business, not to generate profits Vice-Chairman doing business, but they won’t be the for stockholders. In 2010, I’m proud members will also be eligible for the Grand Prize, Semi-Grand Prizes and many Janelle Sauls, District 9 only ones. Prices for fuel, materials to report, we returned more than other prizes. Secretary/Treasurer When: Saturday, April 16, 2011 and equipment will continue to $190,000 to our members in capital Where: Marlboro County High School Attorney rise. Long-term, significant future credits. ENTERTAINMENT: Melody Aires Gospel Group Doug Jennings investments into the power system We are working together to Fayetteville Avenue Co-op News Editor will also be costly. keep your electric bill affordable by Bennettsville, South Carolina WIRE sponsored CONCESSIONS & BOOTHS Christy J. Overstreet Your Board of Trustees is controlling costs through innovation. Time: Registration 12 Noon until 2:00 e-mail: cjoverstreet@ committed to keeping you informed We continue to put our members first. marlboroelectric.coop about policy changes that will impact Whatever the future brings, it is HEALTH FAIR by Marlboro Park Hospital Mission Statement your electric bill through South certain: We are looking out for you. The aim of Marlboro Electric Carolina Living. See you at the Annual Meeting! BLOOD DRIVE by American Red Cross Cooperative, Inc. is to make electric energy available to its Focused on innovation by Snikkles and Lemonade members at the lowest cost Some things are out of our hands, FACE PAINTING CLOWNS consistent with sound economy but we look for ways to control costs Melvin Carabo and good management. through innovation. We can help you Chairman, Board of Trustees SEMI-GRAND PRIZES: Refrigerator, washer & dryer, stove and television Co-op observes Good Friday Marlboro Electric will be closed on Friday, April 22, in observance of Good Friday. Emergency crews will be on standby. GRAND PRIZE: 2006 Ford 150 truck
4 SOUTHAROLINA C LIVING | april 2011 | scliving.coop SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2011
th Marlboro Electric’s 70 Annual Meeting! We have a ‘seat’ waiting for you!
Marlboro Electric is celebrating 70 years of service! Each co-op member registered and present at Marlboro Electric’s 70th Annual Meeting will receive a red fold-out stadium chair and two compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Registered and present members will also be eligible for the Grand Prize, Semi-Grand Prizes and many other prizes. When: Saturday, April 16, 2011
Where: Marlboro County High School ENTERTAINMENT: Melody Aires Gospel Group
Fayetteville Avenue Bennettsville, South Carolina WIRE sponsored CONCESSIONS & BOOTHS Time: Registration 12 Noon until 2:00
HEALTH FAIR by Marlboro Park Hospital
BLOOD DRIVE by American Red Cross
FACE PAINTING CLOWNS by Snikkles and Lemonade
SEMI-GRAND PRIZES: Refrigerator, washer & dryer, stove and television
GRAND PRIZE: 2006 Ford 150 truck
scliving.coop | april 2011 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING 5
News Extra
Support WIRE, touch lives Eachye ar, WIRE sells items and hosts the concessions at the Annual The local WIRE chapter donated school supplies in January for 4th- Meeting to raise funds to donate grade teachers and students in Marlboro County. The donation during to needy causes in the community. this time of year will help needy students and teachers finish out the Local WIRE ladies work hard to latter part of the school year when resources become scarce. WIRE members Rosa Leviner and Mary Baker delivered school supplies to spread their love, concern and caring Wallace Elementary and Willa Johnson delivered school supplies to for which rural citizens are known. Bennettsville Elementary, top left. In their efforts of working for better communities, WIRE continues to touch the lives of many people. WIRE offers $2,500 scholarship for women WIRE is a non-profit community Applications are being taken accredited S.C. college or outreach organization that encourages for a $2,500 scholarship for university, and women awarded annually by interest in electric programs and ff demonstrate financial works to improve the quality of life WIRE, a community service need. organization affiliated with in rural areas. Membership is open to electric co-ops in South Women who have all women who are co-op members, Carolina, including Marlboro previously obtained a four- trustees, retirees and employees or Electric Cooperative. year college degree are not the spouses of members, trustees and The WIRE Opportunity eligible. Applicants may have employees. Scholarship is awarded to a previously earned a two- woman who may not have year degree or some college been able to attend college credits. The scholarship, when she graduated from which can be used for the fall high school but now wants to 2011 or spring 2012 semesters, further her education. WIRE will be paid jointly to the (Women Involved in Rural winner and her college of Electrification) awards the choice. scholarship based on financial Applications are available need and personal goals. at Marlboro Electric Cooperative. The deadline Applicants must: to apply is June 1. Mail or Emma Huckabee was honored as the 2010 ff be a member of a South fax the application to WIRE WIRE Woman of the Year Carolina electric co-op Scholarship Committee, in recognition of her Attention: Christy
CHRISTY ff have graduated from high outstanding commitment, Overstreet, Marlboro Electric school or earned her GED service and dedication. Cooperative, Inc., P.O. Box
O at least 10 years ago VERSTREET 1057, Bennettsville, SC 29512; ff be accepted into an fax (843) 479-8990.
scliving.coop | april 2011 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING 20A Katie Locklear with her September 1975 magazine.
She’s been ‘Living’ 70 YEARS with our magazine OF SERVICE for decades!
By WALTER ALLREAD
S HE MAY liVE “at the end of the line”—just across the state line near Maxton, N.C.—but MEC member Katie LLREAD WALTER
Locklear has always maintained a close A connection to her co-op through its member magazine. She’s held onto her back issues column. Locklear turned straight to it of Living in South Carolina since she “every time he came out!” she says. and her late husband, Winford, first “Country stuff,” she recalls. Good stuff. received co-op service back in the Having a son, she could relate to MARLBORO 1970s. Locklear recently found two Eleazer’s homespun tales. These days, ELECTRIC full issues, one from 1970 and another Winford Jr., and her daughters, Lisa COOPERATIVE
from ’75, in a drawer. The precursor Oxendine and Vicky Harris, are all to South Carolina Living, the original MEC members. No doubt Lisa and Serving our members Living featured useful energy advice, Vicky, who live next door, appreciate since Sept. 3, 1940 just as it does today. those time-tested recipes from Living. But what Locklear and her family “We come over here and eat with literally ate up was found in the back her,” notes Lisa. of the book—“Cook’s Corner.” Like Even so, she can’t resist kidding many good country cooks, Locklear her mother: “Since my dad passed routinely clipped the tastiest articles: away, she got where she don’t cook. “I found a recipe I had pulled out of I’m gone have to divorce her!” one today,” she notes. We all share a good laugh. No She also regularly devoured “Boys doubt J.M. Eleazer would have Are That Way,” the late J.M. Eleazer’s laughed, too. What’s old is new online Read a popular column from 1975 and some vintage Co-op News Log onto MarlboroElectric.Coop this month to read an old favorite of Katie Locklear and thousands of other readers—J.M. Eleazer’s “Boys Are That Way” column. Eleazer’s articles were a popular feature for many years in our magazine’s earlier incarnation, Living in South Carolina. We became South Carolina Living a couple of years ago, but MEC and other S.C. co-ops have long strived to communicate with their member-owners through print media, today augmented by an online presence as well. The co-op website this month also features a cover image from the magazine’s predecessor, South Carolina Electric Co-op News, circa January 1961. The newsletter, far right, was already in its 11th volume at the time. Close inspection of the cover revealed a photo, inset at right, of former MEC manager Robert Awbrey with 4-H member Johnnie Flyn McCormac. Go to MarlboroElectric.Coop for a 50-year flashback—or to stay current on your co-op’s modern-day programs and services.
20B SOUTHAROLINA C LIVING | april 2011 | scliving.coop Miss Marlboro Electric pageant memories stick with Kathy Sadler Khalil
TELHE Y L OWED NEWSPAPER CLIP takes Kathy Sadler Khalil back to a land that’s faraway—but, oh, so close. “Coronation of the 1969 Miss Marlboro Electric Cooperative was the climax of the Electric Fair held here COURTESY
Thursday,” the story says. For Khalil,
K
the event is a slightly musty, but ATHY
K thoroughly pleasant, memory. HALIL “It was in a big tent!” she recalls. “There were a LOT of people there.” Outside King’s Famous Pizza, Kathy Held in spring, the pageant’s setting Sadler Khalil displays photos from the was not exactly, shall we say, Atlantic 1973 Miss North Carolina pageant, where City or Las Vegas glamorous. “It had she competed as Miss Richmond County been raining, and it was a mess,” while attending nursing school. Khalil, LLREAD WALTER right above, placed in the top 15 and Khalil recalls. later posed with another contestant with
She didn’t win either. She placed A pageant sponsor Colonel Harlan Sanders first runner-up. But Khalil, who read of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame. an article about the Electric Fairs in South Carolina Living last spring, has her husband, Nazmy, live in Dillon, it: “I lived in the Free States—that’s in only positive memories. where he owns and operates King’s between Highway 9 and Highway 34,” “Everybody was very nice and Famous Pizza, a favorite eatery for she says. “Our lights and electricity encouraging,” she remembers. “They locals and visitors alike—even Supreme came from Marlboro Electric, our said, ‘Come back next year and bring Court Justice Clarence Thomas. rural route was Latta, and our phone some of your friends.’ So I said, ‘OK!’ ” Rewinding time again, Khalil opens was in Dillon! I was in the middle of She did. her scrapbook and remembers how everywhere!” “I talked Harriet Wood into going she came to enter the co-op pageants: Even though she was not crowned with me, and she won, which tickled Her mother, the late Kay Sadler Long, the electric fair-est of them all in me to death.” and her stepfather, Biven Long of co-op land, Khalil went on to greater What’s old is new online Better yet, Khalil went on to college Latta, were MEC members, she notes. pageant heights. While attending the and a rewarding career: She retired Biven Long and his wife of 15 years, Hamlet School of Nursing, a member as a registered nurse with DHEC after Joyce, are members today. of the local Jaycees entered her in working many years as a travel nurse The area where she grew up was the Miss Richmond (N.C.) County across the United States. Khalil and rural with a twist, as Khalil describes pageant. “I didn’t even know it,” she says. “Honey, when you’re in nursing Khalil, second from school, you’re not thinking about left, was first runner-up for the Miss Marlboro anything but work and tuition!” Electric crown in 1968 and She not only won Miss Richmond 1969, but was “tickled to County, she was named Miss death” that her friend Harriet Wood, with Congeniality in 1972—and later placed bouquet, won in 1969. as Miss Congeniality in the 1973 Miss With them is Sylvia North Carolina pageant. Odom of Bennettsville, left, the “retiring queen,” True to her congenial nature, Khalil and her sister, second is gracious about her Miss Marlboro runner-up Cathy Odom. Electric Cooperative experience. After all, as runner-up she received $25 and her friend Harriet got $50, she remembers. “That was a lot of money back then. I was happy!”
scliving.coop | april 2011 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING 20C Co-ops offering 20,000 local discounts ‘Rock & Roll’ with a discount at museum Use your Co-op Connections card for a discount on admission to the Columbia Museum of Art, now featuring Who Shot Rock & Roll, on view through May 22. This major exhibition on rock ’n’ roll photography acknowledges the photographers’ creative and collaborative role in the history of rock. The exhibition includes 175 works
LLREAD WALTER by more than 100 photographers and covers from the 1950s to the
A present, including some of the world’s most iconic images. It was organized by the prestigious At S & D Auto Parts, the local NAPA store at 200 Brooklyn Museum of Art and Th e cO-op Connections member Hwy. 9 East in Bennettsville, owner Dan Castor opened there to rave reviews and benefit program has reached a and manager Buck George Jr. offer 5–7 per- cent off selected auto parts, paint and supply record attendance. Columbia is the milestone, surpassing 20,000 local items for Co-op Connections cardholders. “It’s last stop on the nationwide tour. businesses offering discounts to definitely a good program,” says Castor, left. In addition to the Columbia co-op members. Marlboro Electric Museum of Art, about 30 other Cooperative is among 325 Touchstone Some local businesses offering South Carolina attractions offer Energy co-ops participating in the discounts include: discounts to Co-op Connections cardholders, including: program nationwide with almost 800 ff Abingdon Manor Inn & Restaurant discounts around the state. ff Ashley Furniture Home Store ff Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Marlboro Electric has more than ff Beaty Eye Clinic ff Carowinds Water & Theme Park 90 discount offers ff South Carolina Aquarium within 50 miles of ff Bennettsville Lumber & Barns Marlboro County ff Best Western-Bennettsville Inn ff Governor’s House Inn and more than ff Breeden Grocery ff Hollywild Animal Park
200 discount ff Breeden Inn Bed & Breakfast offers within 50 ff Carolina Cleaners Alfred Wertheimer’s “Elvis Whispers Softly,” from 1956, is one of the images featured in miles of Dillon ff Cathy’s Flower & Gift Shop Who Shot Rock & Roll, on exhibit through County to help ff Causey Home Center May 22 at the Columbia Museum of Art. members save money, ff Coker College not including pharmacy discounts. ff Country Crossroads Grocery As a co-op member, you can present your Co-op Connections ff Davis Furniture Store Card or key fob at any participating ff Derrick’s Window Tint business in the United States and ff Edwards Chiropractic Wellness receive discounts. If your business ff Farmers Home Furniture would like to participate in this ff First Citizens Bank program, contact Christy Overstreet ff Fowler Pharmacy & Gift Shop at Marlboro Electric to sign up. All ff Frazier Construction business discounts are promoted at no ff Marlboro Herald Advocate charge. ff Marty Wright Home Sales Members can search for details and deals by category, ZIP code, ff Parrott’s Furniture keyword and more on connections. ff Pee Dee Promotions coop. Access the site through ff Roller Carpet www.MarlboroElectric.coop, click ff S & D Auto Parts dba Napa Auto on the Co-op Connections card to link ff Sandy Ocean BBQ COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ART for savings. ff State Farm, Sully Blair Agency
20D SOUTHAROLINA C LIVING | april 2011 | scliving.coop