FREDERICK City of Winchester CLARKE WARREN Shenandoah Valley Electric SHENANDOAH PAGE ROCKINGHAM HIGHLAND Cooperative News AUGUSTA SVEC Offers 2017 Scholarships ince 1992, Shenandoah Valley is to make a student’s dream of higher review of the essays. The judges have no Electric Cooperative (SVEC) has education become a reality. The only information (including name, high school Sawarded scholarships to deserving requirements for a student to apply for the or gender) regarding who wrote the essays high school seniors in the region that it scholarship are that his or her parents, or at this point. Based on the essays, the serves. These students have earned the guardians, must be member-owners of judges will narrow the applicant pool scholarships with excellence in the Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative before reviewing all other information classroom, extracurricular activities and and the student must attend a high school submitted with the application. contributions to the community. In the located in the areas served by the The eligibility requirements and judging years since the scholarship has been Cooperative. criteria are outlined in the application awarded, the Cooperative has given back Students will be judged for the forms that are available at any SVEC office more than $100,000 to the community. scholarship based on a number of criteria. or the students’ school guidance During the spring of 2017, SVEC will The three most important criteria will be department. All applications and essays award ten $1,000 scholarships to students the quality of the essay provided by the must be delivered personally to SVEC by whose parents or guardians are member- student, participation in school/ 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 24, 2017, or postmarked owners of SVEC. community activities, and the quality of no later than Feb. 24, 2017. Furthering one’s education is the best their high school course load. Other If you have any questions concerning investment for success in the future. information used to judge the applicants this scholarship opportunity, please check The obstacles facing most students today will be letters of reference and grade-point the website at www.svec.coop or contact are the rising costs associated with a average. It is important to note that the Cammie Tutwiler or Preston Knight at college education. first step in the judging process is a blind Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative. The goal of SVEC’s scholarship program 2016 2014 (continued) SHENANDOAH VALLEY Grace Blanchard Highland High School Jessica Hiter Broadway High School Margaret Chu Luray High School Mark Jackson Riverheads High School ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE Lauren Croissant Spotswood High School Tiffany Riggs Central High School P.O. Box 236 Sarah Daley Wilson Memorial High School Joy Showalter Broadway High School 147 Dinkel Avenue – Hwy. 257 Colin Jones Ridgeview Christian School Hannah Turner Luray High School Mt. Crawford, VA 22841-0236 Isabelle Leonard Riverheads High School 800-234-SVEC (7832) Nathan Miller Stonewall Jackson High School 2013 Office Hours: M-F, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Haley Sanders Wilson Memorial High School Abigail Blase James Wood High School www.svec.coop Benjamin Witman Spotswood High School Nora Burgess John Handley High School Jacob Wright Fort Defiance High School Mary Callender Turner Ashby High School President and CEO Michelle Fultz Buffalo Gap High School Michael W. Hastings 2015 Julia Halbersma Sherando High School Kelsey Basham Riverheads High School Savannah Hepner Spotswood High School Board Chair Cody Boden James Wood High School Charles Jones Ridgeview Christian School Robbie F. Marchant Rosie Clifton Stonewall Jackson High School Tyler Morris Sherando High School Daniel Cox Riverheads High School Mason Seaman Stuarts Draft High School Local Pages Editor Isabella Dickens-Bowman John Handley High School Jessica Watson Wilson Memorial High School J. Michael Aulgur Megan Godsey Wilson Memorial High School Writers Klaire Gubler Rappahannock County High School 2012 Cammie Tutwiler Olivia Heeb Fort Defiance High School Carter Black John Handley High School Preston Knight Sierra Hepner Spotswood High School Sydney Collins Broadway High School Julia Watson Wilson Memorial High School Cassie Conley Stonewall Jackson High School For all questions concerning advertising, Hannah Cox Riverheads High School contact Cooperative Living at 804-346-3344. 2014 Claire Glick Harrisonburg High School Julia Billingsley Bath County High School Janey Green James Wood High School This institution is an equal opportunity Breanna Bosley Turner Ashby High School Stephanie Hertzenberg Spotswood High School provider and employer. SVEC supports Allison Botkin Broadway High School Hannah Huddle Central High School our armed services and veterans in Katelyn Bowers Skyline High School David Leech Highland High School employment opportunities. Chris Delaughter Stonewall Jackson High School Amy Scheel East Rockingham High School 22 | Cooperative Living | January 2017 Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative SVEC to Hold Food Drive henandoah Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) is pleased to Sannounce that it is holding a food drive for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank beginning Feb. 1. All of its district offices and headquarters in Mount Crawford will have barrels inside the front door for SVEC member-owners to drop off food. All locations are open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The food drive will last until March 10. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank serves an average of 118,600 people each month in 25 counties and nine cities. All jurisdictions that SVEC serves are also served by the food bank, which is based in Verona. Food from SVEC’s drive will be ITEMS NEEDED — PLEASE DO NOT DONATE GLASS ITEMS donated to the food bank’s Winchester- Cereal Boxed Mac & Cheese and Verona-area branches. We appreciate Peanut or Almond Butter Pasta and Rice your help in feeding the hungry during this winter season. For more information Canned Tuna and Chicken Spaghetti Sauce on the food bank, visit www.brafb.org. For Canned Soups, Stews and Chili Paper Products more information about the food drive, Canned Fruit Baby Food, Formula and Diapers you can contact Cammie Tutwiler at SVEC Canned Veggies Soap, Toothbrushes and Feminine Products by calling 1-800-234-7832. Beans, Canned or Dried Cool Off Your Winter Energy Bill With These Tips ou budgeted for holiday gifts, meals, Drape delivery: Are you using your Rug relief: Have a spare rug? Use it to maybe a vacation — and with money curtains to capture heat? Make sure drapes cover bare floors for added insulation. Ytight, that doesn’t leave much room and shades are open to catch free solar heat Cool food: Don’t make your fridge for home energy-efficiency upgrades. Does during the day. Close them at night to keep work too hard. Clean coils every year, and that mean you’re powerless to lower your the heat inside. set the temperature between 34°-37° F; electric bill? Not at all. Keep your energy Thermostat: Set your thermostat to 68° F leave the freezer between 0°-5° F. Keep the bill cool this winter with these tips (or lower if comfortable). freezer full — frozen food helps your and tricks: Got tape? Though not as durable as foam, freezer stay cool. When cooking keep lids rubber or vinyl, you can use non-porous tape on pots, and let hot food cool before (first-aid cloth tape, for example) to keep cold placing it in the refrigerator. air from squeezing into your home. Tape is Hot savings: Heating water accounts good for blocking corners and irregular for 12 percent of your home’s energy use. cracks, and can be used at the top and bottom Set your water-heater temperature no of a window sash, door frames, attic hatches higher than 120° F. For households with and inoperable windows. Reinforce with only one or two members, 115° F works. staples if needed. Fan it up: Run ceiling paddle fans on low There are other ways to conserve energy, and reverse the rotation to blow air up in too. Remember, you don’t pay for what winter. This keeps warm air circulating you don’t use. When you’re not watching without cooling you. TV or using lights, computers and other Free vents: Your HVAC system will have electronics, turn them off. Lower your to work twice as hard if your air registers room temperatures a bit and wear a and vents are blocked by rugs, furniture sweater to stay warm, or place an extra or drapes. Keep them clear to allow air to blanket on the bed at night. flow freely. Garage drain: Leave your garage door down. Sources: TogetherWeSave.com, Alliance to Save A warmer garage in winter will save energy. Energy, EnergySavers.gov www.svec.coop January 2017 | Cooperative Living | 23 SVEC Linemen Assist with Hurricane Restoration n Oct. 8, Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative sent O12 linemen to South Carolina to assist Edisto Electric Cooperative with restoration efforts following Hurricane Matthew. Thank you to everyone who kept these men, and workers from many other cooperatives, in your thoughts and prayers. This was another example of the Sixth Cooperative Principle of “Cooperation Among Cooperatives,” proving that by working together, we can all better serve Pictured (L-R with their SVEC district): Matt Durbin, Winchester; Mike Williams, Luray; James our communities. Cubbage, Luray; Charlie Tusing, Shenandoah; Richard Hill, Shenandoah; Jared Armstrong, Rockingham; Kevin Good, Rockingham; Josh Hedrick, Augusta; Brandon Long, Augusta; Craig Bockey, Winchester; Brad Kochel, Winchester; Brian Hazelwood, Winchester. Aerial Cutting Schedule for 2017 erial cutting for 2017 will begin on or about Jan. 3 and last until Shenandoah County (beginning Jan. 3): • Zepp, Cedar Creek, Star Tannery, Van Buren Furnace, Paddy’s Run, Paddy’s Cove March 26 in the areas listed at A • Mill Creek, Sundance, Supinlick Ridge right. Member-owners who will be affected by this work can expect to receive written Rockingham County (beginning Jan.