October is National Co-op Month
Fall is a busy time, and October is a particularly eventful month with school, community and sports activities in full swing. It’s also when all cooperatives celebrate National Co-op Month.
When I say United Electric Cooperative celebrates Co-op Month, it really means we are celebrating you. After all, our co-op wouldn’t exist without you, our members.
Our core business is to serve as your electricity provider, but our larger mission is to help make our corner of the world a better place. Concern for Community is one of seven guiding principles all co-ops share. Similar to how the power lines run through our service territory, our concern for community flows through all of our decisions. That’s because being a co-op means being a responsible partner and good neighbor.
United Electric works to help our community thrive through initiatives led by our employees and local board, who live here in our community. Because we’re local, we understand our community’s unique needs and strive to help meet them.
We’re proud to support local students through our Youth Tour and scholarship programs. With your help, we offer Operation Round Up to aid our community’s most vulnerable. We also partner with and support many area schools and sports programs.
The word cooperative implies everyone working together toward a common goal—mutually benefiting one another and the larger community. That’s the cooperative spirit. Our employees and member-elected board members are invested in the community where they live and serve.
Above all, as a co-op, we put our members’ priorities first. As your trusted energy partner, we know saving energy and money is important to you. That’s why we have programs to help, including free home energy audits and our PrePaid Power program. Through our SmartHub app, you can conveniently monitor and manage your energy use. Of course, you can call us if you have questions about your energy bills.
United Electric’s mission is to provide you with reliable electric service and excellent customer care at affordable rates. After all, we’re your local co-op, built by the members we serve.
Keep it Safe
Prepare kids for trick-or-treating
On October 31, small, strange creatures may dot our roads, creeping up to homes with large bags, dashing from one place to another, often forgetting about passing cars and trucks. United Electric
Cooperative reminds you to drive carefully to keep Halloween a safe, special treat. When preparing youngsters for trick-or-treating, be mindful of these suggestions from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
Ensure the costume fits properly and doesn’t hinder the child’s vision. Consider face makeup instead of masks, and buy only flame-resistant or flame-retardant costumes.
For greater visibility, trim costumes and bags with reflective tape.
Have children carry flashlights so they can see and be seen.
Swords, knives and costume accessories should be made of soft, flexible material.
Examine treats carefully before allowing children to eat the sweets.
Keep candles and jack-o-lanterns away from landings and doorsteps, so costumes don’t brush against the flames. Remove obstacles from lawns, steps and porches.
Fall Into Reading
Good reading skills are essential for success in school and beyond
As the season settles into fall and schoolchildren get used to the daily school schedule, routines again rule the household.
Studies show children do better in school if their parents or guardians are involved in their educations. Although small children are inquisitive and eager to learn, they need encouragement and reinforcement to start them off and keep them going in the right direction.
Here are some tips to help your child develop good study habits and a lifetime love of learning.
Start early by instilling a passion for learning. Read to preschool children every day. It arouses their natural curiosity about the world around them and encourages them to want to learn to read for themselves. Have you signed up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library? This program—launched in 1995 in Sevier County and now active in five countries— gifts free, high-quality books each month to children from birth to age 5, no matter their family’s income. To find out more, visit imaginationlibrary.com.
Provide books and supplies. Give your children the tools they need to improve their reading and to do projects.
Work out a schedule. Decide how much time should be set aside for homework and establish a routine.
Designate a quiet, comfortable place for studying. Encourage youngsters to study in the same place every day—away from distractions.
Help your children get their days organized. Using a calendar gives students a sense of accomplishment.
Provide reinforcement. Praise your children for working hard and completing assignments.
Talk with your children about what is happening in the world around them. Encourage new ideas and interests.
Set an example for them. Parents and guardians are, after all, the most important teachers in children’s lives.
Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month
With winter weather on the way, now is the time to seal drafty windows. If you can see daylight around a window frame or if you can rattle a window (movement means possible leaks), the window likely needs to be sealed.
Most window leaks can be sealed with caulk or weatherstripping, which come in a variety of compounds and materials. Visit Energy.gov's Energy Saver page to learn how and where to seal air leaks.
Source: energy.gov