Voted on by our members in 2006, Operation Round Up was enacted to become a way for outreach into the areas we serve. Each month, a member’s electric bill is rounded up to the next dollar amount. Some months may be a few cents more, others are a few cents less. On average, most members contribute about 50¢/month. But through the strength of the entire cooperative, that change adds up to provide meaningful help to others.

This voluntary program gives members the ability to help

those in need through the support of social, charitable,

and civic programs in our service area.

Yearly giving for a member:

12¢ – $11.88 annually

Average per member: $6/year

KEEPING THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITIES AT HEART IS A MAIN MISSION OF A COOPERATIVE. FarmersElectric.coop

YOU’RE IN POWER.903 455 1715 | FarmersElectric.coop | 2000 Interstate 30 East, Greenville, TX 75402

Operation Round UpMembers Helping Members, and Our Community.

We’ve always been told it’s the little things that count in life: being kind to our neighbors, returning a lost wallet, picking up after ourselves while enjoying the great outdoors. Although each action might not amount to much on its own, if everyone does a little, we see a big, positive impact in our community. That’s why Farmers Electric Cooperative is a proud supporter of Operation Round Up. Co-op members

who opt in to the Operation Round Up program have their monthly electric bills automatically rounded up to the next whole dollar amount, and the difference is deposited into a fund that assists worthy local service organizations or individuals in need. The co-op’s board of directors oversees contributions, evaluates funding applications and distributes funds to recipients such as local volunteer fire departments, community service organizations such as the Rockwall County Meals on Wheel Senior Service and to organizations that assist residents in need. How does it work for a member? If your bill for one month is $82.70, that amount would be rounded up to $83, with 30 cents going to Operation Round Up for that month. Most members don’t even notice the extra money they contribute. Over the span of a year, the average amount of spare change contributed by a member is about $6. Six dollars a year doesn’t sound like much, but when you put together those small, monthly contributions from all the program members—that’s when things start to get exciting. About 37,000 members of our cooperative chip in monthly to support Operation Round Up, and that number grows every month. Last year, your co-op distributed more than $140,000 to local organizations. That’s something we can all be proud of. Our assistance is changing lives for the better in our community. About 250 local electric co-ops nationwide run Operation Round Up programs. All told, consumers at these co-ops have raised more than $100 million since South Carolina’s Palmetto Electric Cooperative originated the idea in 1989. If you’re one of the members who makes Operation Round Up possible, thank you. If you would like to participate, you can call us at 903-455-1715. Together, we can use a little pocket change to change our community.

FARMERS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

CO-OP NEWS

FarmersElectric.coop

Our Cooperative. Our Community.

by MARK STUBBSGeneral Manager

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTYouth Tour & ScholarshipsEach year Farmers EC sponsors two high school students to attend the Government-in-Action Youth Tour in Washington D.C.

We also offer numerous scholarships for eligible high school seniors whose parents are co-op members.

Learn more at: FarmersElectric.coop.

HOLIDAY HOURSFarmers EC offices will be closed for:

Christmas - Dec. 23 & 26New Year’s - Jan. 2

CONGRATULATIONS TO GLENDA HARRIS2016 Annual Meeting Grand Prize Winner

Farmers EC General Manager Mark Stubbs is pictured with member Glenda Harris who was the grand prize winner at the Annual Meeting. Harris won a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu that was being retired from the cooperative’s fleet.

FARMERS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Install a Programmable ThermostatA programmable thermostat can make sure temperatures in the home match the schedules of inhabitants. Turning back your thermostat for eight hours a day can save as much as 10 percent a year on your heating bill.

Perform an Air Leak TestLeaks in windows and doors are big culprits in a chilly household. If you feel a draft, first find the source. Perform this test on a windy day if possible, or while all exhaust vents are blowing.

First, close all windows and doors. Second, light an incense stick or a match and pass it by windows and doors. If the smoke is sucked out or blown into the room, you have found an air leak.

Seal any leaks you find with caulk or weatherstripping.

Free Up Blocked VentsWintertime can mean bringing in holiday decorations and additional chairs for visitors. Be sure your furniture and décor are not blocking heating registers so air can circulate more freely and save energy.

Helpful home heating hints.Winter is here, along with the utility bills

for heating your home. Heating and

cooling can account for about half of

utility bills. Use these ideas to keep your

family warm economically:

C9 Incandescent 7 350 $13.33

Mini Incandescent 0.425 21.25 $0.81

LED 0.069 3.45 $0.13

LEDs for the holidays“L-E-D! L-E-D! L-E-D!” (Imagine this being chanted the way “U-S-A” is at the

Olympics.) Although LEDs won’t necessarily anchor a relay to victory, they are

most certainly the current champions when it comes to energy-efficient lighting,

and a perfect choice for holiday decorating.

Fifty years ago, we enjoyed decorating with large, painted incandescent bulbs.

They were glorious—and hot, posing a real danger when used on a dry tree.

Fast-forward a couple of decades, when the energy-conservation movement

created a demand for more efficient options. Enter miniature incandescent light

strings. These still are widely used today and use dramatically less power than

their predecessors.

As is often true in our technological age, manufacturers didn’t stop looking

for even more efficient alternatives. This led to the introduction of LED lights.

The first incarnations generated less-than-appealing garish blues, greens and

reds but quickly softened into a more eye-pleasing spectrum. Today, LEDs are the

undisputed champs of holiday lighting. There is no reason to let concerns over

cost of operation limit your decorating genius. You could wrap your home in LED

light strings, become visible to the International Space Station and still have a

pleasantly manageable power bill at the end of it all.

LEDs are also showing up in other forms and places. They are available in clear

tubes that you can wrap around objects for extra interest, and many yard figures

are constructed with these as the main lighted element.

How about wearing some holiday LED bling? Yes, the tacky (but ever so

popular) holiday tie with tiny lights has been around for years. But, combine

the advances in LEDs with conductive paints and microcontrollers, and you can

create some truly memorable fashions for the holidays.

You have worked hard all year to reduce your energy consumption to save

money and slim down your carbon footprint. Now reward yourself with a

splendid holiday display that will be the envy of all who see it—while still

conserving electricity.

Holiday Lighting ComparisonHoliday lighting options have come a long way over the past few decades. The chart below

shows three types of lighting options, including wattage and operating cost comparison

*Based on 40 days of operation, eight hours per day, $0.119 per kilowatt-hour (Department of Energy average).

In addition, the LED will last as much as 40 times longer than the incandesent lamps. Source: energy.gov

WATTS PER LAMP

TYPE OF LAMP WATTS PER 50 LAMP

SEASONALOPERATING COSTS*

CO-OP NEWS

December 2016

Odds & EndsFair, festival, class or show—share your community event with

us and we’ll help you get the word out with the Farmers EC

Community Calendar.

SEND TO: event@FarmersElectric.coop

RECIPE

Apple Skillet CakePower TipReduce energy for water heating. Simple steps like lowering your heater’s temperature and installing low-flow showerheads can reduce your water heating bills.

INGREDIENTS1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk

2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet.

2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda and sugar

3. Add beaten egg, vanilla, buttermilk, apples and pecans. Mix until just incorporated.

4. Pour mixture into skillet and bake 40-50 minutes.

CO-OP NEWS

FarmersElectric.coop

If you are claiming a sales tax exemption on electricity used in the production of agricultural or timber products, you must renew your exemption by Dec. 31 through the Office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Otherwise, the co-op will be required to charge sales tax beginning in January. There are several options for renewing your exemption certificate: online, by phone or by mail. Online renewal is the fastest, with the applicant receiving a confirmation number immediately. Those applying by phone will receive a confirmation letter

by mail in five to seven days. Processing time for renewing by mail could take several weeks. Those seeking a renewal can visit: comptroller.texas.gov/taxinfo/agriculture/get_ready_texas.html for more information. The site also features a list of eligibility requirements. Only one certificate is required for members with multiple qualifying meters.

For more information, contact the comptroller’s office at comptroller.texas.gov/taxhelp or call 1-800-252-5555.

DID YOU KNOW

How To Renew Exemption Certificates

Holiday Hours Our offices will be closed December 23 & 26 for the Christmas holiday.and January 2 for New Year’s.Crews will be on standby in case of outages.