22 | Cooperative Living | January 2018 Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative

ROCKINGHAM

PAGE

SHENANDOAH

FREDERICK

CLARKE

WARREN

HIGHLAND

AUGUSTA

City of WinchesterShenandoah Valley Electric

Cooperative News

SHENANDOAH VALLEYELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

P.O. Box 236147 Dinkel Avenue – Hwy. 257Mt. Crawford, VA 22841-0236

800-234-SVEC (7832)Office Hours: M-F, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

www.svec.coop

President and CEOMichael W. Hastings

Board ChairGerald A. Heatwole

Local Pages EditorJ. Michael Aulgur

WritersCammie TutwilerPreston Knight

For all questions concerning advertising, contact Cooperative Living at 804-346-3344.

This institution is an equal opportunityprovider and employer. SVEC supports our armed services and veterans in

employment opportunities.

SVEC Offers Scholarships for 2018

Since 1992, Shenandoah ValleyElectric Cooperative (SVEC) hasawarded scholarships to deserving

high school seniors in the region that itserves. These students have earned thescholarships with excellence in theclassroom, extracurricular activities andcontributions to the community. In theyears since the scholarship has beenawarded, the Cooperative has given backmore than $100,000 to the community.During the spring of 2018, SVEC willaward ten $1,000 scholarships to studentswhose parents or guardians are member-owners of SVEC.Furthering one’s education is the best

investment for success in the future.The obstacles facing most students todayare the rising costs associated with acollege education.The goal of SVEC’s scholarship program

is to make a student’s dream of higher

education become a reality. The onlyrequirements for a student to apply for the scholarship are that their parents orguardians must be member-owners ofShenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative andthe student must attend a high school locatedin the areas served by the Cooperative.

Students will be judged for the scholarshipbased on a number of criteria. The threemost important criteria will be the qualityof the essay provided by the student,participation in school/communityactivities, and the quality of their highschool course load. Other informationused to judge the applicants will be lettersof reference and grade-point average. It isimportant to note that the first step in thejudging process is a blind review of theessays. The judges have no information

(including name, high school or gender)regarding who wrote the essays at thispoint. Based on the essays, the judges willnarrow the applicant pool before reviewingall other information submitted with the application.The eligibility requirements and judging

criteria are outlined in the applicationforms that are available at any SVEC officeor the students’ school guidance department.All applications and essays must bedelivered personally to SVEC by 4:30 p.m.on Feb. 21, 2018, or postmarked no laterthan Feb. 21, 2018.If you have any questions concerning

this scholarship opportunity, please checkour website at www.svec.coop or contactCammie Tutwiler or Preston Knight atShenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative.

PREVIOUS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS2017Peyton Ayers Stuarts Draft High SchoolKennedy Eagle John Handley High SchoolMaria Becerra Flores Stonewall Jackson High SchoolSadie Garber Fort Defiance High SchoolZachary Hiter Broadway High SchoolTara Ingersoll Wilson Memorial High SchoolBlair Landram Fort Defiance High SchoolTyler Patton Stonewall Jackson High SchoolDuncan Schroeder Stonewall Jackson High SchoolAllison Stump Highland High School

2016Grace Blanchard Highland High SchoolMargaret Chu Luray High SchoolLauren Croissant Spotswood High SchoolSarah Daley Wilson Memorial High SchoolColin Jones Ridgeview Christian SchoolIsabelle Leonard Riverheads High SchoolNathan Miller Stonewall Jackson High SchoolHaley Sanders Wilson Memorial High SchoolBenjamin Witman Spotswood High SchoolJacob Wright Fort Defiance High School

2015Kelsey Basham Riverheads High SchoolCody Boden James Wood High SchoolRosie Clifton Stonewall Jackson High SchoolDaniel Cox Riverheads High SchoolIsabella Dickens-Bowman John Handley High School

2015 (continued)Megan Godsey Wilson Memorial High SchoolKlaire Gubler Rappahannock County High SchoolOlivia Heeb Fort Defiance High SchoolSierra Hepner Spotswood High SchoolJulia Watson Wilson Memorial High School

2014Julia Billingsley Bath County High SchoolBreanna Bosley Turner Ashby High SchoolAllison Botkin Broadway High SchoolKatelyn Bowers Skyline High SchoolChris Delaughter Stonewall Jackson High SchoolJessica Hiter Broadway High SchoolMark Jackson Riverheads High SchoolTiffany Riggs Central High SchoolJoy Showalter Broadway High SchoolHannah Turner Luray High School

2013Abigail Blase James Wood High SchoolNora Burgess John Handley High SchoolMary Callender Turner Ashby High SchoolMichelle Fultz Buffalo Gap High SchoolJulia Halbersma Sherando High SchoolSavannah Hepner Spotswood High SchoolCharles Jones Ridgeview Christian SchoolTyler Morris Sherando High SchoolMason Seaman Stuarts Draft High SchoolJessica Watson Wilson Memorial High School

www.svec.coop January 2018 | Cooperative Living | 23

Meter Tampering Is Dangerous — and Illegalby Cammie Tutwiler, SVEC Writer

At Shenandoah Valley ElectricCooperative (SVEC), we work tobring you reliable and safe electric

service at the lowest possible cost. Toachieve some of the Cooperative’sgoals, it is with the help of you,our member-owners, that weare able to meet and exceedthese expectations. One ofthe most important parts of the Cooperative’selectric service isprobably not frequentlythought of or seen, but itholds significant value inbringing you quality service:your meter. Meters are useful and necessary

tools to accurately measure the amount ofelectricity used. The meters are property ofthe Cooperative, and member-ownersshould never risk tampering with a meterfor any reason. “The most important thing to always

consider with electricity is the safetyaspect, and this kind of activity has a highlevel of danger associated with it,” saidGreg Rogers, SVEC’s vice president ofengineering and operations.Tampering with a meter is very dangerous,

and also against the law, he said, accordingto Section 18.2-163 of the Code of Virginia. “Of course, the next consideration with

meter tampering is the illegal nature of theaction. A lot of people feel the worst thingwould be that we disconnect them, but

that’s not the case anymore. Dependingon the severity, cases could end

up in court,” Rogers said.A conviction oftampering could lead to 12 months in jailand/or up to a $2,500fine plus restitution.Additionally, thoseattempting to tamper with a meter could end up

costing the other Cooperativemembers money. “In the process of trying to

divert electric, there are at least twopossible circumstances that could end upcosting member-owners money. One,repairing SVEC equipment if it is damaged,and two, paying for the electricity that isgained improperly,” Rogers said. Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative

asks that if you see any suspicious activityregarding meter tampering, electric theft,or if you just have a question regarding thereadings of your meter, please call theCooperative at 1-800-234-7832 and a

representative will be happy to assist you.

FROM THE COOPERATIVE’S TERMS& CONDITIONS FOR PROVIDINGELECTRIC SERVICEMeter Tampering, Current Diversion orUnauthorized Reconnection

The Cooperative may pursue any criminalcomplaint procedure available under thelaw. Before reconnection of any servicedisconnected for meter tampering, currentdiversion, or unauthorized reconnection ofservice, the Consumer normally mustcomply with the following conditions:

1. Pay for all damages to Cooperativeequipment resulting from the tamperingand/or damages and provide sufficientdeposit to cover future tampering or damage;

2. Pay an amount estimated to besufficient to cover service used or service received;

3. Pay the Reconnection Fee, if applicable;

4. Pay any other required deposits asidentified in Section IV.B. (Requirementsfor Securing Electric Distribution Service);

5. Pay a fee to cover the cost of testing themeter in accordance with Schedule F; and

6. Make any changes in wiring orequipment which, in the opinion of theCooperative, may be necessary for theprotection of the Cooperative.

Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative(SVEC) is pleased to announce that weare holding a food drive for the Blue

Ridge Area Food Bank, beginning Feb. 1. All of our district offices and headquarters inMount Crawford will have barrels inside thefront door for SVEC member-owners to dropoff food. All locations are open 8 a.m. to 4:30p.m. Monday through Friday. The food drivewill last until March 9. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank serves an

average of 118,600 people each month in 25counties and nine cities. All jurisdictions thatSVEC serves are also served by the foodbank, which is based in Verona. Food fromSVEC’s drive will be donated to the foodbank’s Winchester and Verona area branches.We appreciate your help in feeding thehungry during this winter season. For moreinformation on the food bank, visitwww.brafb.org. For more information aboutthe food drive, you can contact CammieTutwiler at SVEC by calling 1-800-234-7832.

SVEC to Hold Food DrivePLEASE DO NOT DONATE GLASS ITEMSCereal Peanut or Almond ButterCanned Tuna and Chicken Canned Soups, Stews and ChiliCanned Fruit Canned VeggiesBeans, Canned or Dried Boxed Mac & CheesePasta and Rice Spaghetti SaucePaper Products Baby Food, Formula and DiapersSoap, Toothbrushes and Feminine Products

SVEC Major Outages

Sept. 5 Bethel Church Road, Route 55 areas1,070 members out for 2.5 hoursLive tree off of right-of-way

Oct. 17 Honeyville area2,124 members out for 0.5 hourUnknown cause

Oct. 25 Town of Stanley 2,127 members out for 0.5 hourProtective device on protectivesetting to protect workers

Oct. 26 Columbia Furnace area1,318 members out for 0.5 hourPower supplier

Oct. 29 Shawneeland area462 members out for 7.5 hoursLive tree off of right-of-way

Oct. 30 Mountain Falls Park area447 members out for 13.5 hoursLive tree off of right-of-way

Cool Off Your Winter Electric Bill

You budgeted for holiday gifts, meals,maybe a vacation — and withmoney tight, that doesn’t leave

much room for home energy-efficiencyupgrades. Does that mean you’re powerlessto lower your electric bill? Not at all. Keepyour electric bill cool this winter withthese tips and tricks:

• Drape delivery: Are you using yourcurtains to capture heat? Make suredrapes and shades are open to catchfree solar heat during the day. Closethem at night to keep the heat inside.

• Thermostat: Set your thermostat to68° F (or lower if comfortable).

• Got tape? Though not as durable asfoam, rubber or vinyl, you can usenon-porous tape (first-aid cloth tape,for example) to keep cold air fromsqueezing into your home. Tape isgood for blocking corners andirregular cracks, and can be used atthe top and bottom of a window sash;door frames; attic hatches; andinoperable windows. Reinforce withstaples if needed.

• Fan it up: Run ceiling paddle fans onlow and reverse the rotation to blowair up in winter. This keeps warm aircirculating without cooling you.

• Free vents: Your HVAC system willhave to work twice as hard if your airregisters and vents are blocked byrugs, furniture or drapes. Keep themclear to allow air to flow freely.

• Garage drain: Leave your garagedoor down. A warmer garage inwinter will save energy.

• Rug relief: Have a spare rug? Use it tocover bare floors for added insulation.

• Cool food: Don’t make your fridgework too hard. Clean coils every year,and set the temperature between 34°-37° F; leave the freezer between 0°-5°F. Keep the freezer full — frozen foodhelps your freezer stay cool. Whencooking keep lids on pots, and let hot food cool off before placing it inthe refrigerator.

• Hot savings: Heating water accountsfor 12 percent of your home’s energyuse. Set your water heater temperatureno higher than 120° F. For householdswith only one or two members, 115° F works.

There are other ways to conserve energy,too. Remember, you don’t pay for whatyou don’t use. When you’re not watchingTV or using lights, computers and otherelectronics, turn them off. Lower your

room temperatures a bit and wear asweater to stay warm, or place an extrablanket on the bed at night.

Source: TogetherWeSave.com, Alliance to SaveEnergy, EnergySavers.gov

24 | Cooperative Living | January 2018 Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative

Aerial Cutting Begins for 2018

Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative uses the services of Aerial Solutions Inc. to cutright-of-way in areas that are difficult to reach with ground crews. This North Carolina-based helicopter company uses a patented aerial power saw to trim the right-of-way

along power lines. The 800-pound saw consists of multiple 24-inch-diameter rotary bladesand is suspended from a 90-foot vertical boom beneath the helicopter.The versatility and speed of the saw provides an efficient and cost-effective alternative to

conventional side-trimming methods in all types of terrain with little to no environmentalimpact. The aerial saw provides maximum lateral clearances from vegetation encroaching intothe right-of-way. The right-of-way is trimmed from ground to sky to further avoid conflictswith the power line.Long-term outages in severe weather are avoided after rights-of-way are trimmed with the

aerial saw.Member-owners who will be affected by this work in 2018 can expect to receive written

notification, as well as a phone call, from the Cooperative before cutting begins in their area.To help hold down right-of-way maintenance costs for member-owners, SVEC contracts withAerial Solutions to cover as much territory as possible within a certain timeframe. SVECcontract crews will then follow-up by cutting branches on the ground at locations where thesaw had previously visited. The Cooperative prioritizes these follow-up visits, first reachinglocations that affect member-owners’ grass cutting, for example.Additionally, Aerial Solutions visits SVEC’s territory in the winter months to avoid the

possibility of livestock being harmed by the wilt stage of leaves from wild cherries or redmaples during the spring, summer and fall.

The 2018 proposed aerial cuttingschedule is as follows: Shenandoah County (BeginningJan. 4 and again March 5):• Mount JacksonRockingham County (BeginningJan. 22 and again March 19):• Fulks Run, BroadwayAugusta County (Beginning Feb. 5 and again April 2):• Love Mountain, Stuarts DraftPage County (Beginning Feb. 16):• CarvelHighland County (Beginning April 16):• McDowell

������

by Preston Knight, SVEC Writer

De’Angelo Wynn’s recruiting pitchfor fellow veterans to attendShenandoah University (SU) comes

at you like a major-league fastball.“The military is focused on developing

structure through small unit leaders,” saidWynn, a member of the class of 2019 whoserved as a Navy religious program specialistin Afghanistan. “Veterans want that smallstudent-to-teacher ratio. Environment issuch a huge deal. You look for somewhereyou feel comfortable, where you fit in. Youlook for something similar to what youdeparted from. “That’s the attraction of SU to veterans.

You’re not another number here. There’sopportunity. SU is focused on global outreach,altruism, experimental learning trips. There’sa huge focus on making yourself uncomfortablein order to expand your perception.”President of the student veteran

organization, Shenandoah Veterans andSupporters, he has more reasons toappreciate his school these days. InNovember, the university held the grandopening of its Veterans, Military and FamilyResource Center for military-affiliatedstudents. The one-room center withinHalpin-Harrison Hall is basically a livingroom for veterans and active-duty students,who can study or lounge there, gather insmall groups, or meet individually withuniversity staff for counseling. A wall full of literature is on display to

educate these students on various programsavailable exclusively to them.“The battlefield to the classroom is

something that is a difficult transition,” saidSherry Rawls-Bryce, an assistant professor of

nursing and Air Force veteran who coordinatesthe resource center. “We want to ease thattransition. We want them to be successfuland get meaningful jobs.”She calls Niccole Gatliff, SU’s assistant

registrar, the “heart and soul” of veteransresources. Seemingly non-stop meetingswith military-affiliated students in Gatliff’soffice sparked the idea to create somethingmore permanent for veterans and active-duty students. Gatliff and student veteran Kevin Scadden

were leaders in gathering support for theresource center, leading up to its softopening last spring.“She’s selfless and has a genuine interest

to make sure veterans are taken care of everystep of the way,” Wynn said of Gatliff.“Without her, we would leave.”Gatliff said almost every interaction with

a veteran or active-duty student turns into aquestion-and-answer session, one in whichshe gladly participates.“They may not know we have the

services that we have,” she said. “We haveadministrative support here. At a lot ofinstitutions, you may have to push and fight for that.”The resource center is the latest example

of success.“It provides a space to just relax,” Wynn

said. “We tend to cling to other veterans. Wefind each other. We feel comfortable in thecompany of other veterans. ... We use thisspace for everything you can think of. It justbrings us back to that camaraderie.”

SPACE CRUNCHAs excited as SU officials and students are

for the center’s presence, they stress that it isjust the beginning.

“We’ve got to get more space,” Wynn said.How much additional space and where

exactly that would be have financial andlogistical considerations that are all still awork in progress. A permanent staff positionto oversee the center is one goal for Gatliffand Rawls-Bryce.Another objective for SU is to continue

building relationships with communityorganizations, such as hosting meetings ofthe Community Veterans EngagementBoard. The Board’s goal is to consolidate allof the veteran-related services in the areainto one organization, Rawls-Bryce said.While the resource center is primarily

intended for SU students, it will have use foroutside veterans through a partnershipbetween the Library of Congress and 10thDistrict Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Loudoun.The center will serve as the interview site forveterans who participate in the Library’sVeterans History Project, which collects thepersonal accounts of war veterans. Comstock’soffice finds veterans to interview.Wynn, meanwhile, is hopeful of attending

military-base education fairs to explain whatSU has to offer. He would like to seeShenandoah’s military-affiliated studentcount grow from the current 60 to 150 bythe spring of 2020.The resource center will only help the cause.“This is the beginning of a bigger vision,”

Rawls-Bryce said. “There is a lot of energy,enthusiasm and passion for our veterans.”For more information or to contribute to

the center, contact Rawls-Bryce atsrawlsbr@su.edu.

January 2018 | Cooperative Living | 25

Center Puts Student Veterans at Ease

De’Angelo Wynn, president of the SU studentveteran organization, Shenandoah Veteransand Supporters, holds a plaque presented tothe group during a recent visit from 10thDistrict Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Loudoun.Below: Sherry Rawls-Bryce (left), coordinatorof Shenandoah University’s new Veterans,Military and Family Resource Center, joinsother veterans in holding a squadron blanketthat is representative of the Air Force. Theblanket sits on a sofa in the resource center.

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26 | Cooperative Living | January 2018 Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative

Field of Dreamers RepresentativesHelp MembersRealize Electrical

Needs

by Preston Knight, SVEC Writer

They’re negotiators, investigators,advisors, ambassadors and just aboutanything else in between.

Field engineering representatives wearmany hats at Shenandoah Valley ElectricCooperative (SVEC), bringing a high levelof expertise in regularly serving as thepublic’s first contact with the organization.If you have an electric service request, bigor small, then you’ll most likely be hearingfrom one of the 13 representatives acrossCo-op territory.“SVEC has around 93,000 meters. That’s

93,000 times a representative has met thatindividual or business and designed apower-line connection. We handle thisrequest from start to finish,” said BenMcInturff, a representative in the LurayDistrict. “A member request may be assimple as a single-phase meter set or canbe more involved like a three-phase facility.Our members know that they needelectricity. Behind the scenes, a fieldengineering representative has to take thatrequest and perform tasks to make thatconnection happen.” Field engineers become member-

owners’ go-to guides for questions,scheduling and unforeseen problems thatarise during a project. That level ofinvolvement makes their jobs vital to theCooperative’s overall success, and is alsowhy the people responsible for the jobenjoy what they do.

“There’s a lot of interaction with thepublic, other consumers, utilities in thearea, a lot of builders,” said Jim Messick, a representative in the Rockingham Districtwho has held the position for more than25 years. “There’s no two job sites alike.”

RURAL LIVINGAfter a member contacts the Cooperative

with a service request, a work order makesits way to a field representative in theappropriate district. Then, within eachSVEC district, representatives have theirown coverage areas.Messick spent one recent morning at a

northern Rockingham County farm wherea member sought to extend electricity to abarn, a common request for rural parts ofSVEC’s territory. He first consults internalmaps to determine what Co-op facilitiesare already on or near the member’sproperty, giving him an early indication of what challenges await. A decision ofconstructing underground or overheadlines will have to be made.Aerial photos offer additional information,

in this case showing a creek and theplacement of trees throughout the farmer’s

land. Messick also relies on older maps —when he began his career, all maps werehand-drawn — to gain knowledge on howSVEC may have served a location previously.

Each of these steps is part of arepresentative’s preparation for a site visitand meeting with the member. Only thendo the field engineers get a true sense ofwhat’s possible, and that’s where arelationship gets formed.“I’m his contact through the process

until he gets hooked up,” Messick said of the Rockingham farmer. “Any timethere’s a question or problem, the fieldrepresentative is the person they contact.You get phone calls six months or a yearlater because they had your number.”After the site visit, Messick heads back

to the office to calculate a pair of costestimates for the farmer to consider.Running underground cable to the barn ispossible, but comes with a higher cost thanthe overhead alternative. The above-groundline, however, brings aesthetic concerns,making the placement of a potential newpole that much more significant. Field engineers estimate that they have

anywhere from 50-75 open work orders at

Above: Jim Messick, a fieldengineering representative forSVEC’s Rockingham District,surveys a member-owner’s property as part of the process to determine how to extendelectric services on the site. Inset: From left, Lineman 2nd Class Matt Wood, Lineman 1stClass Kevin Good, Lineman 1st Class Wes Rusmisel, and Lineman 1st Class Alan Moyers, all of the Rockingham District, work on a padmount transformer.

www.svec.coop January 2018 | Cooperative Living | 27

a time, with a large number in a holdingpattern for any number of reasons. Whenit’s all said and done the list of projectvariables to consider for both SVEC andthe member could include meetingNational Electrical Safety Code guidelines,determining wire size, obtaining rights-of-way, and securing Virginia Department ofTransportation permits. The most important piece, McInturff

said, is designing the electrical grid in asafe and cost-effective way. “People always say, ‘Linemen keep the

lights on.’ I reply, ‘Indeed they do, however,the engineering representative leads you tothe light,’” he said. “Joking aside, linemenand field engineering representatives arethe backbone of the electric utilities. First impressions to members areimportant. Engineering representatives

are generally the first to meet our membersand interact with their needs.”

SLICE OF CITY LIFEAmong cooperatives, SVEC is unlike

many in that it also serves a city, in thiscase Winchester. The population densitythat a city provides creates spacelimitations for Co-op facilities and variousother factors that are not commonly foundin rural settings.Winchester, for example, requires that

new construction or upgrades featureunderground cable, said Cindy Allen, oneof four field representatives in SVEC’sWinchester District. “I try to make people aware of that

upfront before they get an inspection anddon’t pass,” she said. The member-education aspect of the job

— both with city or county ordinancesand the Co-op’s own policies — neverseems to cease for field engineers. Allensaid it’s important for members to know,

and communicate, load information for aproject as early as possible. “A lot of times people want us to tell

them,” she said. “It doesn’t work that way, especially for small commercialconsumers. Coordination is a big part ofthe job.”When Allen first makes a call on a work

order, she checks to see if the member willneed to acquire third-party right-of-way.One of the biggest challenges forrepresentatives comes when obtaining aneasement is required so a project can crossinto another property. It’s the nature of the field engineer’s

job to overcome any and all challenges.SVEC’s representatives say they maintainpositive attitudes regardless of whatroadblocks they encounter. They arepulled in many directions and expected toget the job done.“I enjoy the challenges that go along

with helping our members and businessowners to flip the switch,” McInturff said.

Lineman 1st Class Jeff Mongold, of SVEC’sWinchester District, works from a bucket tohelp install a pole at a residence.