OPERATION ROUND UP
Small Change Together for Big Change
 
In every community served by Wood County Electric Cooperative there's work to be done. And as strong as our backs are, and as good as our intentions, the truth is that many deserving endeavors remain dreams only because of lack of funding. But, together, with a handful of change, we can turn that around.
 
Here's how. WCEC members have the opportunity to easily and affordably participate in uplifting their own causes in Camp, Franklin, Hopkins, Rains, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood Counties through a new program called Operation Round Up.
 
In this voluntary program, each monthly bill of participating co-op members are "rounded up" to the next dollar and sent to a non-profit entity, Wood County Electric Charitable Foundation. On average, each member will only donate $6.00 a year or about .50 cents a month and the most would be $11.88 annually. Then, these funds will be used to award grants to area causes to include food, shelter, clothing, education, healthcare, and other vital recreational and community services. Of note, only charities within our region, or those that serve our region, will be considered. All monies will stay right here at home.
 
The Co-op is the vehicle to collect the funds, but Wood County Electric Charitable Foundation is a wholly separate tax exempt charitable 501 (c)(3) and is governed by 7 volunteer board members. These board members will review requests from organizations that serve members, and then they will vote on funding causes and projects.
 
Contributions to ORU are tax deductible, and we'll put a summary on each electric bill. We'll also use all means of communication to inform our members when programs and causes are funded.
 
Generosity and kindness are contagious. The ORU program originally began at Palmetto Electric Co-op back in 1989 in South Carolina. Since, over 300 electric cooperatives have adopted the program; millions of dollars have been collected for good causes. At WCEC, we're not so sure why it's taken us so long to get started, but we think all will be glad we did.
 
We consider it a privilege to join with our members to leverage our collective power for the good of our communities and the citizens there-in.

To Participate
  • To be involved in the generosity - DO NOTHING. All accounts are automatically opted-in to the program. The roundup will begin in the November 2017 billing cycle.
  • If for any reason a member does not want to participate they should just inform us, and we'll remove their account from the program. Just call us at 903-763-2203, or email us at [email protected] (include the name the account is under and the service address).
  • To learn more visit www.wcec.org/Operation-Roundup
     
  $6,000 in Scholarships Available for Adult Students
 
WCEC is accepting applications from area adult students interested in receiving college scholarship money. Three $2,000 Power Upward scholarships are available to applicants that are  age 21 or older and an active member or member spouse living on WCEC's system. Adult children of members do not qualify.
 
These programs are funded entirely by unclaimed capital credit payments returned to WCEC by the state of Texas. All entries must be received at WCEC headquarters by November 15, 2017 . Late entries will not be considered. Details and applications are available on wcec.org , or by calling the cooperative at (903) 763-2203.


Safety Tips 

Don't Let Electrical Hazards Haunt Halloween
 
Halloween is the most festively frightening night of the year. If you have candy to hand out on October 31, or if you enjoy getting into the spirit of the holiday with yard or home decorations, we'd like to remind you to make safety a priority. Taking a little care can keep the holiday BOOtiful.
  • As you're decorating, make sure to check for cracked sockets, frayed, loose or bare wires, and loose connections.
  • Fasten all outdoor lights securely to trees and other firm supports. Do not use nails or tacks that could puncture insulating cords and damage wires.
  • Make sure decorative lighting is well-ventilated, protected from weather, and remains a safe distance from anything flammable like dry leaves and shrubs. Do not coil extension cords while in use or tuck under rugs or drapes.
  • Make sure all outdoor electrical lights and decorations are plugged into an outlet protected with a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). If your outlets aren't equipped with GFCIs, have an electrician install them or buy a GFCI adapter plug. Don't overload outlets with too many extension cords and strands of lights.
  • Keep power cords off walkways and porches that trick-or-treaters may use.
Leave the porch light on for trick-or-treaters, and be sure to turn out all spooky lights and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.


For more safety tips visit our Safety & Consumer Tips
Energy Efficiency Tips 
 
 
When you are exiting your home, turning your thermostat back 10° to 15° for eight hours can help you save around 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills. A programmable thermostat can make it easy - just set it and forget it!
 

For more energy efficiency tips visit our Energy Savings Center.

Wood County Electric Cooperative | [email protected] | http://www.wcec.org