December 2023

Dear Members,

As we gather around the warmth of the holiday season, I find myself reflecting on the journey we've shared this year at Wood County Electric Cooperative. Our co-op culture is wrapped in service to our members, and improving the communities where we live. As a co-op, it takes us all working together, and that includes those members that are willing to serve on our seven member board.

Just this year, we were joined by two new board members; Kim Galyean and Shane Mitchell. Their stories are both deeply rooted in East Texas and their commitment to community, which fits well with our co-op values. For a map displaying WCEC’s Board Districts, and each director, visit wcec.org. And here’s a little bit about these two new board members.

Kim Galyean is our new District Six representative. A life-long east Texan, Galyean graduated from Mineola ISD. Entrepreneurial by nature, she opened her first Mineola business, a T-shirt shop, in 1980. Following, she owned Mineola Video until 1993, when she and her husband founded Galyean Homes, a custom homebuilding company that operates throughout the region. To complement this business, in 2012, the couple founded Concrete Tops & More.



Displaying a life-long civic heart, Kim has served as a board member of the Mineola Chamber of Commerce, the Mineola Civic Center, the Mineola Country Club, Mineola’s Friends of the Library and Tyler Area Builder’s Association. She currently serves on the board of the Mineola Education Foundation, Mineola Mainstreet, and Mineola Community Bank’s TBCS charitable foundation.

Shane Mitchell is our newest board member and represents District Two. A lifelong east Texan, Mitchell's journey began at Winnsboro ISD, graduating in 1994. Furthering his education at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Shane earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in Forestry. Shane is a multifaceted businessman, serving as the owner and operator of a commercial poultry farm, A1 Premium Self Storage, and A1 Water Wells.

His dedication extends beyond his own businesses, as a member of the Winnsboro Area Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Texas Self Storage Association, the Texas Ground Water Association and the National Ground Water Association.

Reflecting on 2023: A Year of Community Impact

Looking back on this year, I take pride in the positive impact we've collectively made as a co-op of about 28,000 members. This year alone, through Operation Round Up and the Wood County Electric Charitable Foundation, over $125,000 was granted to 17 local organizations. Since inception in 2017, WCECF has granted over $727,000 distributed amongst 91 local charitable organizations within the co-op’s 9-county service territory. What an amazing accomplishment by our members!

In addition to that great member achievement, our employees have been busy visiting with local schools to raise awareness about the importance of electrical safety and introduce the great career choices at co-ops. We also continue to work closely with our high schools to award college scholarships to high school seniors. Also, WCEC employees have been working hard to make a difference in the communities we serve, with a newly instituted volunteer program These are just some of the ways we demonstrate our commitment to our region above and beyond the electricity we serve.

Wishing You Merry and Bright Holidays

As we step into 2024, the WCEC family looks forward to finding new ways and opportunities to serve each of our members and the communities they live in. The holidays bring the joy of Christmas parades, tree lighting ceremonies, and festive traditions, but also the opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to each of you who make our community truly special.

Thank you for being an integral part of our cooperative family. On behalf of the employees and our board, I extend warm wishes to each of you for a season that is truly merry and bright.

Warm regards,

Trey Teaff

GM & CEO

It's The Time of Year For Holiday Cheer

Capital Credits Are On The Way!

Look out for a special addition to your December bill that will bring some holiday cheer. It's that time of year for capital credit retirement, and it means a little extra money in the pockets of our members.

Capital credits represent a member's share of the capital invested in WCEC, determined by their electricity purchases. Annually, the WCEC board of directors assesses the cooperative's financial status to decide the amount that can be returned to members from their capital credit accounts. This decision takes into account the previous year's margins and the current financial needs of the cooperative.The board approved the retirement of $1.7 million in capital credits.

To distribute these funds, bill credits will be issued for accounts with credits below $350. These credits will reflect on bills mailed from December 6 to December 29, 2023, reducing the bill by the credited amount. For pre-pay accounts, the credited amount will be added to the account and applied as electricity purchased. Members with credits of $350 or more will receive checks by mail.

Bill credits eliminate the costs associated with mailing checks. As a non-profit electric cooperative, WCEC is committed to keeping bills affordable. Bill credits streamline the process for both members and the cooperative, resulting in cost savings.

Over the past 34 years, a total of over $32.7 million has been returned to our members, positively impacting the local economy. It's important to note that earned credits are not a vested interest in the cooperative and are only disbursed when capital credits on the books are retired. The amount received by each member varies based on their electricity purchases and the duration of their membership.

Capital credits are just one more benefit of being a cooperative member.

4 Ways Santa Saves Energy in His Workshop

This season Santa and his elves have been especially busy as they gear up for their biggest night of the year.

It’s no secret that Santa runs a tight ship—how else could he make all those toys in time for Christmas Eve? Rumor has it that one way Santa ensures an efficient workshop is through energy-saving measures.

Here are four ways Santa saves energy in his workshop.

1. To help keep the elves in the holiday spirit, Santa uses LED holiday light strands to give some sparkle. LED holiday strands use 75% less energy and can last up to 40 seasons, which make them a great option for any festive home, while not driving electric bills sky high leaving more money for presents.
2. Santa requires many power tools to make a year’s worth of new toys. That’s why he insists on using cordless power tools with the Energy Star rating. According to energystar.gov, if all power tools in the U.S. used Energy Star-rated battery chargers, 2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity could be saved—that’s equivalent to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.7 million tons.
3. Mrs. Claus loves to keep warm by the fire in the evenings, and Santa knows one of the best tricks to ensure fireplace efficiency. While a fireplace can keep a small area of your home cozy and warm, it can also pull heated air from the room through the chimney. That’s why Santa always closes the fireplace flue when a fire isn’t burning.
4. Santa also saves energy by using power strips, which are ideal for workshops, craft nooks, game rooms and other spaces in your home. With one simple switch, he conveniently controls several devices and electronics that are plugged into the power strip, making it easy to shut down devices when not in use.

This holiday season, let’s take a page from Santa’s book and remember to save energy when possible. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to savings, and hopefully, Santa’s nice list!

Gib Maynard, a versatile artist from Quitman, effortlessly transitions between portraying Elvis Presley and Santa Claus. Trace his journey from Wood County roots to lively performances and competitions, to witness his fervor for spreading joy through music and holiday magic. Read about Gib's artistic evolution, from an acclaimed Elvis Tribute artist to a beloved Santa stand-in, in the December edition of the Texas Co-op Power Magazine.

The North Texas Choral Society is a true community choir of voices blending from all present their Celtic Christmas Concert on Saturday, December 2nd at 7:00 pm and Sunday, December 3rd at 2:00 in the Sulphur Springs High School Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased online.

To learn more about the organization visit: https://www.singerscount.org/ The non-profit has been a past recipient of an Operation Round Up Grant. Learn more about Operation Round Up.

Safety Tip of the Month

Outlet Overload

Every year, U.S. fire departments respond to an estimated 51,000 home electrical fires, which cause nearly 500 deaths, 1,400 injuries and $1.3 billion in property loss. Thirty-nine percent of home electrical fires involve outlets and receptacles and other electrical wiring.

To ensure safety, you should only use about 80% of the available current for each electrical outlet in your home.

Using powerstrips and surge protectors does not increase the available amperage.

These are common warning signs of an overloaded circuit:

• Dimming, flickering or blinking lights.
• Discolored or warm outlet covers and wall plates.
• A burning smell coming from outlets or switches.
• Buzzing, sizzling outlets.
• Small electric shocks from switches or outlets.
• Breakers frequently tripping.

If you observe any of these signs, contact an electrician immediately to have the potential problem assessed.

Get smart with a better way to heat and cool your home! Smart thermostats are Wi-Fi enabled and automatically adjust heating and cooling temperature settings in your home for optimal performance. Smart thermostats learn your temperature preferences and establish a schedule that adjusts to energy-saving settings when you’re asleep or away.

For maximum energy savings, look for smart thermostat models with the ENERGY STAR® label