2022 Washington Youth Tour short story winners
Congratulations to this year’s Washington Youth Tour delegates!
This June, winners will embark on what others before them have referred to as a “trip of a lifetime” – a weeklong, expense-paid trip to Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.
We are proud to offer this amazing opportunity to the youth in our community. Congratulations to all of these students for their accomplishments!
Winners of the 2022 Washington Youth Tour Writing Contest are:
1st Place: Cheyanne Mayes, J. Frank White Academy
2nd Place: Anna Hopkins, Hancock County High School
3rd Place: Carlie Napier, Cumberland Gap High School
4th Place: Hannah Daniels, J. Frank White Academy
LIHEAP Mobile Outreach
Attention residents of Hancock and Hawkins counties who plan to apply for energy assistance from the LIHEAP program! The LIHEAP Mobile Outreach will be at our Sneedville office on Wednesday, February 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to help members fill out paperwork, scan documents, and complete applications.
January 2022: News from your cooperative
“All politics is local.” This observation by the late Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, Jr., former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, means that even national politics have a local impact, and people care most about issues that directly affect them. Indirectly, this famous adage underscores the importance and value of local politics.
At Powell Valley Electric Cooperative, we think it’s critical to develop and cultivate relationships with local legislators because they craft, introduce and vote on legislation that impacts the local business climate, the environment and quality of life for our community. That’s why we work closely with our local elected officials. After all, our purpose is to provide safe, reliable, affordable energy, but our mission is to help our community thrive.
Powell Valley Electric Cooperative is a local business that powers economic development and prosperity for our region. As a cooperative, we have deep roots here, and we listen closely to our members to better understand the needs of the community. Our leadership, board members and employees live and work right here in the community we serve.
We advocate for our community, ensuring that local legislators know, understand and act on the issues that are important to our area.
As a practical matter, we recognize that most legislators are “generalists,” yet they vote on a wide range of issues. Their expertise may not include the changing energy industry, which is why electric cooperatives provide guidance and expertise from subject matter experts who’ve been in the energy industry for many years.
Today’s energy landscape is an increasingly complex topic covering not only the traditional engineering and vegetation management aspects of the industry but also encompassing technology, cybersecurity, the electrification of the transportation sector and more.
Our experts provide briefings and background to legislators, committees and staff, and we offer pertinent information at hearings and other legislative or regulatory meetings or gatherings. And because we’re involved in economic development and know local community leaders, we can provide insight on how issues and policies under discussion might impact our region.
We strive to be a trusted resource on energy issues. Because of our deep roots in the community, we have a firm understanding of local issues and needs. We will continue looking after the long term interests of our consumer-members. This means we are able to cultivate and foster positive, productive relationships with legislators who know and trust us because we’re advocating on behalf of the community we serve.
We’re proud to power your life and bring good things to the community. We hope you’ll continue to advise Powell Valley Electric Cooperative on matters of importance so we can continue to advocate on your behalf and improve the quality of life for all.
-Brad Coppock
December 2021: News from your cooperative
Don’t get me wrong. I get as excited as the next person about opening a present on Christmas morning, but I think most of us realize — at least when we get a little older — that it is almost always better to give than receive, especially during this time of year.
The fact is, your co-op gives back to our community every day of the year. Through our work to provide reliable electricity, support local schools, promote economic development and various other community efforts, Powell Valley Electric Cooperative is consistently engaged in the kinds of things that make the communities we serve great places to live, work and raise a family. Many of these efforts can take years to bear fruit, and that’s OK. We’re in it for the long haul.
There is something we do, however, that offers a more immediate payback. Every year, Powell Valley Electric Cooperative sets aside a special day — our “Day of Service” — where we come together to give back to the community we serve.
For this year’s Day of Service event, PVEC delivered lunch to the employees of our local health departments. These workers are among the many who have shown their commitment for the well-being of our community by providing exceptional care throughout this global pandemic. Thank you for your dedication.
It’s hard to describe the feeling we share when working side-by-side on these projects with other PVEC employees. The sense of camaraderie goes way beyond wearing matching T-shirts. Our Day of Service has become a tradition, and it’s one I personally look forward to each year.
I’d like to take this opportunity to challenge you to start 2022 with a resolution to make our community a better place to live. Volunteer your time to help someone less fortunate or help a local organization tackle a project it might not have the funds or the hands to otherwise complete. Donations are great, but there’s just something soul-satisfying about giving time. Whether through your church, a school or a community nonprofit, I promise there’s a project out there just waiting for you to undertake. I can promise you this: The rewards of doing so are meaningful and long-lasting.
The employees of Powell Valley Electric Cooperative join me in wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday season and many blessings in the coming new year.
-Brad Coppock
