SECO Energy’s Pennies Program Donates $3,485 to the American Cancer Society

SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program recently donated $3,485 to the American Cancer Society. From October 1 through November 15, for every new SECO Energy member who enrolled in SECO’s Surge MitiGator surge protection program, the not-for-profit electric cooperative pledged to donate $5 from the Pennies from Heaven program to a local chapter of the American Cancer Society. A total of 697 SECO members enrolled during that timeframe and resulted in a $3,485 donation.

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. The organization is taking action to battle a disease that has affected millions. In the United States, 600,000 die of cancer each year. The organization funds and conducts cancer research, supports cancer patients, shares expert information and cancer prevention tips to help people live longer – and better. Learn how you can donate or volunteer at the American Cancer Society.

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Thank you, members, who donated spare change to our Pennies from Heaven program. Those extra pennies allow SECO to contribute to worthy causes in our service area. While the vast majority of Pennies from Heaven funding is allocated for bill payment assistance and educational initiatives for our members, I am pleased that we can support our local American Cancer Society to help in the fight against cancer.”

Although the Pennies from Heaven fundraiser is over, members can still enroll in the surge protection program. Take the bite out damaging surges and spikes with the Surge MitiGator. Power surges are caused by lightning, vehicles crashing into utility poles, small animals, birds or fallen trees.

SECO’s made in the USA meter-based surge arrester reduces surges BEFORE they enter your home through the meter. The Surge MitiGator has a beastly 15-year warranty and is designed to protect your home’s large-motor appliances. Household appliances and sensitive electronics such as televisions and computers can be damaged or destroyed by power surges and also require point-of-use devices for adequate protection.

Lease the MitiGator for only $5.95 plus tax per month plus a $25 installation fee. The purchase price ranges from $349 to $399, with installation included. Visit our Surge MitiGator website section to learn more about the program, to read the warranty and to complete the web form to enroll.

The Pennies from Heaven program rounds up monthly SECO bills to the nearest dollar and uses the spare pennies to fund member bill payment assistance and local, worthy causes. Visit Pennies from Heaven and complete the web form to enroll. Conversely, members who need help paying their bill should visit SECOEnergy.com and click on the “Find Bill Payment Help” banner. Use the interactive map to locate a social service agency that receives Pennies from Heaven funding from SECO Energy.

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO News October 2021

Without question, your electric service is supported by an extensive, robust and well-maintained infrastructure that distributes power generated by our wholesale power provider, Seminole Electric Cooperative. Like SECO Energy, Seminole is a not-for-profit cooperative owned collectively by nine Florida electric distribution cooperatives.

Each distribution co-op’s CEO serves on the Seminole Board – myself included. In addition, select Trustees from each distribution co-op’s board have seats on the Seminole Board. Our Trustee representatives on the Seminole Board are President and District 4 Trustee Richard Dennison and District 8 Trustee Bill James.

In late September 2017, Seminole announced its plan to build a new, natural gas-fired generating plant next to the existing Seminole Generating Station (SGS) facility in Putnam County. This new, highly efficient generation facility is currently named the Seminole Combined Cycle Facility or SCCF. The new generating capacity is approximately 1,050 megawatts (MW).

The new SCCF plant is on schedule and budget. The major components of the plant have been delivered to the site, and construction is 50% complete. Seminole projects the plant to be commercially operational in the fall of 2022. Construction has continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, with personnel ensuring that work moves forward safely.

When Seminole’s plan to build SCCF was first announced, the board decided to take the environmentally friendly step to shutter one of its coal-fired units at the SGS facility once construction of the new natural gas-fired plant is complete.

Seminole is also taking steps to add a higher mix of renewable energy into its fuel portfolio. The cooperative will add 300 MW of additional solar power to its fuel mix by entering into purchased power agreements. Removing the SGS coal-fired unit from service and the addition of the 300 MW of solar, Seminole projects that it will decrease its carbon dioxide emissions in 2024 by 48% from 2005 levels.

Florida’s population is growing. According to the U.S. Census, between 2010 and 2020, Florida’s population grew from 18.8 million to 21.5 million. The growth doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Sumter County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida.

In fact, The Villages recently earned the title as the fastest growing metropolitan area in the nation over the last decade per new 2020 census data with a Sumter County growth rate of 39%. Lake and Marion counties’ growth rates continue to climb at 29% and 13%, respectively. Stocking ever-more-expensive and hard-to-procure construction material to build new and maintain existing electric infrastructure is daunting in today’s economic environment as we continue to feel the effects of the pandemic.

SECO Energy and Seminole must work together to plan for future energy supplies to meet the growing demand for safe, affordable energy.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

ADVICE FROM THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC

With winter fast approaching, Florida will soon be welcoming our human snowbirds and our annual aviary migrating snowbirds, too. Read on for interesting facts about avian migration from The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Some migrating birds plump up for maximum energy in preparation for a long flight. In other birds, their reproductive organs shrink to trim excess weight while hemoglobin in their blood increases for aerobic efficiency. Other changes happen too. New feathers grow to improve flight efficiency; these feathers are often less colorful than the birds’ summer feathers. Every avian order has a long-distance migrator. No matter what time of the year, there are always birds on the move.

Read this month’s Florida Fauna and Flora to learn more about the American kestrel.

SURGE MITIGATOR HELPS AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

The American Cancer Society is on a mission to free the world from cancer. You can help too by enrolling in SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator surge protection product. From October 1 until November 15, for every new MitiGator lease or purchase, SECO’s Pennies from Heaven program will donate $5 to the American Cancer Society.

Take the bite out of damaging surges and spikes with our Surge MitiGator. Surges are often associated with lightning, but other causes are vehicles crashing into SECO poles, small animals and birds contacting SECO lines or falling trees. Household appliances and sensitive electronics such as televisions and computers can be damaged or destroyed by power surges and also require point-of-use devices for adequate protection.

Our made in the USA meter-based surge arrester helps prevent unnecessary financial loss by reducing surges BEFORE they enter your home through the meter. The MitiGator has a beastly 15-year warranty and is designed to protect your home’s large-motor appliances.

You can lease the MitiGator for only $5.95 plus tax per month plus a $25 installation fee. The purchase price ranges from $349 to $399, with installation included.

October is breast cancer awareness month, so the timing is perfect to aid cancer research and support cancer patients by enrolling in SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator surge protection product. To enroll, visit SECOEnergy.com.

AREA LIGHT OUT?

Report an area light outage or malfunction online through LightFinder on our StormCenter platform. Whether the light is always on, completely off or flickering, you can report the malfunction 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – even on weekends.

To report an area light issue, visit SECOEnergy.com > StormCenter and choose LightFinder. Enter the pole number or closest address in the search bar in the upper left. Each light is represented by a lightbulb icon. Green indicates the light is working, and a red icon is a light that has already been reported as malfunctioning. If the icon is orange, it has been repaired in the last 24 hours. Inactive lights are represented by a gray icon and a blue icon is a member-owned light.

Complete the short reporting form and submit your email address to receive updates about the light’s repair status. Most area light issues are repaired within 24 hours.

WINNERS’ CIRCLE

Engage with our virtual assistant Electra on the phone for a chance to win a $25 gift card. Winners who self-served using Electra are:

Donna Vail from Ocala

Jennifer Mears from Webster

Richard Reddy from Deland

Jane Lomont from Clermont

The latest winner of a SECO Energy Level 2 EV Charger is Harry Farrish from Minneola. To enter, text “EV” to (352) 320-4500 for a link to enter. Or click on the EV Charger Giveaway homepage banner. Visit our Electric Vehicles website section to learn more about the benefits of owning an EV.

Winners in our Go Green and Win: Paperless Billing and Bank Draft Incentive

John Utegg from Ocala is the winner of a $200 SECO Energy bill credit.

Stephanie Eck from Clermont is the winner of a NEST thermostat.

Susan Douglas from The Villages is the winner of an Amazon Echo Dot with Alexa.

William Guffey from Clermont is our final winner of a portable generator – drawn from the list of all members enrolled in SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator surge protection program. Though our generator giveaway has concluded, from October 1 through November 15, for every new Surge MitiGator lease enrollment or purchase SECO will donate $5 to the American Cancer Society. To learn more or enroll, visit SECOEnergy.com > Energy Solutions > Surge MitiGator.

Congratulations to our recent winners!

Read the full October 2021 SECO News online.

SECO News, December 2019

Duncan’s Digest – 2020 Outlook – Rising Costs

The costs of virtually everything required to operate a modern electrical system are increasing rapidly. Our 2020 outlook is a mix of good and bad news. The good news is wholesale power costs are stable, so we’re able to apply a higher, member-favorable Power Cost Adjustment (PCA aka Hot Bucks) credit to your bills starting January 1. The bad news is the customer charge component for both residential and certain commercial members is increasing. The residential increase is 17 cents a day and the commercial customer and demand charge increases vary by rate type.

SECO’s mission is to construct, maintain and restore the electric system. We construct new facilities to meet growth demands. We upgrade and maintain the electric system to prevent outages. When an outage occurs, we restore as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the costs associated with our three mission-critical focuses are rising at an alarming rate.

The 2020 construction work plan tops $55 million to construct new and upgrade existing infrastructure. Tree trimming, storm hardening and system maintenance work is performed largely by contract labor.

Construction and maintenance costs are rising by a whopping 25 percent in 2020. The job market is tight and contractors who perform system reliability maintenance are paying higher wages to keep workers on their payroll. This isn’t just a Florida utility phenomenon – it’s happening nationwide and was spurred when California utility PG&E was court ordered to significantly beef up their tree trimming and system maintenance programs to reduce fire risk. Florida lost a significant amount of its utility-related contract labor workforce to California and we are paying the price despite a booming economy.

SECO Energy is experiencing systemwide growth. Every part of our service territory requires infrastructure additions, system upgrades, storm hardening, tree trimming or communications improvements whether you live north, south, east or west of our headquarters.

You may be wondering why the financial benefit of customer growth isn’t covering rising costs, and it’s a valid question. The answer lies in the low average residential member’s energy consumption. In our service area, the average kilowatt hour (kWh) monthly consumption today is 1,037. This average consumption is much lower than our cooperative peers due to the growing Central Florida trend of energy efficient homes and businesses, use of natural gas appliances, and a strong increase in solar installations. Low energy consumption equals a lower monthly bill – that is good for our members. Less energy consumption and use of solar are also good for the environment. So, what’s the downside?

There are significant financial challenges to low kWh sales, even for a not-for-profit electric provider in a growth environment. We must adjust the monthly customer charge that is collected to cover the costs associated with the delivery of power and system reliability maintenance.

A recent cost of service study indicates that the cost of delivering power and maintaining infrastructure in the residential sector is nearly $35 a month. Currently, we apply an average residential customer charge of $25 a month (83 cents a day). We are bridging that gap by increasing this customer charge by 17 cents a day. Commercial account customer and demand charge increases vary based on the cost of service study. Those adjustments are detailed in our rate tariff online. These collective increases will raise total revenue by about 3.5 percent.

We have tightened our corporate belts to carefully monitor controllable expenses while striving to maintain system reliability, but as I mentioned previously and as you can see on the 2020 Project Map, new construction, upgrades and maintenance are required across our entire service territory.

In response to growth and to preserve reliability, we must build new substations, add power transformers at existing substations, upgrade voltage and conductor and convert critical overhead facilities to underground. The work plan includes building new communication towers, upgrading our radio system and installing fiber-optic cable and microwave backhaul for automated communications that facilitate faster outage restoration. To storm harden, we must support an aggressive pole replacement and vegetation management program systemwide. All of these components play critical roles in the delivery of reliable power and speedy restoration in the event of an outage.

The bottom line is that none of us like having to increase the customer charge, but it is quite necessary to ensure continued service reliability. At the same time, we are pleased that stable fuel costs are allowing a larger Hot Bucks Credit (PCA) that will offset most or all of the increase depending on your respective usage level. These changes reflect the difficult balance between affordability and reliability.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

Each year, SECO Energy employees participate in an employee-funded United Way Pledge Drive. Our employees understand that local community support is needed year-round and not only during the Christmas season.

The 2020 United Way Pledge Drive was an amazing success. SECO employees pledged $70,316 to United Way agencies in ten local counties. This total increased almost seven percent over 2019.

Citrus, Lake, Marion and Sumter Counties are where the bulk of our employees live and received the highest dollar amounts in donations. The breakdown by county is:

Citrus: $7,799
Lake: $14,316
Marion: $23,002
Sumter: $21,559
Other Counties (Hernando, Levy, Orange, Pasco, Polk, Volusia): $3,640

Join us in United Way’s mission to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities to advance the common good. To donate or volunteer, visit United Way online.

December 2019 SECO News Champion Kathy Judkins

Kathy Judkins – Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations

Length of Service: 12 Years

“SECO IS COMMUNITY FOCUSED.” Kathy Judkins, Sr. Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations is a fourth-generation Floridian residing in Marion County. Her role with SECO Energy focuses on the cooperative principle of Concern for Community. Kathy manages annual SECO employee-giving campaigns and is excited that SECO is nearing the $1 million United Way contribution mark in the coming year. Kathy is honored to give hope to members in our service territory through SECO employee contributions to United Way. She also manages the Toys for Tots campaign companywide and is proud of SECO employees’ efforts to bring joy to children in our service territory on Christmas. Kathy also develops relationships with State Legislators and U.S. Congress members in Washington, D.C., to engage on issues related to the energy industry that could affect SECO’s ability to provide affordable, reliable service to our members.

December 2019 SECO News Relay For Life

SECO Energy and our employees are long-time sponsors of Relay For Life events that support the American Cancer Society. Our superhero employees participated in the Sumter County Relay For Life event on Saturday, November 2. The SECO team’s theme was “Superheroes Finish The Fight.”

In 2019, SECO raised $25,655 for the American Cancer Society to support cancer research, patients and caregivers and to fight for a cure.

Learn more about Relay For Life or donate to the American Cancer Society online.

December 2019 SECO News Toys for Tots drive

SECO Energy and our employees are Making A Difference at Christmas by donating toys for local children through our Annual Marine Toys for Tots collection drive. Members also joined in the gift-giving by adding new, unwrapped toys in the donation boxes at our five Member Service Centers.

Toys donated through Toys for Tots are delivered to local children. The donated toys remain in our local communities. For many children, toys donated by our generous employees and members will be the only gifts under the Christmas tree.

SECO employees rallied to pack Santa’s sleigh by donating over 60 bicycles and tricycles for local children, along with hundreds of other gifts. New this year, SECO’s member-funded Pennies from Heaven program matched this number with additional bike purchases. It’s clear that our employees enjoy playing Santa for local children through
Toys for Tots.

Thank you to our generous employees and members who are willing to share their Christmas joy and spirit with others. Making A Difference at Christmas brings happiness to children across our area.

December 2019 SECO News Pennies from Heaven

December is the month of giving, goodwill and cheer. Keep the Christmas spirit alive in the new year by joining SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program. By joining Pennies from Heaven, SECO rounds up your bill to the nearest dollar and donates those pennies to charitable causes in the communities we serve.

The small change donated through Pennies from Heaven supports financial assistance to worthy causes in our service area. Requests for Angel Fund bill payment assistance are administered through several area agencies by calling 211 or visiting 211 online.

This year, we are excited to announce that Pennies from Heaven will purchase bicycles and tricycles to match the number donated by SECO employees! Thus far, employees donated over 60 bikes and trikes and SECO will double the amount. This means hundreds of local children will get their Christmas wish of a new bike courtesy of SECO employees and SECO members who donate to Pennies from Heaven.

Enroll in Pennies from Heaven to put your extra pennies to good use in charitable causes in our communities. Just a few cents every month can change lives. Learn more about the program or enroll online.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Read the full December 2019 SECO News online.

SECO News, July 2019

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

The dog days of summer have arrived. With warmer temperatures and increased humidity, your home’s HVAC works overtime to keep you cool. Pool pumps run for extended hours to prevent algae growth. These factors add up to increased kilowatt-hour use and higher electric bills.

SECO is your local not-for-profit electric cooperative committed to serving as your energy-efficiency partner. To help members reduce energy use, we’ve created energy-efficiency tools on our Energy Solutions menu.

Visit Energy Solutions today and complete our Home Energy Assessment. SECO designed this tool as an online audit that provides specialized energy-efficiency advice tailored to your home and lifestyle. The Home Energy Assessment is available to members 24/7. No need to wait for an appointment for an in-home audit.

To get started, input the characteristics of your home including age, construction, insulation and roof type. Include details about occupancy, type and number of windows, and exterior doors. The Home Energy Assessment will also query about completed energy-efficiency upgrades such as additional insulation, window tint, weather stripping and caulking.

After entering your home’s details, provide your email address to receive your energy-efficiency report based on your home’s specifics. It will provide low-cost ways to decrease your energy usage and your bill.

Win a prize! 1) Nest Wi-Fi Thermostat 2) Honeywell Wi-Fi Thermostat or 3) Ecobee Wi-Fi Thermostat. Members who complete the Home Energy Assessment will be entered in a drawing for the high-tech programmable thermostats listed above. Three winners will be drawn August 15.

ENERGY STAR recommends using your programmable thermostat’s energy-efficiency settings to save as much as $180 per year.

Browse the Energy Solutions tab for other energy-efficiency tools. Our Energy Estimator calculates the amount of energy and cost for electronics and appliances.

It’s pretty handy if you’re thinking of adding a pool, charging a golf cart or installing a refrigerator in the garage or lanai.

SECO is proud to serve as your energy-efficiency partner.

Sincerely,

Jim Duncan

Chief Executive Officer

SECO Energy is a strong corporate citizen. Our cooperative supports programs based on commitment to the key cooperative principle “Concern for Community.” SECO Energy is also a not-for-profit utility. We do not have the deep pockets of investor-owned, for-profit organizations. Thus, we partner with organizations whose culture and programs align with our core values and purpose.

Annually, we ally with United Way chapters to facilitate employee pledging. Over the years, employees have donated $860,000. In addition, SECO provides quarterly allocations from our Pennies from Heaven program to fund local agencies for bill payment assistance for members in need.

Over the holidays, we sponsor a Toys for Tots drive, and our Member Service Centers are designated drop off locations. Our employees are annual, generous supporters of the program, donating hundreds of bikes, trikes and toys over the years.

SECO is also a strong corporate participant in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life events raising $132,000 over the last decade. Based on our headquarters’ location, we belong to the Sumter County Relay program but we also provide funding to other counties’ Relay programs on a pro-rata basis.

To request that SECO sponsor or donate to your organization, please use our new Contact Us form. Submissions based on these focuses will be considered:

Educational STEM Projects
Environmental Projects
Energy-Related Projects
Veterans Initiatives
Public Safety Programs
Health/Human Services

Please note SECO does not sponsor individual sports teams or booster club initiatives, as there are thousands across our service territory. SECO participates in golf tournaments selectively if we can set up a booth to engage with members. We fund initiatives in our seven-county footprint of Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion, Pasco and Sumter.

Individual bill payment, basic need or job training assistance is offered by Florida 211 and funded by our Pennies from Heaven program. Members can call or text 211 to request assistance.

Take the bite out of damaging power surges and spikes with SECO Energy’s “Made in the USA” Surge MitiGator. Power surges are sudden, powerful increases in voltage which can damage or destroy household appliances and electronic devices. The most obvious cause of surges is lightning, but birds, small animals, trees or vehicles crashing into power poles are culprits as well.

Protect your home’s large appliances by leasing or purchasing SECO’s Surge MitiGator. Enroll online through August 30th and installation (a $25 value) is free. Lease the Surge MitiGator for $5.95 per month or purchase for $349 (standard 200-amp service). For residential services greater than 200 amps, the purchase price is $399 with $75 installation. Studies indicate that more than half of all surges actually originate from inside the home so be sure to also purchase point-of-use devices at your local hardware or big box store to protect your electronics.

Learn more about SECO Energy’s Surge MitiGator online. Protect your home’s appliances from surges – lease or purchase the Surge MitiGator today.

DUSTIN MERRITT – SURGE PROGRAM SUPERVISOR

LENGTH OF SERVICE – 15 YEARS

“SECO HELPS MEMBERS.” A Central Florida native raising four children in Webster with his wife Kimberly, Dustin has worked for SECO for 15 years. His SECO career began as a meter reader, and he eventually worked his way into Energy Services. Dustin was promoted to Supervisor of the Surge Protection Program in 2018. He is responsible for oversight of his team and SECO’s surge protection contractor. Dustin enjoys the opportunity to help and educate members. He and his team advocate the Surge MitiGator™ as protection against surges that may enter a home through power lines. Surges may occur due to downed lines, car accidents, animal contact or lightning strikes, and our surge protection ring installed at the meter base provides a layer of protection for large motor driven appliances in the home. Visit with Dustin or one of his team members by emailing Surge.

Congratulations to Norma Jean Bottoms from Paisley who is the winner of the Microsoft Surface Go! Ms. Bottoms registered to join America’s electric cooperatives’ advocacy hub the Cooperative Action Network. You too can become a key voice for electric co-ops to protect affordable, reliable energy in Florida. Visit www.action.coop to learn more.

Hundreds of members played 2018 Annual Report trivia with SECO on our Facebook page. Our three winners are: Jonathan Dove from Clermont won the Apple iPad; the $200 bill credit went to Rosalie Wilke from Ocala; and Carolyn Wheelis from Sorrento won the Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostat. Congratulations, winners!

Read the full July 2019 SECO News online.

SECO Raises $16,600 for ACS at Annual Relay For Life Golf Tournament

SECO Energy hosted its sixth Annual Relay For Life Golf Tournament at Arlington Ridge in Leesburg on Saturday, May 4. Thanks to generous sponsors and players, the golf tournament was a great success. Over 60 golfers joined SECO’s cause to “Tee-up for a Cure.”

Approximately $16,600 in donations was raised for the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) effort to find cures for cancer and to reduce the burden of the disease in our community. “Each year, we’ve seen a steady increase in the number of golfers and sponsors participating in our golf tournament. The golfers have a fun day on the green supporting this worthy cause,” said Kathy Judkins, SECO Energy Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable and Government Relations.

Golf tournament participants enjoyed a variety of competitions in addition to 18 holes of scramble golf tournament play. Activities included 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winning teams, a men’s and women’s longest drive, longest putt, and closest-to-the-pin game. The event concluded with a hearty lunch and an awards ceremony.

1st place winners – Mathew Woolf, David Woolf, Tyler Wingate, and Todd Blair
2nd place winners – Alan Campos, Kevin Rohr, Darryl Gonzalez, and Nick Reaves
3rd Place winners – Erin Quinn, Mark Grant, Byon Smiddy, and Thomas Gough
Men’s Longest Drive – Ben Pauluhn
Women’s Longest Drive – DJ Hamilton
Longest Putt – Alice Dickard
Men’s Closest-to-the-pin – Luke Pearce
Women’s Closest-to-the-pin – Janet Cox

“This event would not be possible without the sponsorships we received from the business community, our vendors and partners, our large group of golfers and our SECO employee volunteers. A huge thank you goes out to everyone who was instrumental in making the golf tournament an exciting and successful fundraising event,” said CEO Jim Duncan.

Thank you to the following sponsors for supporting the SECO Energy 6th Annual Relay For Life Golf Tournament: Electric Supply, Inc.; RadWear Designs; Power Services, Inc.; Conrad Tree Service; Substation Engineering & Design; Cap & Associates; McFarland Cascade; Barker Law Office; Florida Utility Services; GRESCO; Tri-State; Catfish Johnny’s; John Carter & Associates; IT Resources; Nelson Tree Service, LLC; Pike; Power Services; Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Sparks; Salescorp of Florida, Inc; and SubGrid Solutions.

SECO encourages the community to join the virtual SECO Energy Team and to attend Sumter County’s upcoming Relay For Life event at South Sumter High School, 706 N. Main Street, Bushnell, FL on November 2, 2019.

SECO Energy Raises $29,462 for Relay For Life’s “Hunt for a Cure”

SECO Energy joined the movement of fighting cancer with its “Hunting for A Cure” team slogan during the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life annual fundraising campaign. Year after year, SECO’s employees enthusiastically adhere to one the cooperative’s core values – Commitment to Community – by supporting local community projects and causes. This year, SECO employees, vendors and partners reflect this principle by generously donating more than $29,462 to the American Cancer Society (ACS) of Citrus, Marion Lake and Sumter Counties – doubling its set goal and raising over half of Sumter County’s ACS goal.

ACS Community Development Manager Katrina Baggett stated, “I am excited to see a small community such as Sumter County make such a huge impact for the American Cancer Society. The Sumter County Relay For Life set out in September of 2017 to reach a goal of $50,000 and by the end of the event on April 28, 2018, that goal had been met. Sumter County is not only crushing goals on the local level, but is helping ACS with the overall goal of crushing cancer.”

Several fun-filled SECO employee activities including the April 21 SECO sponsored golf tournament at Arlington Ridge, pushed the company’s fundraising efforts beyond its goal. Over 60 players and their respective companies committed to sponsorships valued at over $10,500. These funds were donated to ACS to find cures for cancer and reduce the burden of the disease on our community, co-workers, friends and family members. “We salute our sponsors and our participants, who joined us for a fun day of “Hunting for a Cure” on the green,” said SECO employee and Relay For Life team member Lisa Perryman.

On April 28, SECO’s Team joined a community gathering of volunteers, caregivers and survivors at the Relay For Life walk held at the Sumter County Fairgrounds. SECO employees Danielle Booker and Donna Etts created a “Hunting for a Cure” campsite. Relay team members played fun games and took turns walking themed laps during the 10-hour event signifying a cancer patient’s non-stop fight. At the Relay, two members of the SECO Team honored as cancer survivors took part in a special lap.

SECO also matched the first $10 of its employees online team contribution and supported other fundraisers in the first quarter that raised ACS funds. The company sold camouflage t-shirts with the “Hunting for a Cure” theme, held a silent auction and other drawings. Participation resulted in record-breaking ACS fundraising for SECO.

The SECO team and the Relay For Life purpose is to support those currently battling cancer, honor those that have fought the battle and won and remember those who have lost their fight against cancer. Proceeds help the ACS make an international impact on cancer.

SECO’s Relay Team Captain Elizabeth Beagle spoke during the April 28 Relay For Life event on SECO’s behalf as a presenting sponsor. Beagle stated, “SECO has supported Relay For Life for 16 years and has raised over $124,000 for ACS. I am truly humbled by each employee’s effort to make this a successful campaign. Thank you SECO for continuing to adhere to our core values to support the Relay For Life event year after year.”

Visit SECO’s Community page online to learn more about SECO’s community involvement. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Team Raises $22,000 for Relay For Life

SECO Energy’s Relay For Life Team raised $22,000 to advance the fight against cancer at Sumter County’s Relay For Life Event at the Sumter County Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 8. SECO Energy is a Silver Sponsor of the event and became the top fundraising business in Sumter County.

The SECO Team joined hundreds of volunteers at the Relay For Life walk. The purpose of the Relay For Life event is to remember those who have lost their fight against cancer, honor cancer survivors, and raise money to help the American Cancer Society make a global impact on cancer. Relay team members take turns walking during the 6 to 24-hour-event to symbolize a cancer patient’s non-stop fight. At the Relay, two members of the SECO Team were honored as cancer survivors to take part in a special lap.

This year, the SECO Team’s slogan was “Taking Aim at a Cure” and visitors to the site were treated to an old-fashioned patriotic country-fair experience. The team sold hamburgers, cotton candy, snow cones and drinks. The SECO Team sold chances to win a YETI® Tundra, donated by SECO Energy.

Toward the end of the night, the lights turn off for a very special lap, the Luminaria lap. The Luminaria lap is a quiet, solemn lap lit by hundreds of Luminaria bags, dedicated to honor or remember loved ones who fought or are fighting cancer. SECO purchased 21 Luminaria bags for its employees to personalize and remember their family and friends.

SECO’s Relay for Life Co-Captain, Meagan Thurston, who is also a SECO Human Resources Generalist, stated, “SECO has supported Relay for Life for 15 years and has raised over $95,000 for the American Cancer Society. This year, we are proud to reach the Sapphire fundraising level for the first time. It’s refreshing to be part of an organization that puts our community first. Thank you SECO for continuing to support the Relay For Life event year after year.”

Visit SECO Energy’s Community page to learn more about SECO’s community involvement. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO News, June 2016

If the warmer than normal Spring is any indication, it looks like another hot Florida summer is just around the corner. As Floridians know, hurricane season started on June 1st. I want to assure you, our members, that SECO Energy and its employees are “Storm Ready.”

From the members’ perspective, what does that mean? Storm Ready doesn’t begin with storm season; Storm Ready is designing, building and maintaining a reliable system that delivers power to SECO members rain or shine. Supported by a number of behind-the-scenes departments, the employees from our Operations department – the good guys in the white hats – are the cavalcade of employees and their trucks that members look for during a service interruption. These employees work diligently to restore power quickly and safely. In the meantime, our member service employees stand ready to take your calls, and our Corporate Communications folks update website and social media communications to provide the latest information on outage statuses.

Restoring power quickly during storm season is only a small portion of SECO’s reliability focus. Our employees and contractor partners continually inspect, maintain and upgrade existing facilities. In 2015, we inspected 19,923 distribution poles and replaced 3,208 of them. To improve data communication between substation equipment and our System Operations Center, SECO upgraded to fiber optic communications for data transfer. The System Operations Center is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and stands ready to assist members outside of normal business hours.

To maximize outage prevention efforts, we must first identify the most frequent causes. Tree-related outages are the number one reason why members lose power (small animal incidents take a close second). In the last decade, SECO has focused on creating a comprehensive vegetation management program and has dramatically reduced power outages related to trees. For nine years running, SECO has been nationally recognized as a Tree Line USA Utility by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

This is only a small overview of the accomplishments and responsibilities related to outage prevention and restoration. Daily afternoon storms are coming soon, so get to know SECO’s Storm Center by visiting SECOEnergy.com where members can report power outages and watch for updates on restoration efforts in your area. “Like” SECO’s page on Facebook and follow SECO on Twitter for instant updates and news releases. Lastly, visit secoenergy.com to review our Emergency Checklist to ensure you and your family are Storm Ready too.

Commitment to Community

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO Energy supports its members and the communities it serves by engaging in charitable projects. SECO employees also embrace their communities by volunteering hundreds of hours of their personal time on charitable projects they choose to support. Whether it’s coaching youth sports, running 5K races or volunteering for (and pledging to) United Way, members can find our SECO employee volunteers out and about building stronger communities.

This spring, SECO and its employees participated in events that showcased our beautiful outdoor spaces, contributed to the fight against cancer and awarded financial assistance to young scholars beginning their college careers.

Earthfest at Arbor Day

In April, SECO Energy’s Vegetation Management team celebrated the great outdoors at the Earthfest at Arbor Day event in downtown Ocala’s Tuscawilla Park. Families enjoyed the lovely spring weather, food, crafts, demonstrations and live entertainment. The SECO team gave away several hundred trees and children loved the face painting, coloring books and additional giveaways.

Visitors took the opportunity to ask our Certified Arborists for tree-care tips and for planting advice for the trees they took home. Supported by our partners, ACRT and Nelson Tree, SECO has been a proud recipient of the Tree Line USA distinction by the National Arbor Day Foundation for nine years.

Sumter County’s Relay for Life

In late April, the SECO Relay for Life team participated in the American Cancer Society’s fundraiser. Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature event. It raises donations for cancer research as well as support for cancer patients and their caregivers.

This year’s theme was “Stopping Cancer in its Tracks,” inspired by the iconic television show Soul Train. SECO team members and other volunteers boogied through the night and into the morning to represent their commitment to continue the fight against cancer. Our SECO team’s fundraising efforts paid off, raising over $12,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Scholarship Program

Now in its 20th year, the SECO Board of Trustees approved $36,000 for deserving high school seniors. The 12 students from our service area were each awarded a $3,000 scholarship.

This year the seniors and their families were honored with a reception at SECO’s headquarters on May 23rd. Visit SECOEnergy.com to see their names and photos. Since beginning the program, SECO has awarded 257 scholarships totaling over $500,000 to young people whose families’ energy needs are served by SECO.

As a member, how can you help your community and fellow members in need? Enroll in SECO Energy’s Pennies from Heaven program. Pennies from Heaven automatically rounds up your bill to the nearest dollar amount. The extra pennies (which average about $6 annually) are donated to the Pennies from Heaven program. Every cent collected is distributed here in our local communities and to our members for bill payment assistance.

Enroll online at SECOEnergy.com under Your Co-op > Community > Pennies from Heaven. Or you can call us at (352) 793-3801 or email customerservice@secoenergy.com to enroll.

Energy Saving Tip

The heat leading up to the 2016 Florida summer is here, and The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts that June will be a little hotter than normal. Now is a perfect time to have your HVAC unit serviced to ensure your unit is running efficiently before summer gets into full swing. Change your filter regularly too. Order discounted filters (free shipping) from filterchange.coop.

Programmable thermostats offer preprogramed settings to regulate the temperature in your home. Installing a programmable thermostat can help homeowners reduce their energy usage and save on electric bills.

A programmable thermostat will adjust the times that the air conditioning or heating system operates. Most new programmable thermostats adjust while you are away during the day, while you are sleeping, have vacation mode and include an app that allows you to adjust on the fly.

The energy.gov website reports consumers can save between 5 and 15 percent on electric bills by using a programmable thermostat. For the most savings, set the thermostat to adjust the temperature in portions of time at least four hours in length.

If you have additional questions about installing a programmable thermostat, you should contact a certified HVAC contractor for assistance. [237021] As a member of SECO Energy, your Co-op Connections card offers discounts to many local businesses. Look for a local HVAC contractor that offers members a discount by visiting www.connections.coop.

Looking for more ways to save energy and reduce your electric bill? Please contact us at (352) 793-3801 or email energyservices@secoenergy.com to learn more ways to save energy and reduce your electric bill.

Expressions

Recently we had the honor and privilege to participate at the Annual Meeting of SECO Energy. We sincerely hope that we provided what was expected and in a manner that dignified the occasion. The donation was extremely appreciated and will be used to aid needy veterans. Should we be of any future service, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Donald Saylor
Commander – Honor Guard, VFW Post #4337
Inverness, FL

Want you to know how much I appreciate SECO. Your company goes far beyond what is expected. Thank you for fighting to keep our cost down. I am on Social Security; it is a blessing to see a low electric bill.
Thank you again & God Bless,
Mrs. Barbara Marsh
Ocala, FL

Read the full June 2016 SECO News here.

SECO Employees Raise $12,000 at Relay for Life

On Friday, April 29, SECO’s team of employee volunteers participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Fundraiser for Sumter County. Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature event; and it raises donations that contribute to cancer research as well as providing support for cancer patients and their caregivers.

This year’s theme was “Stopping Cancer in its Tracks,” inspired by the iconic television show Soul Train. SECO team members and other volunteers boogied through the night and into the morning to represent their commitment to continue the fight against cancer. The SECO team’s fundraising efforts paid off. It raised over $12,000 for the American Cancer Society.

The SECO team danced to the DJ and brought the ‘70s back to life with bright lights, disco balls and psychedelic colors. SECO Energy’s Service Center Manager Donna Etts and Accounting Analyst Tanya Mikeals wore the grooviest costumes of the night and won the ‘70s themed costume contest.

The SECO team members took turns walking or running laps to remind the community that cancer never sleeps. At the event, SECO team members walked special laps dedicated to cancer survivors and patient caregivers. A quiet memorial lap was walked in honor of loved ones who have lost their cancer fight. The memorial lap is particularly moving to many SECO team members.

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO supports the communities it serves through strong corporate citizenship efforts. SECO employees embody the cooperative spirit by playing an active role in the communities where they live through volunteering and monetary donations. SECO employees make a difference in their communities every day.”

For more information about SECO Energy and its corporate citizenship, visit www.secoenergy.com.

MY ACCOUNT

AMI

MEMBER PERKS

ENERGY SOLUTIONS

SOLAR

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

SAFETY

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

RELIABILITY

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

MEMBER PERKS

YOUR CO-OP

MEMBER PERKS

COMMUNITY

Archive

ADVICE FROM THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC

SURGE MITIGATOR HELPS AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

AREA LIGHT OUT?

WINNERS’ CIRCLE

Duncan’s Digest – 2020 Outlook – Rising Costs

Kathy Judkins – Senior Consultant for Civic, Charitable & Government Relations

DUNCAN’S DIGEST

Commitment to Community

Earthfest at Arbor Day

Sumter County’s Relay for Life

Scholarship Program

Energy Saving Tip

Expressions

Read the full June 2016 SECO News here.

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NEED HELP? CALL (352) 793 -3801

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