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Tag: Citrus County

$1000 in Back-To-School Funds for Citrus County Schools

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO Energy is committed to supporting education in the school districts in its service area. As part of SECO’s new back-to-school initiative, the Citrus County School District is receiving $1,000 to enrich back-to-school activities in Citrus County.

 

The funds are intended to support events like back-to-school teacher luncheons, new teacher welcomes and training sessions. The funds can also be used to support back-to-school events for students and parents such as after school back-pack programs and school supplies needs.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “SECO serves over 15,000 members in Citrus County, and we know the school district will make good use of these funds for back-to-school programs. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative headquartered in Central Florida for almost 80 years, SECO believes that supporting education creates strong community partnerships. SECO’s school support initiative is a positive step for education in our area.”

 

Education is a key cooperative principle, and SECO has long supported local students. For more than two decades, SECO has awarded scholarships to graduating high school seniors who live in a home served by SECO. During this 20-year program, upwards of $500,000 was awarded to over 250 local students to help them fulfill their dreams of a higher education.

 

Energy Services Specialists from SECO Energy often visit with local students to spread the word about electrical safety, solar power and saving energy. Presentations and speakers are available for groups and civic clubs of all ages. These presentations are like an educational field trip that comes to the schools and saves the time and expense of running buses. Request a speaker and presentation online or call 352-793-3801.

 

Learn more about SECO Energy’s commitment to community online. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Celebrates 2017 Scholarship Awardees

SECO Energy celebrated its 2017 SECO Scholarship program with a reception for the scholarship awardees and their families at its headquarters in Sumterville Monday evening. Twelve graduating high school seniors, who live in a home served by SECO, were awarded for their scholarly pursuits with a $3,000 scholarship to the university of their choice. All of the students have plans to attend a university in The Sunshine State.

 

SECO is proud to introduce its 2017 class of scholarship awardees who hail from Citrus, Lake, Marion and Sumter Counties:

 

  •   Karla Michell DeAnda – North Marion High School – Marion County
  •   Amy Michele Folker – The Villages Charter High School – Sumter County
  •   Jordan Gangi – Lecanto High School – Citrus County
  •   Macey Marie Graham – Umatilla High School – Lake County
  •   Garret Thomas Heussner – Belleview High School – Marion County
  •   Summer Noel Hotz – Real Life Christian Academy – Lake County
  •   Daniel McNair – North Marion High School – Marion County
  •   Joaquin Isaiah Negron – The Villages Charter High School – Sumter County
  •   Sarah Rose O’Neill – Tavares High School – Lake County
  •   Hannah Lea Pendleton – Citrus High School – Citrus County
  •   Robert Reed – Dunnellon High School – Marion County
  •   Mikkala Shea Supancic – West Port High School – Marion County

 

SECO Celebrates 2017 Scholarship Awardees group picture

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is guided by the seven cooperative principles. Its scholarship program encompasses two of these principles – Concern for Community and Education, Training and Information. Providing financial support to local, young scholars beginning their education, prepares them as future potential SECO employees and community leaders.

 

Ray Vick, SECO’s Board of Trustees President stated, “I am very impressed with SECO’s 2017 scholarship awardees achievements. These young men and women are bright, ambitious and a credit to their communities. On behalf of myself and the Board, I wish them the very best as they begin fulfilling their dreams.”

 

Jim Duncan, CEO agrees, “SECO’s 2017 scholarship group is impressive. I hope some of the latest crop of scholarship awardees contact SECO after graduation or during their summer break for employment and internship opportunities. This summer, one of our 2016 scholarship winners, Megan Elliott, is returning to her hometown and interning in SECO’s Operations department. SECO is a centrally located, regional utility that offers high-paying careers along with an exceptional benefits package.”

 

Learn more about SECO’s scholarship program and additional community outreach programs. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

SECO Crews Worked Overnight Restoring Power After Storms

In the early morning hours Thursday, a band of powerful storms hovered over SECO Energy’s service area. The storms brought soaking rain, lightning, high winds and a tornado warning in our territory.

 

SECO is “Storm Ready” and was well prepared for the overnight storm. All SECO locations were fully staffed by 2:00 a.m. on Thursday morning with the company’s Operations crews, contract line crews and tree crews ready to respond to outages. System Operations and the company’s local call center were staffed as well. The fast-moving storm arrived in Marion County at 2:30 a.m. and traveled southeast through SECO’s service territory. The storm cleared the area around 6:30 a.m.

 

The outages were mostly small, isolated incidents involving downed trees and poles. Marion, Sumter and Citrus Counties were hardest hit, causing almost 1,500 members to lose power overnight. As of 7:30 a.m., crews are working to restore power to 254 members who remain without power. Crews are still out in full-force working the remaining outages, which should be restored by noon on Thursday.

 

John LaSelva, SECO’s Vice President of Operations, stated, “SECO’s well-designed, solidly-constructed system continues to perform well during storms. We continuously inspect, upgrade and conduct maintenance on our system to better serve our members. A well-maintained system with a comprehensive vegetation management program means less outages for members, and when storms hit, it makes for a shorter restoration time.”

 

Atlantic Hurricane Season begins June 1. Learn more about SECO’s storm readiness by visiting SECO’s Reliability page. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates about SECO’s new Storm Center platform that is scheduled for launch this summer. The new system will include text, email and phone outage notification options.

SECO Sponsors Citrus County Fair Youth Livestock Show

For decades, SECO Energy has sponsored youth agriculture programs in its service area. To continue this long-held tradition, SECO’s Ben Brickhouse, Vice President of Engineering, attended the Citrus County Fair Youth Livestock Show in Inverness.

 

Students of all ages raise animals such as cows, horses, rabbits, chickens and pigs and proudly show their livestock at the Citrus County Fair Youth Livestock Show. 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) students from all over Citrus County compete in the livestock shows each year.

 

The Citrus County Fair is a family-friendly event in operation since the 1920s. The Fair Association’s mission is a group of volunteers who are committed to showcasing the talented youth of Citrus County and provide scholarship opportunities.

 

As SECO’s representative, Brickhouse purchased a 1,300 pound steer from 12-year-old Will Ward, a sixth grader at Inverness Middle School. Will has been a Lecanto Levi’s 4-H member for eight years and serves as club parliamentarian.  He is responsible for keeping order during meetings. Will said, “I am a SECO partner – SECO powers my family’s 4-H project.”

 

Brickhouse also purchased a 270-pound pig from Will’s sister, Grace Ward. Like her brother, Grace is also a member of the Lecanto Levi’s 4-H Club. This is Grace’s first pig she has raised and shown at the fair.

 

Brickhouse stated, “Will has participated in agriculture activities at the Citrus County Fair for years and his sister, Grace, has followed in his footsteps. Will and Grace both enjoy raising and caring for animals, and I am impressed with their knowledge and enthusiasm. I’m glad SECO was able to support them in their endeavors.”

 

Visit SECO’s Community page about its community outreach programs. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.

Students Consider a Future in Energy

On Thursday, January 19, SECO Energy representatives met with The Villages Charter High School students at their College and Career Expo. SECO’s Operations and Engineering staff members, as well as SECO’s District 3 Trustee Richard Belles, joined the cooperative’s Human Resources team to spread the word to students about their possible future in the energy industry.

 

The Villages Charter High School students were encouraged to visit with businesses, colleges, military and vocational/technical institutions to begin planning their education and career path after high school. The Expo also invited parents of students and alumni to stop in and visit with businesses that are currently hiring.

 

On Thursday, February 2, high school students from Citrus, Levy and Marion Counties attended the 2nd Annual Youth Career Expo for High Schools sponsored by Career Source CLM. SECO Energy I.T. Human Resources professionals met with hundreds of students and provided information about careers at SECO Energy in its Information Technology department.

 

SECO’s Human Resources department also attended the Crystal River Middle School Career Day on Friday, February 3. Middle school-aged students are just beginning to decide what their interests are and what they would possibly like to do in the future. SECO was on hand to offer middle schoolers a glimpse of careers in energy and possibly spark an interest.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “SECO is actively recruiting for open positions within the company. Not only are we currently hiring, but we are hoping to attract the bright, talented young people who live in our area to our industry. With the newly announced Villages of Fenney expansion, it is clear that Central Florida is growing and not only are there current job opportunities, there will be positions available in the future as well.”

 

Duncan added, “SECO is also currently offering graduating high school seniors who live in a home served by SECO, the chance to win a $3,000 scholarship. The application deadline is March 31, 2017. Applications are available online, at SECO’s five Member Service Centers and from school guidance counselors in our service territory.”

 

Visit SECO’s Community section online to learn more about the scholarship program and other corporate citizenship initiatives.

 

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

Students Vie for $36,000 in SECO Scholarships

Annually, SECO Energy offers graduating high school seniors, who reside in its service area, the chance to compete for a $3,000 college scholarship.

 

Once again, SECO’s Board of Trustees has approved up to $36,000 in scholarships for twelve deserving high school seniors. For over 20 years, SECO Energy has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is proud to have a hand in launching hundreds of young scholars on their path to a college education.

 

To be eligible, student must:

 

  • Reside in a home served by SECO.
  • Graduate high school by the end of the current school year.
  • Provide proof of acceptance to an accredited college, university or vocational/technical school by the end of 2017.
  • Plan to be enrolled as a full-time college student.

 

CEO Jim Duncan stated, “Concern for Community is a key cooperative principle and what better way to connect with the communities we serve than through scholarship awards. SECO helps young citizens embark on their college careers and lightens the financial load for their parents who are our members. I hope they bring their new-found knowledge and skills back to the area and seek future employment with SECO.”

 

Board of Trustees President Ray Vick, stated, “I have served on SECO’s Board of Trustees for over 35 years, and I am so happy to have a hand in continuing SECO’s scholarship program for the last 20 years. On behalf of the entire Board, we are very proud of SECO’s community outreach programs and its strong corporate citizenship ties to the communities it serves.”

 

An independent panel of educators from SECO’s service territory evaluates all applicants and selects each year’s winners. Scholarship selections are based on past and present achievements in school, community service, financial need and scholastic records.

 

The scholarship application period begins January 1, 2017. Applications will be available at SECO’s five Member Service Centers in Lake, Sumter, Marion and Citrus counties, area high school guidance offices, at the SECO corporate offices in Sumterville and online.

 

To be considered, completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on March 31, 2017. Applications can be dropped off at any SECO Member Service Center or mailed to:

 

SECO Energy

Attn: Youth Scholarship

330 South Hwy 301

Sumterville, FL  33585-0301

 

Winners will be notified by phone or mail on or about April 28, 2017. For additional questions, visit SECO’s scholarship page or call Eneida Robaina at (352) 569-9561.

 

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

SECO Recovers from Hurricane Matthew

Hurricane Matthew’s bands of high wind and rain passed through SECO Energy’s service territory on Friday afternoon. Lake County bore the brunt of the damage. Winds reached the eastern portion of Marion County and Citrus County sustained some utility damage as well.

 

As expected with tropical storm wind gusts, poles and lines went down. Big trees fell. Restoration began in the wee hours Friday morning when the very first storm related outage occurred and continues into the overnight hours on Friday. Hundreds of line and tree trimming contractors and hundreds of SECO employees supporting the restoration effort were prepared to brave the storm when duty called.

 

SECO Energy Recovers from Hurricane Matthew, downed trees on power lines

 

The contractors had been arranged in advance and were staged at SECO’s headquarters throughout the day on Thursday. This was a key component in a speedy restoration effort. As of Friday at 6 pm, less than 5,000 members remain without power. Line and tree personnel continue to work in the dark to get the lights back on for those still without power. The members who remain without power can rest assure work will continue diligently until all service is restored.

 

SECO Energy CEO Jim Duncan stated, “I commend the SECO employees who worked hard to prepare for Hurricane Matthew and execute an extremely comprehensive emergency response plan. I also must commend Governor Scott for being fully engaged in arranging assistance and removing roadblocks to serving the public.” SECO Energy is a two-time J.D. Power award winner for Highest in Customer Satisfaction in its segment in 2015 and 2016.

 

Providing reliable, low-cost power to members with outstanding customer service is SECO’s highest priority. The company’s internal employee battle cry is “Every moment is meaningful. Every member matters. Every minute counts.” The company rallied behind the battle cry in Hurricane Matthew as it did with Hurricane Hermine in September.

 

If a member is unsure SECO is aware of an outage, it’s easy to report it using a smartphone or tablet at the Storm Center application. Members can contact SECO via Facebook and Twitter and read outage details. For members less tech savvy, call and talk to a member service rep (or use the prompts to report the outage by phone at 800-732-6141. SECO’s System Operations Center is manned 24/7, and SECO’s call center will remain manned 24/7 until all hurricane related outages are restored. The Lake County Emergency Operations Center remains open as do shelters. The EOC’s contact number is 352-343-9420.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being members’ first source for accurate storm information.

Calm Before the Storm – SECO Braces for Matthew’s Inland Effects

Per the Friday morning National Hurricane Center update, Hurricane Matthew continues to slowly move up the Florida east coast – just off the shore. Matthew is moving at 13 mph and has weakened to a Category 3 hurricane. As of 5 am, the eye is located parallel to Melbourne.

 

For Central Florida, winds will increase throughout the day. Lake County, Sumter County and the east side of Marion County could feel wind gusts up to 60 mph. Models remain mixed as to if the eye will cross Florida’s shores. Where it will head after it passes the state remains uncertain.

 

Poles and lines will go down, and power outages will likely be widespread. Because crews are unable to work safely or raise bucket truck booms in winds over 35 mph, outages will be long in duration if crews cannot respond to outages until winds subside and the storm passes.

 

SECO encourages its members to report outages using smartphones or tablets at the Storm Center application on SECOEnergy.com. It’s easy to report with the last name and house number. Members can contact SECO via Facebook and Twitter and read outage details.

 

For members less tech savvy, call and talk to a member service rep (or use the prompts to report the outage by phone at 800 732 6141). SECO’s System Operations Center is manned 24/7, and our call centers are also manned 24/7 when severe weather comes through – as will be the case as Hurricane Matthew approaches. Also report downed power lines – call 911 if there is immediate danger.

 

SECO is Storm Ready. Its emergency response plan determines the restoration priority of each feeder. Essential services like shelters, hospitals, schools and government agencies are the highest priority. Next, linemen work to restore power to large groups of members. Then repairs begin on individual services in less populated areas. Additional line crews and tree trimming contractors continue to arrive at SECO to be staged for the restoration effort.

 

Members who need continuous power for medical devices and do not have a back-up source of power must act now. Shelters are open in the SECO area. Contact your county’s emergency operations center (EOC) to find shelter in your area – do not wait.

• Sumter County 352-689-4400 or visit the website.
• Lake County 352-343-9420 or visit the website.
• Marion County Citizen’s Info line is 352-369-7500 or visit the website.
• Citrus County 352-527-2106 or 352-746-5470 or visit the website.
• Levy County 352-486-5213 or visit the website.
• Hernando County 352-754-4083 or 352-754-4111 or visit the website.
• Pasco County 727-847-8137 or visit the website.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being members’ first source for accurate storm information. Learn more at SECOEnergy.com.

Hurricane Matthew Forecast to Hit Florida as Cat 4

Per the National Hurricane Center’s 8 am forecast, Hurricane Matthew is moving northwest at 12 mph. On this track, Matthew crosses the Bahamas today and approaches Florida’s east coast tonight, strengthening to a category 4 hurricane – which means winds of 130 to 156 mph.

 

The forecasted path of Matthew remains parallel to Florida’s east coast – but models are mixed as to how close the eye will come to Florida’s shores and where it will head after it passes the state. It is certain that Central Florida residents east of I-75 will experience rain and tropical-storm-force winds.

 

Poles and lines will go down, and power outages will likely be widespread. Because crews are unable to work safely or raise bucket truck booms in winds over 35 mph, outages will be long in duration if crews cannot respond to outages until winds subside and the storm passes.

 

SECO encourages its members to report outages using smartphones or tablets at the Storm Center application on our website. It’s easy to report with the last name and house number. Members can contact SECO via Facebook and Twitter and read outage details.

 

For members less tech savvy, call and talk to a member service rep (or use the prompts to report the outage by phone at 800 732 6141. SECO’s System Operations Center is manned 24/7, and our call centers are also manned 24/7 when severe weather comes through – as will be the case as Hurricane Matthew approaches. Also report downed power lines – call 911 if there is immediate danger.

 

SECO is Storm Ready. Its emergency response plan determines the restoration priority of each feeder. Essential services like shelters, hospitals, schools and government agencies are the highest priority. Next, linemen work to restore power to large groups of members. Then repairs begin on individual services in less populated areas. All day today, additional line crews and tree trimming contractors are arriving at SECO to be staged for the restoration effort.

 

Members who need continuous power for medical devices and do not have a back-up source of power must act now. Shelters are open in the SECO area. Contact your county’s emergency operations center (EOC) to find shelter in your area – do not wait.

 

 

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being members’ first source for accurate storm information.

Generator Power Safety and Medical Devices

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO Energy is dedicated to being its members’ first source for electric safety communication and resources during major weather events such as Hurricane Matthew.

 

Members who use generators during service interruptions should only use with safety in mind.  Generators should never be used in an enclosed space – generator engines emit carbon monoxide (CO). If CO is inhaled, it can be fatal to humans and pets, as it is a colorless, odorless, invisible killer.  Do not attempt to use a generator when it is wet, as this poses a risk for electrocution and death.  Always read and follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions contained in the generator operations manual.

 

SECO Encourages Member Safety During Hurricane Matthew

 

For members who may need continuous power to run life-saving machines, please be aware that Hurricane Matthew may be the cause of prolonged outages during and after the storm hits. If you are a SECO member who requires uninterrupted service and you do not have a back-up source of power to operate a medically necessary device, now is the time to act as SECO cannot guarantee continuous service during a severe storm event. Contact the emergency operations center (EOC) in the county where you live and inquire about available shelters in your area. Below is the contact information for the EOCs by county:

 

 

SECO reminds members to never touch downed power lines.  Even if a line is down, it could still be live and lead to electrocution and death.  Do not allow children to play near downed lines or trees downed during storms.  Please report any service interruptions or downed power lines through SECO’s Storm Center or call 800-732-6141.

 

SECO Encourages Member Safety During Hurricane Matthew

 

“Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting the area.