AS I SEE IT Manager’s Viewpoint

20 The Tennessee Magaz ine

Principles + values = cooperatives

All cooperative businessesaround the world operate inaccordance with the SevenCooperative Principles:

1. Voluntary and Open Membership2. Democratic Member

Control3. Member Economic

Participation4. Autonomy and

Independence5. Education, Training and

Information6. Cooperation among

Cooperatives7. Concern for Community

Less known is the fact thatcooperatives have alsoadopted a set of values thathelps put these principlesinto practice.

Cooperatives are based on the valuesof self-help, self-responsibility,democracy, equality, equity andsolidarity. In the tradition of theirfounders, co-ops believe inthe ethical values ofhonesty, openness, socialresponsibility and caringfor others.

Let’s take a closer lookat these values and see howthey impact us here atCumberland ElectricMembership Corporation.

The founders of CEMC created it toserve the members who use theelectricity and other services weprovide, and we continue to do thattoday. This embodies the values of self-help, taking action and doing whatneeds to be done. We also know wemust embrace the value of self-responsibility and be accountable toyou, our members.

Each member has one vote, nomatter how much electricity you use.This ensures that democracy ispracticed the way it is intended: withequality for all members. This is a key

difference between co-opsand investor-ownedcompanies where thenumber of votes you havedepends on the number ofshares you own.

For co-op members,equity has two meanings.We strive to treat all of ourmembers fairly. It alsomeans that as a member,you have equity(ownership) in the co-op.

While each co-op isautonomous, we do act in

solidarity with other co-ops and ourcommunity. We know that we can domore for you by partnering with otherco-ops and like-minded organizations.

Your parents were right when theysaid, “Honesty is the bestpolicy.” As an owner, youhave the right to expectus to act with opennessand in a transparentmanner. We welcomeyour active participationin our co-op.

Cooperatives have long(and correctly) been

identified as the original sociallyresponsible businesses, meaning wecare about the impact we have on thecommunity while ensuring we areeconomically viable.

By using our values in support ofour principles since our founding in1938, we have been able to serve youfor the past 77 years and will do solong into the future.

Jim Coode,General Manager,

Cumberland Electric Membership

Corporation

“A people thatvalues its

privileges aboveits principles soon

loses both.” – Dwight D.Eisenhower

Cumberland Electric Membership CorporationCEMC Management and StaffJim Coode, General ManagerRandy Holt,Operations Division ManagerChris A. Davis, Administrative Division ManagerMark T. Cook, P.E.Engineering Division ManagerAnnebelle Chester, Human Resources ManagerSeth Roberts, Member Services Manager

CEMC Co-op News EditorJulie WallaceP.O. Box 3300Clarksville, TN 37043

Open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 800-987-2362

Ashland City officeJosh Gill, District Operations SupervisorClarksville officeKenny Davis, District Operations SupervisorDover officeTerry Odom, District Operations SupervisorGallatin officeTravis Akins,District Operations SupervisorPortland/White House officesTodd Hesson, District Operations SupervisorSpringfield officeNicky Roberts, District Operations Supervisor

CEMC Board of DirectorsTommy G. Whittaker, Sumner Co., PresidentWesley H. Aymett, Cheatham Co., Vice PresidentShela K. Williams, At Large, Secretary-TreasurerK. Jean Beauchamp, Robertson Co., Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Stephen E. Douglass, Stewart Co.Charles R. Hancock, Stewart Co.Michael A. Mason, Robertson Co.C. David Morgan, Montgomery Co.Edward L. Oliver, Montgomery Co.Joe H. Whitaker, Sumner Co.

Mission StatementCumberland Electric MembershipCorporation is committed to providingdependable, affordable electric servicethrough the expertise and dedication ofcompetent leadership and a well-trained and responsive workforce.

August 2015 21

Calendar art contest winners

Recognizing student achievements is one of themost rewarding things we do at CumberlandElectric Membership Corporation. That’s whywe are proud to present the winners of the 2016

Calendar Art Contest!CEMC will offer two different wall calendars this year

— one representing the East Region and the other the West— as well as pocket calendars in four different designs.

The calendars will be available at your local businessoffice beginning Monday, Nov. 2.

Above are the overall winning entries for both regions,and below are the winning entries for the pocket calendars.CEMC congratulates the winners of this year’s contest andthanks all students who submitted artwork as well as theschools and teachers who encouraged and facilitatedparticipation.

East Region Overall Winner — Eli Creasy11th grade, White House High School

West Region Overall Winner — Kelsey Horton10th grade, Cheatham County Central High School

Katherine Brown Sycamore High School

Haley OverallWhite House High School

Lily PoteeteCheatham County Central High School

Luke HeatherlyJo Byrns High School

22 The Tennessee Magaz ine

Some 1,700 future leaders — including nearly 140from Tennessee electric cooperative service areas— traveled to Washington, D.C., June 12-18 forthe annual Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.

Cumberland Electric Membership Corporationdelegates were Morgan Baggett, JoByrns High School; Jackson Becker,Clarksville High School; LeslieBradley, Montgomery Central HighSchool; Eli Creasy, White HouseHigh School; Elease Holmes,Portland High School; Hollie Kepley,Portland High School; EmilyMasencup, Greenbrier High School;Fenyx Ramos-Pacanza, PortlandHigh School; Rachel Payne, Jo ByrnsHigh School; Miranda Sommers, Stewart County HighSchool; Emily Swift, Stewart County High School; andBrenna Van Liere, White House High School. Theseoutstanding students were rewarded with spots on the tourof D.C. for writing winning short stories titled “ElectricCooperatives: Powering Potential.” The stories described

how locally owned, member-controlled electriccooperatives continue improving lives in their serviceareas through special community-building programs aswell as reliable and affordable electric service. JillianGentry, Jo Byrns High School English teacher, was also

awarded a spot on the trip to recognizeher invaluable support of the co-op’syouth programs.

“During this week, I had to stop fora second and look at the students’faces,” Gentry said. “The look in theireyes — of exploration, bewildermentand curiosity — convinced me thatevery high school student must cometo D.C. to get a hands-on perspectiveof how this country operates and

respects our history. I am so glad that CEMC is able to giftthat experience to so many in my community.”

The Washington Youth Tour is a joint effort of CEMC,the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association andNational Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Thisyear’s trip marked the 50th anniversary of Tennessee’s

CEMC’s 2015 Washington Youth Tour delegates are, kneeling, Fenyx Ramos-Pacanza. Second row, from left: MirandaSommers, Emily Swift and Hollie Kepley. Back row: Leslie Bradley, Eli Creasy, Morgan Baggett, Jackson Becker, BrennaVan Liere, Emily Masencup, Elease Holmes and Rachel Payne.

2015 Washington Youth Tour

“Coming to Washington, D.C., onYouth Tour has been an amazingexperience I will remember for therest of my life! I have made greatfriends and even better memories

that will always hold a close place inmy heart!”

— Emily Masencup

August 2015 23

participation in the enriching, inspiring program for youngleaders from co-op service areas.

“The Youth Tour is one of the most rewarding things Ido all year,” said Stephanie Lobdell, CEMC communityrelations coordinator who served as a chaperone. “Thesestudents not only learn about our nation and their electriccooperative, but they also learn leadership skills that willbenefit them in college and beyond.”

Students on the tour visited the White House andmemorials to past presidents as well as monumentshonoring the sacrifices of veterans of World War II and theVietnam and Korean wars. They also attended the MarineCorps Sunset Parade at the Iwo Jima memorial. Otherstops included the Smithsonian Institution, United StatesHolocaust Museum, Kennedy Center, GeorgeWashington’s Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson’sMonticello, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Library ofCongress and Arlington National Cemetery, where thegroup laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Youth

Tour delegates werealso welcomed to theU.S. Capitol by Sens.Lamar Alexander andBob Corker, and Reps.Diane Black andMarsha Blackburn alsospent some time withtheir constituentsoutside the Capitol andposed for photos.Students were alsotreated to a specialnighttime VIP guidedtour of the Capitol.

“Our communitiesand our co-ops needstrong leadership, andthe Washington Youth Tour is one way we can help preparestudents for the roles they may one day fill,” said CEMCGeneral Manager Jim Coode. “The tour and similareducational opportunities made possible by CEMC aredesigned to help students understand what it takes to beleaders in their communities and why leadership is soimportant.”

Will you or someone you know be a high school juniorthis fall? If so, the 2016 Washington Youth Tour entrydetails can be found in your guidance counselor’s offices,the January 2016 issue of The Tennessee Magazine or atwww.cemc.org.

For an idea of what the contest is all about, readCEMC’s top 2015 short story written by Hollie Kepley,currently a senior at Portland High School, on page 24. Tosee additional highlights of our trip, visitfacebook.com/youthtour and twitter.com/youthtourTN orfollow youthtourTN on Instagram.

CEMC participants visit Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

Attendees take a break from touring for lunch at theHard Rock Cafe.

Miranda Sommers takes a close look at the VietnamVeterans Memorial Wall.

ON THE COVER — Standingon the grounds of the U.S.Capitol are CEMC’s 2015Washington Youth Tourrepresentatives. From left are,back row, Leslie Bradley,Rachel Payne, Jackson Becker,Eli Creasy, Emily Masencup,Jillian Gentry and StephanieLobdell. Front row: EleaseHolmes, Brenna Van Liere,Morgan Baggett, MirandaSommers, Emily Swift, HollieKepley, Fenyx Ramos-Pacanzaand Julie Wallace.

24 The Tennessee Magaz ine

Electric Cooperatives: Powering PotentialBy Hollie Kepley, Portland High School

Conversations were difficult. Too often, peoplewould say, “Oh, you should see the ... ,” and thenthey would pause and reiterate themselves. Annie

Elizabeth Middlefield had been blind since birth. For her,every day began with darkness. Herimagination had grown to allow her to picturethings in her mind, creating them in her ownway. Not knowing colors was terrible. She wasnever to know the bright crimson of a springrose or the glowing golds of a sunset. What shehated the most, though, was that she did noteven know what her own face looked like ... oranyone’s face, for that matter. To her,everything was a blank slate.

After so long, Annie learned to situateherself in life like anyone else. She was able toget cleaned up and dress herself like any other11-year-old. Her mother, Margret, wasconstantly there to assist her, and hergrandmother was supportive even when she was notphysically able to help. The person she longed to be closeto was her father, Winston, who was always busy with hisjob. He had begun working for the new electriccooperative that had been established in the closest townto them 12 miles away. There had been an excitementsweeping through the town after the notion of receivingelectric lighting. In Annie’s family, money had been anissue, and even though the Ford Model T had beeninvented in 1886, they still did not have an automobile.So, Annie could hear Winston leave every morning —hoof stomps, buggy wheels and all — and she wouldthink of how amazing it would be to at least read aboutplaces outside of their little farmhouse, exploring the vastarray of story books on her shelf that were all just out ofher reach in plain, flat print.

Every night, Annie got to talk to him briefly about whathe had done that day and who all he had talked to on hisrounds, and on some occasions, her father would read her abedtime story. This was a time that Annie cherished. It wasalmost as if her father could explain things in a way thatmade them come to life in his speaking and in Annie’simagination. Winston would tell her of the possibilities ofa rounded lightbulb and of President Roosevelt’s RuralElectrification Administration. This act would providerural areas with the potential for electrical services,enhancing their quality of life. These stories enchanted her,but in the long run, they also made her feel alone and onthe outside, surrounded by a world that was constantlygrowing. All she wanted to do was escape the confines ofthe situation in which God had placed her.

On a morning in late June, Annie noticed a commotionoutside her bedroom window. Alongside the sounds ofbaby mockingbirds nested in the window box below, shecould hear thundering of some sort of machinery and the

conversations of older men. After alerting hermother in the kitchen, the pair left the sink andwent to look out the front door. Mrs. Margretwas in awe at the sight of large, bellowingelectrical trucks led by none other than Mr.Winston himself. Annie asked her mother,“What is it? Is something wrong?” Margretexplained that the time had come for theirfamily to receive a blessing, the blessing ofelectricity.

After a week with the improvements ofhaving electric lighting and the power to useelectric appliances, Annie could not find thesame glory as the others. Her father was alwaysgone, working for the cooperative, and she did

not understand the reason why everyone found usefulnessfrom this group that did not benefit her in the least. Shecould not appreciate the change from dim to bright that alightbulb brought to a room late at night or theconvenience that an outlet brought to the possibilities ofappliances. Annie could not see this light or electricity’spossibilities. All she could feel was the absence of herfather and the same loneliness that she had beenaccustomed to.

On a humid, late July night, Mr. Winston came intoAnnie’s room as he had several times before. This timeAnnie could feel the gritty dirt on his hands and could tellthe tiredness in his voice. Then, Annie asked, “Daddy,what is so great about electric cooperatives?” Winstonlooked at his young daughter and replied, “Electriccooperatives are utilities owned privately by theirmembers. They are closely linked to the communities theyserve and do their business by listening to their customers’needs. Honey, they are the reason why our family can domore.” Annie remembered her mother telling her aboutbuying a new refrigerator and using a new electric iron onher Sunday dresses. She realized that her family wasbecoming better off.

As they sat there together, her father took her hand andsaid, “Soon, I will stop reading these stories to you.”Puzzled, she asked why. “I have saved enough money tobuy you these new books and to send you to a schoolwhere you can learn to read them yourself,” said Winston.A tear came to Annie’s eye, and she hugged her father’sneck. She had finally realized how power had opened thedoor to the potential she had inside herself.

Hollie KepleyPortland High

School

CEMC linemen demonstrate skills at 2015 rodeo

August 2015 25

Periodically inspectyour dryer vent to en-sure it is not blocked.This will save energyand may prevent afire. Manufacturersrecommend usingrigid venting material— not plastic ventsthat may collapse andcause blockages.

Source: energy.gov

Each year, Cumberland Electric MembershipCorporation sends a group of expertly trainedlineworkers to participate in the Tennessee Valley

Lineman Rodeo. The rodeo requires lineworkers tocompete in a series of tests that balance skill with safety.

Much of the rodeo takes place atop 40-foot-tall poles.For safety reasons, electricity is not running through thelines at the top, but competitors are judged as if everyaspect is real. The lineworkers perform a variety of tasksscored by a team of highly qualified judges.

This year, CEMC employees — Portland Districtapprentice lineman Justin Bradley, Gallatin Districtapprentice lineman Jake Johnson, Portland Districtlineman Justin Short and Gallatin District lineman DavidSouth — competed in Sevierville against lineworkersrepresenting cooperatives and municipal systems acrossthe Tennessee Valley. Short finished first in the IndividualJourneyman Double Dead End Bell and Hurtman Rescueevents and claimed second place in the IndividualJourneyman Overall competition. Bradley placed third inthe Apprentice Double Dead End Bell event.

Additionally, construction crew working foreman MarkHeathman and Springfield District operations supervisorNicky Roberts worked as event judges, transmissionengineer Kevin Cain served on the rodeo’s planningcommittee and safety coordinator Chip Miller wascommittee member and chief judge.

“Our lineworkers are among the best-trained, mostdedicated and hardest-working people you will ever meet,”

says Miller. “They work around high-voltage power linesin the toughest weather conditions and often in the dark torestore power to our members’ homes. The rodeo givesthem the chance to match their knowledge and skillsagainst those of their peers.”

The timed events in which lineworkers competesimulate the work they do on the job. The rodeo requiresthem to follow the protocol exactly, and if they don’t, theirscores reflect their mistakes. The competitors are held tothis high standard of precision and safety because of thedangerous nature of their work.

Portland District apprentice lineman Justin Bradleycompetes in the Double Dead End Bell event at the 2015Tennessee Valley Lineman Rodeo.

September’s issue of The Tennessee Magazine isone you won’t want to miss! It will contain all thedetails regarding Cumberland Electric Member-ship Corporation’s 77th annual membership

meeting. We hope you and your family will make plans toattend the meeting on Saturday, Sept. 26, at White HouseHeritage High School in Robertson County. Directorelections will be held, a complimentary breakfast will beserved, entertainment will be provided and some excitingdoor prizes will be given away. Please plan to join us aswe celebrate 77 years of serving you!

Coming next month

26 The Tennessee Magaz ine

When itcomes toenergy ef-ficiency

in the home, sometimessmall changes can makea big impact. A small,unglamorous task likechanging the filters onyour heat-and-air sys-tem makes your unit runmore efficiently —keeping your housecooler in the summerand warmer in the win-ter. It also saves money.And the savings gainedfrom having your sys-tem run more efficientlycan be applied to morefun or entertaining pur-suits that your familycan enjoy together.

The lowdown on dirt As you move around your home, you drive dust into

the air from carpets, furniture and drapes. Regardless ofwhere it comes from, dust and dirt trapped in asystem’s air filter lead to several problems, including:• Reduced airflow in the home and up to 15 percenthigher operating costs

• Costly duct cleaning or replacement• Lowered system efficiency

Making the switchNow that you know the facts, it’s time to get busy

changing or cleaning the air filter in your heating andcooling system. Many HVAC professionals recommendthat you clean or change the filter on your airconditioner or furnace monthly. It’s simple and easy,and in many cases, it only takes a few minutes.

Filters are available in a variety of types andefficiencies rated by a Minimum Efficiency ReportingValue (MERV), a method developed by the AmericanSociety of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-ConditioningEngineers that scores filter effectiveness. The higherthe MERV number, the higher the filter’s effectivenessat keeping dust out of your system. While most types offilters must be replaced, some filters are reusable. And

don’t forget about the winter months. Your heatingsystem needs to work as efficiently as possible to keepyou warm (and your loved one feeling snuggly), and aclean air filter helps it do just that.

Heating and cooling professionals recommendturning your system off before changing the air filter.Make sure the arrow on the filter — which indicates thedirection of the airflow — is pointing toward theblower motor. When you’ve made the change, turn yoursystem back on.

A teachable momentBeyond saving money and improving the air quality

in your home, changing your air filter is a greatopportunity to teach your family more about energyefficiency. Consider getting everyone involved so theentire family can learn how simple changes can make abig difference.

Visit our website, www.cemc.org, for additionalenergy-saving tips.

Anne Prince writes on consumer and cooperative affairsfor the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association,the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electriccooperatives.

A change for the betterBy Anne Prince