Empower change: Join Change for the Community in 2024!

June is National Safety Month, and safety starts at home. 

Join the observance by checking for electrical accidents waiting to happen in your home. Here’s how: 

• Inspect every appliance in your home to determine if it is still in working order. Turn each one on and then off as you listen to the sound of the motor. Inspect plugs and cords for damage.  
• If you have young children at home, plug wall outlets with child-safety caps.  
• When you replace appliances, buy the ones with a rating from a testing laboratory like UL.  
• Choose lightbulbs with the correct wattage for each lamp and overhead light fixture. You’ll find the maximum safe wattage imprinted on the fixture. 
• Put away extension cords. They’re designed for temporary use. 
• If you’re hiding any cords under the carpet, move them. Covering cords can cause them to overheat and start a fire.  

On April 8, we celebrate Lineworker Appreciation Day to honor those who power life! Rain or shine, day or night, lineworkers brave challenging conditions to make sure we have electricity when we need it. Their dedication is nothing short of extraordinary and a testament to their commitment to powering our local communities.

Obion County Central High School junior, Hope Baker and Crockett County High School junior, George Goldsby recently represented Gibson Electric at the 2024 Youth Leadership Summit in Nashville.

While there, delegates visited the State Capitol Building where they were welcomed by Secretary of State Tre Hargett and members of the Tennessee General Assembly. Students heard from leaders in the electric industry including NRECA Youth Programs and Training Manager Beth Knudson, as well as leadership speaker and entrepreneur Amy Gallimore. The Youth Leadership Summit also included a day of leadership training at the Joe C. Davis YMCA Outdoor Center, a tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and a Nashville Predators game.

The delegates to the event received a hands-on look at state government, learned networking and leadership skills and developed a better understanding of their local electric cooperatives. Delegates to the Youth Leadership Summit are encouraged to be leaders in their schools and hometowns, and to use their talents to improve rural Tennessee.

Fulton County High School juniors, Jonathan Young and Jackson Major, represented Gibson Electric at the 2024 Frankfort Youth Tour held in Frankfort, Kentucky. Students took a tour of the capital, learned about the state governmental process, and also heard from elected officials including Secretary of State Michael Adams and Governor Andy Beshear. While in Frankfort, students helped re-launch the Co-ops Vote initiative, a non-partisan campaign between Kentucky Electric Cooperatives and the Secretary of State’s office to encourage voting.

Delegates are encouraged to be leaders and active in their towns and schools; they are chosen with the recommendation of both the guidance counselor and principal. Gibson Electric is proud to sponsor these two students’ participation in the Frankfort Youth Tour.

More than 175 electric cooperative leaders from across the state, including directors and staff from Gibson Electric Membership Corporation gathered in Nashville on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 20 and 21, for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association’s 2024 Legislative Conference.

Attendees at the event heard from political strategists and policy advisors as well as Tennessee leaders, including advisors to Gov. Bill Lee and Secretary of State Tre Hargett.

“Reliability took center stage during discussions with legislators this year,” said Ryan King, vice president of government affairs for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “From cybersecurity to EPA regulations, co-op leaders advocated for specific legislation that will harden the grid and protect energy supply.”

Meetings were also about building relationships. “When a bill crosses a legislator’s desk that can impact energy or rural and suburban Tennessee, we want them to know who to call,” said King. “Building strong relationships with lawmakers can have a significant impact on bills that are passed and, ultimately, an electric co-op’s ability to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to its communities.”

 “This event is an important part of Gibson Electric’s mission to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to our communities,” says President and CEO Dan Rodamaker. “We go to Nashville to help lawmakers understand the real-world impacts of law and policy and to advocate for our co-op members and rural Tennessee. We appreciate our legislators who took time to hear from us.”

Gibson Electric trustees Tony Bargery, Rana Buchanan, Eric Dupree, Brian McDaniel, Joan Mouser, Wray Pulliam, and Steve Sanders along with Community and Member Engagement Specialist Jessica Toliver and President and CEO Dan Rodamaker attended this year’s conference. Visits with Representatives Rusty Grills, Brock Martin, Chris Hurt, and Chris Todd and Senators John Stevens and Ed Jackson were scheduled while they were at the Capitol.

Gibson Electric Membership Corporation invites you to our 87th annual members’ meeting on Thursday, March 28, at Gibson County High School in Dyer, Tennessee.

Registration will begin at 6 p.m. Members will receive a gift at registration and a ticket to win one of 10 $100 bill credits that can be applied to a Gibson Electric or Gibson Connect bill. Members’ children will
be eligible to win one of three $50 Walmart gift cards.

Attendees can enjoy free barbecue sandwiches or hot dogs, chips, individually wrapped desserts and
soft drinks or bottled waters.

Family-friendly entertainment begins at 6:15 p.m. Door prizes are awarded at 6:45 p.m., and the business meeting begins at 7 p.m.

During the business meeting, Gibson Electric’s leadership will provide an update on the co-op’s operation,
including a financial report. Dan Rodamaker, Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect President and CEO, also will report on significant activities that have taken place during the past year and plans for the future. The business meeting will end at 7:30 p.m., and the remaining door prizes will be awarded.

“As a not-for-profit, member-owned and member-controlled cooperative, we enjoy the opportunity to visit with those we serve,” said Rodamaker. “We hope you’ll mark your calendar and come join us!”

If you are a member with special needs and plan to attend this meeting, please contact your local
member service center and ask for extension 1611 by Monday, March 18, so the cooperative can try to
accommodate you.

Extremely cold weather can have a big impact on energy bills. The extended, extremely cold weather we experienced in January was unusual for our region.

January saw near zero low temperatures and four consecutive days of high temperatures below freezing. These extended periods of cold weather can lead to increased demand in energy consumption. In fact, our power supplier, TVA, set an all-time record peak energy demand on Wednesday morning, Jan. 17.

So why does energy consumption go up when the temperature goes down? The answer is fairly simple.

Colder outdoor temperatures require your home heating systems to operate longer to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. This is true even if thermostat settings are unchanged. For example, when a home’s thermostat is set at 65 degrees and the outdoor temperature is 45 degrees, the heating system must generate only 20 degrees of heat and may only operate a few minutes of each hour. However, if the outdoor temperature is 15 degrees, the heating system must generate 50 degrees of heat and must operate almost the entire hour to maintain an indoor temperature of 65 degrees. The longer a heating system runs, the more energy it uses. Homes with gas heat will see higher power bills because fans that circulate the heat run on electricity.

Contact Gibson Electric Membership Corporation as soon as possible if you have difficulty paying your bill. We can help members set up payment arrangements and take advantage of assistance provided by local agencies. You may also consider enrolling in our levelized billing program to avoid seasonal peaks in your energy bills.

A message from your co-op’s President and CEO:

I am thrilled to share exciting news about a significant milestone in our journey as we embark on a new era of unity, collaboration and service. This month, we launch our rebranding initiative, bringing together Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect with an identical logo.

This strategic move represents a unified vision for our organization, symbolizing our commitment to continued innovation and service enhancement as well as fostering even stronger connections with our communities and embracing a future that revolves around collaboration and synergy.

We are proud to unveil a new logo that we’ll use for our individual businesses of Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect. The new logo is a simple yet powerful “G” that serves as a visual symbol of the strength of our unity and our commitment to service progress.

The Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect logos reflect our dedication to creating a seamless, exceptional experience for our members. By consolidating our brand symbol, we aim to streamline our communications, simplify our messaging and enhance the overall clarity of our unified identity.

This step is not just about rebranding; it’s about reinforcing our commitment to our members and the communities we serve.

Along with the cobranded identity, I am excited to introduce the launch of our new joint website at
gibsoncoops.com, where you’ll discover an improved online experience designed with you in mind.

The website is a dynamic space offering enriched content, easy navigation and interactive features to better engage you in meaningful ways and meet your needs. Through gibsoncoops.com, you can easily access information and conveniently transact business with Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect.

Despite these changes, one thing remains constant — our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional local electric and fiber internet services. We are the same local, not-for-profit, member-owned and member-controlled organization with the same devoted team of employees you know and trust. We will continue to prioritize your needs, ensuring that the quality of service you expect and deserve remains at the forefront of everything we do.

As you encounter our fresh, forward-moving “G” logo on our buildings, vehicles and other items across our communities, know that it represents more than a visual transformation. It is a symbol of our dedication to cooperation, innovation, service, community and continued progress.

We are immensely grateful for the trust and support you have placed in Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect. We look forward to building upon that foundation and creating a brighter, more connected
future together.

Each summer, Gibson Electric sends a group of high school juniors to spend a week exploring Washington, D.C., learning about government and cooperatives and developing their leadership skills.

This opportunity is made possible through a strong partnership with area high schools and educators.

Students selected for the trip are winners in Tennessee’s 2024 Cooperative Creative Writing Competition,
where they write 900-word essays about the importance of electric cooperatives.

Not only do students have the opportunity to win an expense-paid trip to D.C., but they also have the opportunity to win a share of $16,000 in scholarships from Gibson Electric and the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. Two Tennessee universities—Union University and Carson Newman University—will award scholarships to winners of the writing contest.

“Our commitment to community is what sets cooperatives apart from other businesses,” said Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect President and CEO Dan Rodamaker. “The Washington Youth Tour is one
way we show students that their co-op is more than their electricity provider. We genuinely care about the prosperity of our communities, and that includes providing special opportunities for these exceptional students and preparing them for future success.”

Gibson Electric’s program coordinator, Sarah Williams, is currently visiting schools, making presentations about the Washington Youth Tour and writing competition.

If we are not in your school yet, we’d like to be! Ask your principal or English teacher to consider participation. Meanwhile, if you know a high school junior who is a talented writer, encourage him or her to participate. That student could be just 900 words from the trip of a lifetime.

Home-schooled students can call their local Gibson EMC member service center and ask to speak with Sarah Williams to receive contest materials.

Ringing in the new year is the perfect time to reflect on the positive impact we can make in our community. At Gibson Electric, we’re thrilled to talk about our Change for the Community program, a powerful initiative designed to harness the collective strength of our member-owners to drive positive change right where we live.

Member-owners who participate in the program agree to round up their utility bill each month to the
next dollar. Money collected then funds community projects.

Change for the Community has been a successful program in our Kentucky counties for more than a decade, and we proudly bring the program to our Tennessee member-owners in the hope that we can replicate Kentucky’s success.

The program is a testament to our commitment to community development and support. We believe that small change can lead to significant impact.

How Change for the Community works

• Opt-in and empower change: Opt-in to the program at gibsoncoops.com/change.

• Round-up your bill: Your monthly utility bill is rounded up to the nearest dollar. Your spare change adds up to make a real difference in funding worthwhile local projects.

• Local impact: Every cent contributed through the program will go directly to supporting local initiatives such as education programs, infrastructure and community organizations.

The program with our Tennessee members is in its beginning stages. Once enough money is collected, a board made up of Gibson Electric members will begin distributing funds to 501(c)3 organizations that have the greatest impact on our membership and are within the Gibson EMC service area in which they were collected.

Join us in the new year

As we welcome 2024, we invite all our member-owners to make a resolution for positive change and opt-in to the Change for the Community program. Your participation matters, and together, we can make an even greater impact in the coming year.

Let’s start the new year on a note of positive change, unity and community strength. Again, you can opt-in to the program on our website. Visit gibsoncoops.com/change.