News

2/19/2010

Bright Ideas Program Receives National Recognition

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) recently honored the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives with a National Community Service Award for Youth Programs.  The association received the award for Bright Ideas, an educational grants program administered by the state’s electric cooperatives, including South River EMC. The award was presented at NRECA’s 2010 Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA., in mid- February.

Since the inception of the Bright Ideas grants program in 1994, electric cooperatives in North Carolina have awarded more than $7 million to deserving teachers to sponsor almost 6,400 classroom projects in schools across the state. South River EMC awarded 55 projects totaling $68,000 in 2009 and since 1994, the Cooperative has awarded $530,000 to teachers in local schools.

“Bright Ideas is just one example of the many community-building programs that South River EMC and the rest of the state’s electric cooperatives have implemented to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. We are honored to receive national recognition for the Bright Ideas teacher grant program and are humbled to be a part of a network of co-ops that so strongly stand for the value of commitment to community,” said Buddy G. Creed, CEO and executive vice president of South River EMC.

The National Community Service Awards program allowed the winner of each category to produce a short video featuring their program. The Bright Ideas video featured two of South River EMC’s teachers that received grants, Chris Shatto, from McGee’s Crossroads Elementary in Johnston County and Steven Schrock, from Overhills Middle in Harnett County.

“An investment in schools is a long-term investment in the community,” said F.E. “Wally” Wolski, president of the NRECA Board of Directors.  “North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have touched the lives of nearly one million North Carolina students with Bright Ideas grants and, during this recession, helped to fill a widening gap in rural education budgets.”

The North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives is a corporation that provides trade association services to the state’s 26 electric cooperatives, which collectively deliver electricity to 2.5 million people in 93 of the state’s 100 counties

South River EMC is a locally-owned and operated electric cooperative, which provides electric service to 42,000 homes, farms and businesses in parts of Harnett, Cumberland, Sampson, Johnston and Bladen counties.

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