4 SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | AUGUST 2009 | SCLIVING.COOp

Co-opConnection

President and CEOE. LeRoy “Toy” Nettles, Jr.

Chairman, Board of TrusteesJames A. Goodson

TrusteesJule Conner

Preston Gainey

David Howell

Louise Kelley

Hamer Parnell

Fred Riales

W. F. Rogers

LaShon Sellers

Don Teal

Pat Thomas-Toney

Office Hours8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday

Corporate Headquarters1355 East McIver RoadPO Box 491Darlington, SC 29540

District Office 1811 North 501 BypassMarion, SC

Report Power Outage (843) 665-4070 Toll-Free (866) 747-0060

Web sitePeeDeeElectric.com

Co-op News Editor Tom Kinard

Copper Law Benefits Pee Dee Electric Co-op, You

E. LeRoy “Toy” Nettles Jr.President and Chief Executive Officer

NEW STATE LAWS that increase the penalties for the theft of copper and other metals will help protect members of Pee Dee Electric Cooperative, the general public and our lineworkers.

The law, which deals with nonferrous metals and the regulation of junkyards and demolishers, contained crucial provisions that benefit our cooperative. Among them was the addition of copper-clad steel wire to the list of regulated metals, the inclusion of damage to

personal property in the criminal statute for nonferrous metal theft and the reinstatement of a prohibition of transporting more than 25 pounds of copper or other nonferrous metals without a permit from the local sheriff.

Pee Dee Electric Cooperative joined other co-ops in a major legislative effort this year to push for these changes. Cooperatives were joined in their support of the bill by investor-owned electric utilities, telephone utilities and the Sheriff ’s Association.

The co-ops worked last year to promote new laws that connect the amount of time served for theft of copper and other metals with the amount of damage done during the theft. At a sister co-op

in February, thieves removed wires in a substation that caused voltage regulators to overload, overheat and catch fire. The resulting outage affected 3,000 co-op members. The copper would have netted the thieves only $45, but damages were estimated at more than $40,000. Copper theft has been on the upswing across the nation for years as the salvage price for scrap copper rose — even though it has since declined.

Cost aside, copper theft endangers lives. The thief at the substation narrowly escaped death. Elderly people were put at risk since they are more susceptible to wintry weather. Copper wires also add grounding that helps protect lineworkers, who put their lives on the line to provide reliable service for everyone.

Help spread the word about copper theft’s deadly consequences. And help us stop the thieves. Notify law enforcement or Pee Dee Electric Cooperative immediately if you observe suspicious activity at co-op facilities.

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NewsYouth Tour Gets A+Three Young Leaders Represent PDEC

Some of the supplies that will be added to backpacks given to students. The goal is simple: Help Children LEARN!

Labor Day Closing

Pee Dee Electric Cooperative will be closed

Labor Day, Monday, September 7

Please Call to Report Outages

(843) 665-4070 or (866) 747-0060

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Kendall Chapman (L), Alexandria Parnell and Ranesha Stuckey on the steps of the US Capitol during the Youth Tour in June.

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EACh yEAR, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative sponsors rising high school seniors to attend a week-long, all-expenses-paid trip to our nation’s capital. This year, we sponsored Kendall Chapman, Alexandria Parnell and Ranesha Stuckey. Kendall attends Mayo High School for Math, Science & Technology. She is the daughter of Ann and Dean Chapman. Alexandria attends West Florence High School. She is the daughter of Lisa Turbeville and Raymond Parnell. Ranesha attends Johnsonville High

School and is the daughter of Roger and Lori Stuckey.

These students toured Washington, attended NRECA’s Youth Day along with 47 other states and visited with their Congressmen at the Capitol. When asked their thoughts on the trip, all three agreed it was “awesome — the experience of a lifetime!”

The Washington Youth Tour is a part of Pee Dee Electric’s educational support program and our commitment to the community.

WIRE Making ‘Back to School’ HappierPEE DEE ELECTRiC Cooperative’s ladies’ group, WIRE, is teaming with Carolina Kids to assist the Backpack Program. The program provides students in need (as identified by the schools)with a backpack for the new school year. Each backpack will contain school supplies and personal hygiene items.

“Every year, WIRE participates in a community project,” said Evelyn Talbert,

the group’s president. “We’re excited about Carolina Kids’ Backpack Program, and we know this will make a difference in students’ lives.”

If you would like to contribute to this effort, please drop off supplies such as notebook paper, glue sticks and hand sanitizer at our Darlington Headquarters, 1355 East McIver Road. All donations appreciated.

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Years in the Making!with a cast of Thousands!

GRAND PRIZE

2002 GMC 1500

1977 — West Florence High School

Florence Civic Center

Pee Dee Electric Cooperative70th Annual MeetingSaturday, October 24Florence Civic Center

Business Meeting 12 Noon

Free Health FairEnergy Voucher for Registering

EntertainmentMore than 50 Door Prizes

Bonus Prizes Details Coming Soon

THEN NOWDoorsOpen

at9:00 a.m.

Co-op News EXTRA

7070

New Appliance Calculator Can Help Control Your Energy BillPEE DEE ELECTRiC COOPERATivE has a new Home Energy Appliance Calculator on the Web site. The calculator allows you to enter all the appliances used in your home and will estimate your monthly cost. This is a convenient tool designed for you to better understand and help control your energy bill. Use the calculator as a guide for comparison and to get an idea of what your average monthly usage might be. Did you know — if you burn a 100-watt incandescent light for a month, the cost is approximately $8.21 ($98.50 a year!)? If you use an equivalent CFL, the cost is only $1.89 a month or about $22.65 for a year.

You can access the calculator at PeeDeeElectric.

com. Our site also includes: the Touchstone Energy Home Energy Audit and the Home Energy Yardstick. From the Home Page, click on Member Services, Residential and OnLine Energy Advisor. Enter the number of appliances in your home and the hours per month they’re in use. The calculator will give you a monthly and yearly estimate of your energy cost.

Don’t forget to see your real-time energy use and cost on MyUsage.com and check the 101 Low-Cost, No-Cost Home Energy-Saving Measures booklet online.

If you have questions concerning these or any other online services, please call us — (843) 665-4070 or toll free (866) 747-0060.

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David Grant’s brood mares enjoy summer grass while teaching a foal (middle) about the life of a Marsh Tacky. Tackies come in a variety of colors that are consistent with other Colonial Spanish horses.

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Wylie Bell (L) and Holly (grinning) share the shade with David Grant and DP on a hot Pee Dee afternoon. David enjoys all horses, but concentrates on raising Marsh Tackies because of their rarity and historical significance.

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Meet the Carolina Marsh TackyPlucky horse survives wars, swamps, automobiles and feral hogs

Some say the Carolina Marsh Tacky should be the official state horse of South Carolina.

Based on breed history and the will to survive, the Marsh Tacky wins the honor, hands down.

The name “Tacky” is derived from the English word for “cheap” or “common.” For most of their history, Marsh Tackies were the most common horse in the swampy and marshy areas of coastal South Carolina and were used for riding, pulling, and anything else horsepower was needed. As the car replaced the horse, the Marsh Tacky began to disappear. It was thought the breed became extinct toward the end of the 20th Century, but the Marsh Tacky is making a comeback with the help of dedicated horse lovers.

It is generally accepted that Tack-ies came to our shores in the 1500s

as part of the stock brought by Spanish settlers. A further influx of Spanish horses from Florida made their way to Charleston as pack animals on the Native American trade routes of the Chickasaw, Creek

and Southeastern Choctaw tribes. They were sold once they arrived in South Carolina, thus bolstering the population of Spanish horses that would become known as the Marsh Tacky.

“The Marsh Tacky is a sturdy, well-balanced and easy-going horse with a sharp mind,” said David Grant, a Pee Dee Electric Cooperative member-owner and a Carolina Marsh Tacky breeder. “Tackies are tough, they don’t panic like high-strung horses and they do not give up.”

Their gentle nature historically made the Marsh Tacky the preferred mount for ladies and children, but their strength, prowess and fearlessness in the field made them popular as working animals utilized for hunting and herding cattle. Newly broken horses often are in the field and used as hunting mounts within weeks of having the first saddle on their back.

“My friends and I use these great horses to hunt feral hogs. The horses work well with the dogs, they’re not gun-shy, don’t mind getting wet or

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Holly, with Wylie Bell up, canters in an open field. Holly won the 2009 Gullah Celebration Marsh Tacky Run on the beach at Hilton Head with David Grant aboard. The horse is also at home chasing feral hogs in Pee Dee swamps.

Jeff ’s Energy Tip Jeff SingletaryPDEC Energy Expert

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Complete details in this issue ofSouth Carolina Living!

muddy, are sure-footed and very quick through the woods. I think they’re more fun than four-wheelers and, in fact, can probably out-climb them,” David said.

Tackies were ridden by the Patriots during the Revolutionary War. It may well have been the Marsh Tacky that gained General Francis Marion his famous nickname, “The Swamp Fox.” Its size and lightning speed in the swamps and marshes enabled the Tacky to outmaneuver the larger and slower British mounts.

In the Civil War, the Confederate cavalry was mainly made up of personal horses, many of which were Tackies.

It hasn’t been long since the breed numbered less than 150 horses due to neglect. Now, with more people excited about raising the Marsh Tacky, the numbers are growing, slowly.

It’s not an overnight process. David Grant doesn’t sell any of his horses until they are at least five years old. Any Tacky purchased from David will be broken, have been personally ridden by him and will be a veteran swamp hunter.

The public is invited to see a display of these rare horses on Saturday, October 17. The location is the Southern States Cooperative, 1408 Ebenezer Road, Darlington. More information is available on the Web site CarolinaMarshTacky.com.

There’s nothing like a cool shower on a hot day, but there’s also great

pleasure in a hot shower when the weather turns colder in a few months.

You can receive up to a $250 rebate

on your power bill when you install a new, energy-efficient water heater in your home.

Members of Pee Dee Electric Cooperative who purchase a new 50- to 79-gallon electric water heater will receive a $200 rebate. Those who purchase an 80-gallon or larger water heater will receive a $250 rebate.

Water heater must meet qualifying installation requirements: 10/2 copper wire with ground and a 30-amp/two-pole breaker. PDEC will then install a control switch at no cost to you.

In many cases, the rebate from Pee Dee Electric Cooperative can cover your cost of a new water heater. Using a new, energy-efficient water heater will save you each month.

This program is called H2O Select. Please call me with any questions— (843) 665-4070 or toll-free (866) 747-0060.

Share your energy-saving tips with others! Send me an e-mail: jsingletary@PeeDeeElectric.com.

Now, it’s your turn. Make your best guess of what $1.00 of electricity will purchase. Write your answers on a card and send them to us. The member with the most correct answers will win a Lowe’s $50 Gift Card to help buy energy-efficient products to save money and help the environment. In case of a tie, a random drawing will be held to determine the winner. Entries must be received by September 4, 2009.

$1.00 Contest

1. How many hours will $1.00 worth of electric- ity power an electric blanket set on medium?

A. 65 B. 183 C. 222 D. 369

2. How many hours will $1.00 worth of elec- tricity power a personal hair dryer set on high heat and high fan?

A. 6 B. 27 C. 89 D. 112

3. How many hours will $1.00 worth of elec- tricity power a 26W (100W equivalent) compact fluorescent light bulb?

A. 160 B. 284 C. 395 D. 478

4. How many bags of microwave popcorn can be popped for $1.00 worth of electricity?

A. 28 B. 89 C. 154 D. 260

Send your answers, along with your name and address to:$1.00 Contest

Pee Dee Electric CooperativeP.O. Box 491

Darlington, SC 29540or

e-mail: tkinard@PeeDeeElectric.com Winner announced in October South Carolina Living Magazine.

Win a Lowe’s $50 Gift Card!

DiD yOU kNOW that most of your power bill each month goes to cool or heat your home? About 60 percent of your energy use is for home cooling or heating, 20 percent is for heating water and 20 percent is for using appliances and lighting your home. That 20 percent of your energy bill can give you a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction. As an example, $1.00 of Pee Dee Electric electricity will give you approximately:

77 Hours(3.2 days)

powerforan

averagerefrigerator

34clotheswasherloadsusing

normalcycle

11dishwasher

loadsusing

heateddrycycle