SLECAprovidesitsemployeesacomprehensivetrainingprogramthatcov-erseveryaspectofutilityfieldoperations,stressingsafetyandefficientopera-tionsunderallpossibleconditions.(Acct.No.76775002) SLECAemployees(showninphotobelowfromlefttoright)AndreDupre,AdrianRedden,MelvinBrownandNealForetwereamonglinemenfromelec-tricco-opsacrossLouisianawhosuccessfullycompletedModuleIIIofthefour-yearLouisianaLinemanIntensiveTrainingProgramadministeredbytheAssociationofLouisianaElectricCooperativesinBatonRouge. Inthephotoatbottom,SLECAemployeesJesseFanguy,GabrielMustiful,CoreyDavis,DrakeRollinsandStevenPorterocom-pletedModule1.

SLECA News Joe Ticheli,GeneralManagerAlexander Doyle,President

South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Assn.P.O. Box 4037, Houma, LA 70361 (876-6880)LowRates.HighExpectations.

Across the BoardApril 2, 2012

PresentweredirectorsAlexanderDoyle,president;DavidLuke,vice-president;BrianRivet,secretary;TerryTrahan,treasurer;TracyDuval,J.D.Boudreaux,EroyAcosta,RogerDaleDeHart,LarryJ.DaigleandLloydGibson,advisor.AlsoattendingwereJosephTicheli,generalmanager,JamesFunderburk,attorney,andElaineRobertson,memberservicessupervisor. Aftertheinvocationandpledge,theboardapprovedtheminutesandsummaryoftheMarch13thregularboardmeeting,175newmembersandtheALECReport.Thefinancialreport,approvedbytheboard,highlightedinterestearnings,cashonhand,ratecomparisonshowingSLECAhavingthelowestratescomparedtootherareautilities,lineloss,kilowatthoursalesforthemonth,cumulativesalestodate,costofservice,equity,TIERandelectricandtotalrevenueversescostperkilowatthour.(Acct.No.99144001) Followinganupdateonupcomingschools,meetingsandevents,Mr.Tichelireportedonthefollowing:(1)SLECA’sofficeswillbeclosedonGoodFriday,April6th;(2)SLECA’sFamilyFunDaywillbeheldonSaturday,May19th;(3)DonaldGautreaux,whowasanaccomplicetothesubstationcopperthefts,wasgivena10-yearsuspendedsentenceandaskedtopay$50,000inrestitutiontoEntergy;(4)Acommitteewasformedtoreviewsuchthingsaslightningprotec-torsontransformerstomakethemmoreeffectiveinanefforttocutdownonout-agesandbeasfiscallyresponsibleaspossible;(5)SLECAreceivedits2011cashpatronagedistributionintheformofacheckfor$17,987.03;and(6)TherewerenoknownNERC/SERCviolationsthisperiod. Theboardthenapprovedgoingoutforbidstoreplacetwopickuptrucks,twoRUSdocumentsthatneededtobeupdated,themanager’sreportandthesafetyreportshowingemployeeshaveworked2,521,789hourswithoutalosttimeacci-dentsinceDecember,1996andaresolutionrequestedbyMr.Funderburkauthoriz-ingMr.DoyletosigntheemploymentcontractwithMr.Ticheliasgeneralman-ager. Theboardthenapprovedtheattorney’sreportandfees. Mr.Tichelithenaddressedtwoissuesthattheboardhadaskedhimtoresearch. Themeetingwasthenadjourned. YoumayobtaincopiesoftheminutesbycontactingSLECA,P.O.Box4037,Houma,LA70361orbycalling(985)876-6880or1-800-256-8826.

Page6•LouISIANACouNTRy•June2012 June2012•LouISIANACouNTRy•Page7

Everyyear,HarlemGlobetrottersbasketballstarMelvinAdamsstepsoutofafancylimousineandstridesthroughthedoorsofDuLargeMiddleSchooltoputonaperformanceforthekidsanddeliveraninspirationalmessage. That’satoughacttofollowforapersondressedupasaCompactFluo-rescentLight(CFL),butthe7-foot-tallfoam-paddedcharacterknownasCFLCharliegaveithisbestshot. CFLCharlieandotherrepresenta-tivesofTouchstoneEnergy,theNationalRuralElectricCooperativeAssociation(NRECA)andSLECAwereonhandatDuLargeMiddleSchoolonMay14toteachthestudentshowelectricalpowerisgeneratedandtoconveytheimpor-tanceofconservingelectricity. TheprogrambeganwithabriefpresentationbyJimBausell,CEOofTouchstoneEnergy,thenationalbrand-ingorganizationforthenation’selec-triccooperatives.Afterastimulatingquestion-and-answersessionledbyAlanSheddofNRECA,CFLCharliesurprisedthestudentswhenheemergedfromthebackoftheassemblyhall. CFLCharliemadehiswayaroundtheroom“high-fiving”andinteractingwiththeexcitedstudents.EachstudentreceivedaCFLCharlieFunBookwithenergy-relatedgamesandactivitiesandaSuperEnergySaverchecklistdesignedtoencouragehabitsthatwillleadtoenergyconservationandlowermonthlypowerbillsfortheirfamilies. Also,eachclassroomteacherreceivedaspecialkitwithasamplingofvariousdevicesandmaterialsthatcanbeinstalledintheclassroomtosaveenergysuchasCFLsthatconsumelesspowerandlastlongerthanincandescentbulbsandlightswitchplateinsulationthatkeepsconditionedairfromescapingtheroomthroughsmallcracks. TheprogramwasinitiatedbyaconversationbetweenDuLargeMiddleSchoolPrincipalCherylDegruiseand

RogerDaleDeHart,whoservesonSLECA’sboardofdirectorsandalsorep-resentstheareaontheTerrebonneParishSchoolBoard.(Acct.No.24028001) Degruisesaidit’stheaimofbothschoolofficialsandboardmemberstoplacemoreemphasisonscienceandtechnologyinadditiontoanalreadystrongmathandreadingcurriculumattheschool.Theenergyconservationprogramfitintothatplan,shesaid,andDeHartmadethecontactsnecessarytopulltheprogramtogether. “Ourgoalistoexposeourinquisi-tivestudentstoasmanythingsaspos-siblesothatwecanhelpthemexpandtheiropportunitiesastheyadvance.Withtoday’stechnology,scienceisespecially

important,”saidDegruise,whowasnamedstatePrincipaloftheYearin2010.“Rogerisaverygoodboardmem-berforusandIappreciatehimsettingupthisprogram.He’sveryinvolvedinthecommunityandthethingsthataregoingonandhedoesagreatjobinsupportingusandhelpinguseducateourchildren.” Forhispart,DeHartexplainedthattheTouchstoneEnergyandNRECAgroupswereconveninginNewOrleansforanannualnationalconferencelaterthatweeksohearrangedforrepresenta-tivestovisittheschoolwhiletheywereinthearea. “Ourchildrenareourfuture,sowedowhateverwecandoforourkids,”saidDeHart,whohasasteadypres-enceattheschoolandpracticallyknowseachstudentandeachteacherbyname.“We’veachievedalotoverthelastfewyearsandwewanttomakesurewekeepourmomentumandmaintainthehigheststandardofexcellence.” DeHartsaidheisproudthattheschoolisrankedamongthehighestperformingTitle1schoolsintheparishoverthepastfouryears. “Theeconomyhasbeenverytoughandfamiliesarereallystruggling,butwebelieveit’sourresponsibilityandourmissiontofocusonwhat’sgoingoninsidethesewallsandprovideafirst-classeducationforourchildrenregard-lessofwhattheyhavetofacebeforetheygethereandaftertheyleavehere

eachday,”DeHartsaid. SLECAGeneralManagerJoeTicheliwasalsoonhandwithco-opemployeesPennyAntill,RachelBagleyandDarleneLovelltohelpdistributeenergyeffi-ciencymaterialstothestudents.SLECADirectorLarryDaiglewasalsotheretosupporttheprogramandrepresentthecooperative. “We’reveryhappytobeapartofthisprogramandsoveryproudofallthisschoolhasaccomplished,”Tichelisaid.“Theadministrators,facultymem-bersandstudentsallworkveryhardtoachievesuccessandtheyalltaketheirrolesandresponsibilitiesveryseriously.It’sanhonorforustobeabletopar-ticipateandwe’regratefultothefolksatTouchstoneEnergyandNRECAforcoming.” Ticheliexplainedthattoday’sstu-dentsaregoingtohavetobecomemoreawareofhowelectricalpowerisgener-atedandconsumedintheyearsaheadasthepublicandpolicyleadersworktogethertostrikeadelicatebalancebetweenenvironmentalconcernsandthepriceandavailabilityofpowerinthefuture. “Whetherit’snuclearpowerorrenewablepower,thisissomethingthey’regoingtobedealingwithfortherestoftheirlivesandit’simportantthattheyunderstandthesethingsonadeeperlevelthanjustwalkingintoaroomandflippingonalightswitch,”hesaid.

CFL Charlie passes on energy tips at DuLarge Middle School

Clockwisefromtop,left:SLECAemploy-eesRachelBagley,PennyAntill,DarleneLovellandSLECAGeneralManagerJoeTicheliposewithCFLCharlieaftertheprogram;SLECADirectorRogerDeHartpassesoutenergyefficiencymaterial;Bagleyanswersquestionsfromstudents;Tichelihelpsdistributeenergyefficiencychecklists.

Have a happy July 4th! SLECA’sofficeswillbeclosedWednesday,July4,inobser-vanceofIndependenceDay.Standbycrewswillbeoncalltohandleemergenciesorweather-relatedoutages.

StudentsatDuLargeMiddleSchoollearnedabouthowelectricityisproducedusingrenewableformsofenergyandalsohowtoconservepowertoputlesspressureontheenvironmentandalsotolowermonthlyelectricbills.TheprogramwasprovidedbytheNationalRuralElectricCooperativeAssociationandTouchstoneEnergy.

SLECA employees complete training programs in B.R.

WhileSLECA’selectricratesareamongsomeofthelowestinthestate,everyonebenefitswhenwesaveenergy. Remember,summerheatdrivesupelectricbills.Howcanyoureduceyoursummerenergyuse? 1.Useorinstallceilingfans.Airmovementincreasescomfortbecauseitmakesyourskinfeelcooler. 2.Keepsunlightoutofyourhome.Windowblinds,drapesandtintedwindowcoat-ingkeepthesun’sraysandheatoutoflivingareas.(Acct.No.102207001) 3.Savemoisture-producingchoreslikerunningadishwasher,washingmachineortakingshowersforafterdarkorearlymorningwhenit’scooler. 4.Installaprogrammablethermostatthatreducesairconditioninguseovernightandwhileeveryone’satworkduringtheday. 5.Cleanorreplaceyourairconditionerfilterseverymonth.Youshouldalsocleanthelinttraponclothesdryerswitheveryuse. 6.Removeweeds,leavesanddebrisfromaroundyouroutdoorairconditionercom-pressor.Thismaterialrestrictsairflowtotheunitandincreasesoperatingcosts. 7.Ifyourairconditioneris10yearsoldorolder,itmightbecheapertoupgradetoamoreenergy-efficientsystemthantocontinueoperatingtheoldunit.Newermodelscanprovidetremendousenergysavings.Youshouldalsohaveyoursysteminspectedandservicedeveryyear,normallybeforesubjectingittoserioususe. 8.Inspectyourairducts,especiallyiftheyarelocatedinyourattic.Lookforairleaksandusethepropertapetomakerepairs.Itmayrequireanexperttodothejobproperly. 9.Takingavacation?Don’tassumeyourappliancesaren’tusingpower.“Instant-on”electronicsALWAYSusesomepower.Yourelectrichotwaterheater,refrigeratorandfreezerrunconstantly.Lowerrefrigeratorsandfreezertemperaturesifyou’regoingonvacation.Turnoffyourhotwaterheateratthebreaker.Connectsecuritylightstoadusk-to-dawntimer.

Energy saving tips for lower summer bills

SLECA NEwS Pages 6-7 • June 2012

Vol. 29, No. 3

Bright ideasCFL Charlie pays a visit to

DuLarge Middle SchoolShown above are students Madeline Lovell and

Jakobe Scott with SLECA GM Joe Ticheli and Directors Roger Dale DeHart and Larry Daigle

AlsoInside:• Recognizing Father’s Day ........ 4• Block the heat for a cooler room....... 8• Cool off your power

bills ...................... 9• Sizzlin’ summer

recipes for Dad .... 9