Mission Statement
Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a
member owned organization providing competitive
rates and reliable service while enhancing the quality
of life of our neighbors in the Suwannee River Valley.
SUWANNEE VALLEY ELECTRIC
BOARD MEETINGS
(4th Tuesday each month @ 6:00 P.M., 7:00 P.M. daylight
savings time) at Suwannee Valley Electric Headquarters
11340 100th Street - Live Oak, Florida
Halloween Fun Facts
• The first Jack O’Lanterns were actually made from turnips.
• Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas.
• Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.
• The owl is the popular Halloween image. In Medieval Europe, owls were thought to be witches, and to hear an owl’s
call meant someone was about to die.
• The largest pumpkin ever measured was grown by Norm
Craven, who broke the world record in 1993 with an 836 lb.
pumpkin.
• The first known mention of trick-or-treating in print in North
America occurred in 1927 in Blackie, Alberta, Canada.
• Ireland is typically believed to be the birthplace of Halloween.
• Scarecrows, a popular Halloween fixture, symbolize the
ancient agricultural roots of the holiday.
• Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was one of the most famous and
mysterious magicians who ever lived. Strangely enough, he
died in 1926 on Halloween night as a result of appendicitis
brought on by three stomach punches.
• During the pre-Halloween celebration of Samhain, bonfires
were lit to ensure the sun would return after a long, hard
winter. Often Druid priests would throw the bones of cattle
into the flames and, hence, “bone fire” became “bonfire.”
• Halloween is thought to have originated around 4000 B.C.,
which means Halloween has been around for over 6,000
years.
• Children are more than twice as likely to be killed in a pedestrian/car accident on Halloween than on any other night.
http://facts.randomhistory.com/halloween-facts.html
PAYMENT OPTIONS
October 2013
Choose the method that’s best for you!
Online Account Management:
Go to SVEC’s website, www.svec-coop.com, and click on “SmartHub”
to access your account online. The first time, you will need your billing
account number, your name or the name of your business, and a valid
e-mail address to finish the setup process. Once online in SmartHub you
will be able to make payments, view account history and update personal
information. SmartHub applications are also available for your favorite
Smartphone and Tablet. To Pay at Local Convenience Stores
Pay your electric bill at numerous convenience stores located throughout
the service territory. For a complete listing of locations, please visit our
website: www.svec-coop.com. When paying at one of these locations,
you will be charged a convenience fee by the merchant for this service.
To Pay By Phone:
Call 1-386-362-2226. The first time you call you will need your billing
account number, and will be required to set up a personal pin number. We
accept check and credit cards by phone.
To Pay By Bank Draft or Recurring Credit Card:
Please contact our Member Services Department at 1-386-362-2226 or
go to our website and signup through the SmartHub web service. To Pay With a Check by Mail:
When paying by mail, to insure prompt and accurate payment posting,
please enclose your bill stubs and use the return envelope enclosed with
your bill. Please be sure to allow mailing time. (Sorry no two party
checks and never send cash in the mail.)
To Pay At Our Office:
To insure prompt and accurate payment posting, please provide your bill
stub with your payment. Pay inside our office at 11340 100th Street, Live
Oak, FL from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. with cash, credit card, or check. At
our drive-in from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. with cash, credit card, or check. Our night depository can be accessed after hours. Payments will not post
until the next business day. (Please do not drop cash in the depository.)
**SVEC only accepts credit cards for Residential accounts.
To Pay at 1st Federal Bank:
Pay your current bill two days before the delinquent date at the Jasper,
Mayo, Dowling Park or Lake City Offices. Please present your electric
bill to the teller. Payments to your account may be in the form of cash,
check or money orders payable to SVEC. When paying at one of these
locations, you will be charged a convenience fee by the bank for this
service.
Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc. is cooperatively
owned by 18,160 members and serves 25,203 meters in
Suwannee, Hamilton, Lafayette and Columbia counties.
We Strive to Make Life Easier For Our Members
COOPERATIVE HELP NUMBERS
SERVING RURAL AND URBAN SUWANNEE VALLEY • OWNED BY THOSE WE SERVE
www.svec-coop.com
11340 100th Street, Live Oak, Florida
Carbon Monoxide:
Odorless and Deadly!
Carbon monoxide (CO is an odorless, tasteless, invisible
gas that claims more than 2,100 lives each year, according
to the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Additionally, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports approximately 10,000 people annually
seek medical attention for unintentional CO poisoning
caused by a household appliance. Follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule to keep appliances working properly.
• Do not leave your vehicle idling in an attached garage. The CO gas can seep into your home through doors and
floorboards.
• Be aware of these symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: dizziness, severe headaches, nausea, sleepiness,
fatigue/weakness, and disorientation or confusion.
High concentration levels of CO can be fatal in a matter
of minutes!
Follow these steps for the prevention of CO poisoning:
• Install CO alarms with a battery backup on every level
of your home and in sleeping areas.
• If a CO alarm sounds in your home, never ignore it. Get
your family out of the house immediately and open the
windows to allow the CO to dissipate.
8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Monday - Friday
www.svec-coop.com
Business Office
(386) 362-2226
Business (long distance)
1-800-447-4509
(Lobby Hours...8:00 A.M.-4:30 P.M. Mon.-Fri.)
(Drive-In Hours...8:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M. Mon.-Fri.)
Except on Approved Holidays
Power Outage Reporting
(DAY, NIGHT, WEEKENDS & HOLIDAYS)
Live Oak Service Area
Hamilton/Columbia Co.
clip & save
(386) 364-5200
1-800-752-0025
SAFETY
begins at
HOME
By John Martz,
Executive V.P./CEO
Celebrate National Cooperative
Month with Suwannee Valley
Electric Cooperative
Every October, cooperatives are recognized for the qualities that
make their business model unique. Cooperatives, whether selling
electricity or produce, share a common set of principles and values,
including self-help and democracy. These principles not only benefit
the cooperatives, but the consumers as well. The Seven Cooperative
Principles that are the cornerstone for electric cooperatives are:
• Voluntary and Open Membership
• Democratic Member Control
• Members’ Economic Participation
• Autonomy and Independence
• Education, Training, and Information
• Cooperation among Cooperatives
• Concern for Community
SVEC, your distribution electric cooperative, was formed in 1937
and now serves 18,150 member consumers throughout 4 counties in
North Florida. Along with nine other Florida distribution cooperatives,
SVEC is an owner of Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Seminole.)
Seminole is a generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative that
supplies its members, including SVEC wholesale electricity. Seminole’s Board of Trustees is made up of three board members from each
of its 10 member distribution systems. Today, Seminole is one of the
largest G&T cooperatives in the country. Approximately 1.7 million
people and businesses in parts of 45 Florida counties rely on Seminole
Member systems for electricity.
Whether a G&T or distribution electric cooperative, all cooperatives have the same goal. Seminole and SVEC work in partnership to
provide members affordable, reliable, and safe electricity. Homegrown and member owned – that’s the value of being a cooperative
Member.
Please join us in celebrating October as National Cooperative Month!
What if paying your electric bill was
like buying gas for your vehicle? It
can be! Suwannee Valley Electric
Cooperative has MYChoice, a prepay energy solution. Just like filling up
your gas tank, you pay any amount you want, whenever you need it and
use it until it is gone.
• Pay any amount you want, when you want
• No late fees or reconnect fees
• P
uts you in control to budget your energy dollars
• H
elps lower your energy consumption through more awareness of
electric usage
• L ow balance notifications sent via email, text or telephone.
Contact us at 386-362-2226 or visit our web site at www.svec-coop.com
to find out more information!
(Residential Accounts only)
Voluntary And Open Membership: Membership in a cooperative is available to all who can reasonably use its services, regardless of race, religion, sex,
or economic circumstances.
Democratic Member Control: Co-ops are democratically controlled, with
each member having one vote. As a result, control remains in the hands of all
members (consumers). Directors are elected from the membership.
Members’ Economic Participation: Cooperatives provide services “at cost”
and remain not-for-profit. Money left over after emergency funds are set aside
and all expenses are paid—margins—belongs to members. Your share is determined by how much you use the co-op’s services.
Autonomy and Independence: Cooperatives are self-sustaining, self-help
organizations controlled by their members. If cooperatives enter into agreements with others or raise money from outside sources, they do so on terms
that maintain democratic control as well as their unique identity.
Education, Training, and Information: Keeping members, directors, managers, and employees up to date on issues allows them to effectively govern the
co-op. Communication, particularly with young members and opinion leaders;
helps generate necessary public support for cooperatives.
Cooperation among Cooperatives: Mutual support helps cooperatives improve services, bolster local economies, and deal more effectively with community needs.
Concern for Community: Cooperatives strengthen communities with programs supported by the membership.
SmartHub brings easy account
management to your fingertips
Great news! Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative has implemented a more convenient and quick way for members to pay their electric bills on-line and provide the ability to learn more about their
electrical usage. Whether it’s on a desktop computer, smart phone,
or a tablet, SVEC members can access their account information
anywhere they go.
Cell phones and mobile technology are becoming more integrated
into our work and personal lives every day. You can read the news,
check social media sites, send and receive emails, surf the Internet, and so much more. Technology is advancing every day, and
Suwannee Valley Electric is stepping up and providing different
outlets to manage your energy consumption and connect with us.
When members log on to SmartHub not only do they see a new
look but also some great tools to help our members understand
more about their account. Have you ever wondered how much
electricity you used in a day? SmartHub has new tools that include
graphic and information on daily kilowatt hour usage.
Other features include bill analyzer providing bill comparisons by
month, manage bill notifications, opt out of paper billing, etc.
The internet version of SmartHub is accessible from any web enabled device. The mobile apps for iOS and Android can be downloaded free at their app store. Both the Apps and the Internet version give you secure access to
maintain your account information.
For more information, visit www.svec-coop.com and click on the
SmartHub or call SVEC at 386.362.2226 or 800.447.4509.
Scan for Android
The electric cooperative business model was formed for and by consumers in order to receive electricity in rural areas that investor-owned
utilities did not reach. Unlike investor-owned utilities, cooperatives are
not-for-profit businesses that prioritize their member consumer’s benefits. People and businesses receiving electricity from Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) are more than just customers, they
are members too. Like other electric cooperatives, SVEC is owned
by those they serve. Member consumers can attend annual meetings
hosted by their distribution cooperative, and vote on cooperatives issues. SVEC member consumers also vote to elect the board of trustees
that represent the communities where they live. The POWER
to control
your energy costs
Scan for iOS
MANAGER’S
MEMO