Wednesday, June 25, 2003
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Wednesday, June 25, 2003 |
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Local EMC helping bring power to Costa Rica Coweta-Fayette EMC, along with other EMCs in Georgia, is participating in the "Take Aim at Progress" program helping bring electricity to rural Costa Rica. According to Michael Whiteside, president and CEO of Coweta-Fayette EMC, "There is a great need there not unlike many other places in the world for electrification.Some larger cities already have power, but the more remote areas do not and probably won't anytime soon without help." EMCs in Georgia are planning to help extend lines that are already in place out to six other villages that have never seen a light bulb or had refrigeration for food and medicine.With electrical power they can begin to start businesses and jobs to improve themselves. To help fund this project, the very first "Take aim at Progress" sporting clay shoot was held in Griffin with Coweta-Fayette's six-member team placing third out of 16 teams from across the state.Over $10,000 was raised from this first event and will be used to help purchase needed equipment for the project. Because of this project, Coweta-Fayette EMC has inaugurated a formal Sister Electric Cooperative Relationship with Coopeguanacaste in Costa Rica. Through this relationship Coweta-Fayette will share and exchange technical assistance and knowledge with Coopeguanacaste. Establishing formal ties with an electric cooperative in a developing country will benefit Coweta-Fayette through opportunities to enrich the cultural understanding and global knowledge of its staff, members and community at large. The first meeting between Coweta-Fayette and the Costa Rican cooperative officials took place in Griffin during the fund raising event.The next day, their general manager visited the EMC in Newnan to meet with Whiteside before returning to his own country. The EMCs are attempting to offer these people an opportunity that was given to them in the 30s and 40s. Can you imagine what your life would be like now without any electricity?Sometimes we have to remind ourselves what a privilege it is to have the advantages that we have today. By participating in the Costa Rican project, Coweta-Fayette EMC will be helping make a difference all over again.
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