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EMC helps families along Gulf coast

Thousands of people along the Gulf Coast were recently faced with the unthinkable: deceased, missing and displaced family members; destroyed homes; and injured or missing pets. Adding to the misery, they were stripped of basic needs like food, water and shelter.

Hurricane Katrina triggered an outpouring of aid from individuals, organizations, and the generous 42 EMCs inGeorgia, including Coweta-Fayette. Co-ops have been involved in a number of efforts to assist neighboring cooperatives whether restoring electricity to hundreds of thousands of members or providing assistance to EMC employees and their families impacted by the hurricane.

According to Michael Whiteside, President & CEO for Coweta-Fayette EMC, “EMCs in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida have an understanding between the co-ops that they help each other when in need. They have come to our rescue in the past and now we are there to help them.”

Coweta-Fayette EMC’s Operation Round-Up Trust Board voted to send a generous donation of $25,000 to assist co-op employees who have been left with nothing, but they are still working tirelessly to restore power to others’ homes and businesses. Also, Coweta-Fayette employees, with matching funds from the EMC, will be adding another $4,000 for a total of $29,000 that our neighboring cooperative families so badly need.

To date, the EMCs in Georgia have donated $266,000 to the Louisiana and Mississippi relief effort. Electric cooperative employees in the Gulf Region demonstrated unbelievable resolve and dedication following the storm, even though many of them lost their homes and possessions. They delayed the heartbreaking task of rebuilding their own homes and families until they turned the lights back on for their members in Mississippi and Louisiana.

While this is a solid beginning, EMCs will continue to support relief efforts and lend help to people affected by Hurricane Katrina. EMCs have a reputation of serving their communities, and that spirit of giving and generosity extends to our friends and neighbors in these states.