Lighthouse for the bLind - DEMCO.or

Lighthouse for the bLindLocal agency paves the way

to success for those without sight

n today’s struggling economy, we are all looking to save money when and where we can. Whether it means driving that old car for

another couple years, clipping cou-pons, doing home repairs ourselves or joining wholesale clubs where we can purchase in bulk, we are all searching for ways to maximize value while stretching our dollars as far as possible. At DEMCO, we understand the heavy financial pressures that many families and businesses are facing and we are always seeking ways to ensure that our members are paying the lowest rate possible for reliable electrical power. We, the board, management, and staff, are very proud to carry out this commitment on your behalf each and every day. Aside from doing all we can to contain our cost of operation, the key component in making sure our rates remain affordable lies in the specific terms of our all-require-ments wholesale purchase contract. It’s important to point out that while our nearly 100,000 members collectively own – and are served by – an electrical distribution sys-tem that spans seven parishes and stretches over 9,000 miles, DEMCO does not actually produce power. The electricity we distribute through our extensive network of poles, lines, substations and trans-formers is in fact purchased from an outside wholesale provider. Presently, we receive our whole-sale power through a contract with Louisiana Generating, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc., which owns both natural gas and coal-fired power plant facilities located across the Mississippi River in Pointe Cou-pee Parish. The current contract, negotiated by DEMCO’s board and manage-ment back in 2000 and extended in 2004, is set to expire in March of 2014. Under the terms of this agree-ment, DEMCO members have ben-efited from a specific contract clause that guarantees relatively flat fuel rates, which has translated into sub-stantial cost savings to you and your fellow cooperative members over the

past decade. For example, according to recent figures released by the Louisiana Public Service Commission, DEM-CO’s residential rate for 1,000 kWh of power was $72.24 for the month of January, 2012. This was lower than the aver-age rate of $85.58 charged by other retail residential power providers in Louisiana. By contrast, customers of Entergy-New Orleans paid $92.87 in that time period, while customers of Entergy-Louisiana paid $85.27. This difference may not seem like much at first glance, but extended over the past eight years - and

accounting for the many months when natural gas prices spiked as high as $15 MBtu and our rates were often 30 percent lower - DEMCO members have saved literally thou-sands of dollars to spend on things other than electricity. In anticipation of our current con-tract expiring in 2014, your board members have once again teamed together with your executive leader-ship to search for a new wholesale supplier that will keep rates afford-able. For more than a year we have extensively studied the chang-ing power market, negotiated with prospective wholesale generating companies, collaborated with inde-pendent consultants and worked with our corporate attorneys to find the lowest possible cost for all of our members. Principally, we sought satisfactory answers to the following key ques-tions: • Would our wholesale provider be adequately equipped to reliably serve our growing consumer demand approaching 600 megawatts? • Would our wholesale provider produce electricity using a diverse portfolio consisting of both non-renewable and renewable resources

to properly address our present and future environmental concerns? • Would our provider be able to offer stable, affordable rates for our members that shield ratepayers from erratic commodity prices and the additional costs of whatever federal environmental mandates that will be enforced over the next decade? These efforts have led your board and management to sign a Power Supply and Service Agreement with Cleco Corporation, an energy ser-vices company based in Pineville, Louisiana. Having thoroughly evaluated all issues for this important decision, we are confident that the terms of this agreement will enable us to meet our goals over the next 10 years, includ-ing keeping our rates at or below market for our members. From this point, the agreement will be examined by the Louisiana Public Service Commission, its staff, and consultants to verify that the terms are in fact favorable to rate-payers. Though our work is certainly not complete, we will continue to be involved in the process and will keep DEMCO members up-to-date on developments as they unfold over the coming months. In closing, I would like to pub-licly commend those who have been elected to represent the interests of all DEMCO consumers at the board table. I can assure you that your board representatives take their work very seriously. They listen to your con-cerns, establish policies that benefit all consumers, support the efforts of our employees and they stay informed on industry developments at both the state and federal levels. The men and women serving on the board are DEMCO members and ratepayers just like you and they share the same concerns. The board, staff and management have diligently worked together to arrive at this point in the process. We feel confident this critical decision is a sound one and we look forward to working with our new partners in continuing to deliver safe, affordable power to you and your family.

Along these

LINESVol. 26, No. 5March 2012

AlongTheselines isanofficialpublicationofDixieelectricMembershipCorp. it iswritten foranddistributedtomembersofthecooperativeninetimes each year.DixieelectricMembershipCorp.is a non-profit rural electric cooperative provid-ing service to 97,000 consumer-owners in sevenlouisianaparishes.TheCooperativeheadquartersislocatedat16262WaxRoad,greenwellsprings,lA. All comments, suggestions and requests forinformation concerning this publication should beaddressedtoAlongTheselines,DixieelectricMembershipCorp.,P.o.Box15659,BatonRouge,lA70895,(225)261-1221.

DeMcoBoarD of Directors

asceNsioNClarenceBrock

east BatoN rougesteveirving,VicePresident

RandylorioAnnsamuel

east feliciaNaglennDeleeFayeMorris

liViNgstoNleslieFalks

Dennislott,sec.-TreasurerDannyBerthelot

st. HeleNaRichardsitman,President

JoeselftaNgipaHoaeugeneTraylor

West feliciaNaFreddyMetz

ceo & geNeral MaNagerJohnVranic

Vice presiDeNt of eNgiNeeriNg & operatioNs

RonMayVice presiDeNt of fiNaNce

JimmieVarnadoVice presiDeNt of HuMaN resources

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Along These lines (UsPs 004-089) ispublished monthly except bi-monthly Jan/Feb, sept/oct, nov/Dec, by the Assn. oflouisianaelectricCooperativesinc.(AleC),10725 Airline highway, Baton Rouge, lA70816-4299

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on the coverlighthousefortheBlindinstructorgeorgeTullydemonstratestrainingtechniqueswithAdministratorDarylBlacher.seestoryonpage4.

DeMco works to secure power contract that will keep rates low

I

Manager’s reportBy John Vranic DeMCoCeoandgeneralManager

Page2•AlongTheselines•March2012

At DEMCO, we understand the heavy financial

pressures that many families and businesses in south Louisiana are facing.

March2012•AlongTheselines•Page3

out and aboutDeMco employees take part in community events

DeMCoManagerofMemberandPublicRelationsDavidlatona(below,right)wasonhandinJanuaryforthisyear’sDreamsComeTrueRadiothonairedonallfiveofguarantybroadcasting’slocalradiostations.latonaisshownwithscottyDrake,D.J.ateagle98.1.DeMCoisproudtosup-portthislocalcommunityproject.

DeMco supports Dreams come true

ClipthiscouponandpresentitatDeMCo’sbooth#403andyouwillreceiveafreegift!

TheCapitalRegionBuildersAssociationwillpresentthe34thhome&gardenshowattheBatonRougeRiverCenteronMarch3-4,2012.Thisannualshowisthearea’soriginalhome&gardenshowandisthelargestpromotionofproductsandservicesforallhomeownersandbuildersinthegreaterBatonRougearea.seeyouthere!

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid Gautreaux addresses an audience gathered to dedicate the department’s new substation. DEMCO is honored to provide electric service to the new facility located in the Chaneyville community. Representatives from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s De-partment and other local dignitaries were on hand for the dedication ceremony.

DEMCO employees (left to right): Larry Jenkins, Hal-ey Meadows, Cecil Garaudy, Wendy Armstrong, Julie Burns, and Melody Bourgeois enjoyed an evening with the History Channel’s Swamp People star Troy Landry. Landry appeared as part of a fundraiser for the Central Chamber of Commerce and enjoyed his DEMCO Hot Sauce! (Acct. No. 8007708101)

DEMCO represen-tatives attended a ribbon-cutting

ceremony for the new Telco FCU in Watson. DEMCO

is proud to provide electric service for

the new branch.

DEMCO employees held a meeting to hear firsthand how their hard earned money is going to good use through St. Jude, Dream Day and United Way. Last year DEM-CO employees gave over $60,000 to these great organizations.

DEMCO Employee Fred Self is shown (above, left) with a representative of the Capital Area Corporate Recycling Council. Self recently organized a generous donation of “gently used” computer equipment to the organization on behalf of the cooperative.

•AlongTheselines•March2012

When DEMCO Right-of-Way Manager Phill Zito drove by the new Lighthouse for the Blind facility on North Flannery Road in Baton Rouge, he was excited to see a business form-ing in the old location of three former warehouses. According to Zito, it was appar-ent the building was undergoing major changes. The sign, “Lighthouse for the Blind,” caught his eye as he had heard of the industry before but was not aware of the services that would be provided out of that location. As he passed the Lighthouse one day, Zito noticed that the business was engaged in removing several tall trees. He approached representatives to sug-gest that the Lighthouse partner with

DEMCO, which would take down the remainder of the trees located within the right-of-way and assist with land-scaping. This would protect power lines in the immediate area in the event of a major storm, while supporting infrastructure development for one of DEMCO’s newest customers. “Anything we can do to help our members and reduce power outages, that’s what we’re here for,” Zito said. As Zito would soon learn, the Lighthouse offers a broad range of valuable services designed to promote independence for blind or visually impaired persons of all ages, as well as those who are deaf or have other dis-abilities. For almost 100 years, the Light-house for the Blind in New Orleans has created employment options for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, hiring many blind individu-als and helping others find employment in the community. The new Baton Rouge facil-ity employs blind individuals in the manufacture of paper cups on high tech machines, which are then sold to the US government. The New Orleans facility makes paper towels and packages compart-mentalized meal trays and paper plates for the military, among other clientele. They also help people with dis-abilities find jobs in the community,

provide lessons in using the “white cane,” assistive technology instruction, and other valuable services that assist people who are visually impaired to remain independent. The Lighthouse also employs blind individuals providing manufacturing operations in Crystal Springs and Gulf-port, Miss. “We’re happy to provide a service that helps the folks we work with feel useful and productive,” said Daryl Blacher, program coordinator. “Our manufacturing operation is outstand-ing and those companies who hire our workers always get a valuable employ-ee.” Visually impaired Lighthouse em-ployees also provide the switchboard

operations for Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City and the Veterans Administration Hospital in Biloxi, Miss; and hold a service contract for management of a Corp of Engineers warehouse in Kenner. The Lighthouse, in collaboration with Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), worked for several years to extend the services of the Lighthouse for the Blind in New Orleans to its new Baton Rouge location through an establishment grant, based upon unmet needs in the region for blind services and the fact that nationwide, approxi-mately 70 percent of blind and visually impaired individuals remain unem-ployed. (Acct. No. 8010829201) The comprehensive services the

Lighthouse provides in Baton Rouge include orientation and mobility instruction, which consists of train-ing individuals in the use of a white mobility cane for safe travel within the home and community; daily living skills instruction that teaches adaptive techniques needed for independent functioning with vision loss; supported employment to help individuals make the transition from unemployment to long-term successful employment; assistive technology classes to allow blind and visually impaired persons the ability to use computers as well as sighted people; and a visual aids store that sells hundreds of items that help those with low vision or no vision be as independent as possible.

Lighthouse for the Blindan organization where vision does not require sight

Clockwise from top, left: Lighthouse for the Blind workers Sandra Cole and Daniel “Mike” Dupas place pa-per cups in containers ready to be shipped to a client; forklift operator Layne Baker moves the assembled cups to a loading platform; Wade O’Bear and Dean Van Riesen monitor one of the several pieces of equipment used to cut and form the paper during the manufacturing process; Administrator Daryl Blach-er (left) is shown with Caroletta James; Lighthouse for the Blind is a new DEMCO member located on N. Flannery Road in Baton Rouge.

“Anything we can do to help our members and reduce power outages, that’s what we’re here for,” – Phill Zito


It can make economic, environmen-tal, and lifestyle sense to switch to an entirely different type of heating source for your home. The costs of fuels, such as natural gas, propane and electricity, have shifted over the past decade. Many new heating systems last 20 years or more, so with wide variations in fuel costs, long-term estimated operating costs and paybacks are not always reliable. Electricity prices are the most stable and will probably continue that way. For homes heated with electricity, air-source or geothermal heat pumps make good sense because they can heat, as well as cool, your house efficiently. A standard air-source heat pump is basically a central air conditioner with a few extra parts. The outdoor unit looks the same as a central air conditioner. It is called a heat pump because it literally pumps heat out of your house (cooling mode) or into your house (heating mode) to or from the outdoor air around the outdoor compressor/condenser unit. Among central heating and cooling systems, geothermal heat pumps provide the highest efficiency and lowest year-round utility bills. While geothermal heat pumps have boasted much higher initial installation costs (due to the need to place loops, or tubing, to run through the ground or to a well or pond), the

federal stimulus bill provides consumers (through the end of 2016) a 30 percent tax credit on the cost of putting in a geo-thermal heat pump system, which makes them much more affordable. The primary advantage of installing a heat pump of any kind is they can be used year-round for both heating and cooling. This provides year-round sav-ings, and shortens the payback period. In contrast, a super-efficient furnace gets used only during winter and a central air conditioner only during summer. A portable heat pump is a viable op-tion in any home or office for year-round savings. In addition to cooling the room during summer, it also functions as an efficient portable heater during winter. It produces 14,000 Btu per hour (Btuh) of cooling and 11,000 Btuh of heating. This is much more heat output than a stan-dard electric space heater using the same amount of electricity during winter. The efficiency of a portable air con-ditioner is similar to a window air condi-tioner. Although this is less efficient than the newest central air conditioners, using one can still save money. By keeping just one or two rooms comfortably cool with clean air, you can set your central thermostat higher and save electricity overall. Use it in the dining room for dinner, roll it into the living room for TV, and to the bedroom for sleeping.

They are typically mounted on cas-tors so they can be rolled from room to room. Most operate on standard 120-volt electricity, so they can be plugged into any outlet near a window. A portable air conditioner/heat pump operates similarly to a typical window unit. The internal rotary compressor, evaporator and condenser function in the

same way. The primary difference is it is on castors and rests on the floor. When choosing a heating and cool-ing system, there are other intangible factors to consider. Every type of system requires some maintenance which can increase the overall costs. A heat pump requires about the same amount of ser-vice as an air conditioner.

super-efficient heat pumps offer year-round advantage

Asuper-efficientgeothermalheatpumpshownwithandwithoutthefrontcover.noticethelargeaircleanerandwaterfittingsforalsoheatinghotwater.source:Waterfurnace


knowledge saves money if home devices are used wisely

Technological innovations are creating new energy-saving opportu-nities for some electric cooperative members. The same equipment and software that co-ops use to moni-tor their electrical system can also generate detailed energy-use reports that homeowners can monitor to trim electric consumption. But does it really work? It all depends on how you use the informa-tion. In 2009, Google and Microsoft announced applications that let you view detailed electric-use informa-tion. Instead of seeing just your bill with the prior month’s consumption, these programs allowed you to see consumption on an hourly or minute-by-minute basis using data from utili-ties or from devices that homeowners could buy and install. But Google and Microsoft failed to find a market. Google PowerMeter ended last September, and Microsoft Hohm will be shuttered by May 2012. But other products that give consump-tion information are still out there. A warning, though - pay atten-tion to how these websites mine your personal information. Some ask for the username and password you use at your co-op’s website. You should never give out that information. Some

ask for scanned copies of bills - copies that contain personal information like your address and account numbers. Be cautious when sharing any informa-tion specific to your identity. In 2011, the Cooperative Research Network issued a study on the effec-tiveness of online energy use portals. and found that any website or in-home display should have as many of these features as possible: • Information provided frequently, as soon after consumption as possible. • Details are presented clearly and simply. • It is customized to the house-hold’s specific circumstances. • The device should provide some kind of meaningful comparison—showing one home’s use to another of similar size and occupancy, for example. (Acct. No. 8012375301) • Information is provided over an extended period of time. • It includes appliance-specific consumption breakdowns. • It is interactive. If the data lets you compare your home to one of similar size or inform you how much your air conditioner draws, you can glean meaningful in-formation that can lead to specific ac-tions to help save energy and money.

DeMco supports education through scholarship program

AmandahaneganandscholarshiprecipientBlairMillet

MarthaDurdenandscholarshiprecipienthailieMyers

scholarshiprecipienthollyMoutonandBrentBradley

scholarshiprecipientMeganQuammeandRusschelleoverhultz

JimmieVarnadoandscholarshiprecipientlesliesimon

PhillZitoandscholarshiprecipientharrisonnorman

February 19, 2012- March 4, 2012 - Pub-lish the Calendar of Events in the official journal of each Parish, including the date, time, and place of the meeting of the Nominating Committee.

March 15, 2012 - DEMCO Special Board Meeting at 6:00 p.m., at DEMCO Head-quarters. The Committee on Nominations will be appointed at this meeting.

March 15, 2012 - The Nominating Com-mittee meeting begins at 6:05 p.m. at DEMCO Headquarters, 16262 Wax Road, Greenwell Springs, LA, with results of the meeting to be posted March 16, 2012.

March 20, 2012—March 22, 2012 - Pre-qualification period. Members interested in seeking a position on the board of di-rectors are required pursuant to DEMCO Board Policy to appear in person between these dates to determine eligibility re-quirements as prescribed in the corpora-tion’s bylaws. Candidates must be quali-fied prior to the issuing of a nominating petition. Candidates not pre-qualified will not be eligible to seek a position on the board of directors.

March 27, 2012 - DEMCO’s Annual Meet-ing and Bylaws Committee will meet at 5:00 p.m. on this date, if needed, to de-termine eligibility of director candidates who have pre-qualified. Only candidates who have pre-qualified will be consid-ered.

March 28, 2012 - Beginning on this date, pre-qualified director candidates may obtain a petition to run for a seat on the board of directors. Louisiana state law re-quires 50 valid signatures for the petition

to be validated.April 11, 2012 - Petitions must be returned

to DEMCO’s headquarters office by 4:30 p.m. and received by the CEO and Gen-eral Manager’s office.

April 12, 2012 - The Annual Meeting and Bylaws Committee, if needed, will vali-date each petition and post the results as required by the corporation’s bylaws on this date.

April 13, 2012 - This is the Record Date for the 2012 Annual Membership Meeting. A final list of those members eligible to vote in DEMCO’s 2012 Annual Membership Meeting will be prepared.

April 19, 2012 – May 1, 2012 - The Official Notice of the 2012 Annual Meeting will be mailed to all members of the coopera-tive during this time.

April 19, 2012 - Ballots for the 2012 Annual Meeting will be mailed to members of the cooperative on this date. Members should receive their ballots by Saturday, April 21 -- VOTE and mail your ballot immediately.

May 4, 2012 - The deadline for receiving ballots for the 2012 Annual Membership Meeting is 4:30 p.m. on this date -- DO NOT DELAY -- VOTE!

May 7, 2012- May 9, 2012 - Ballots will be counted during this period by the certified public accountants selected by DEMCO to conduct the annual meeting. Candi-dates will be advised as to the time and place that the ballots will be counted.

May 12, 2012 - Annual meeting and elec-tion results announced at 10:00 a.m., at DEMCO Headquarters.

DeMco calendar of events2012 annual Membership Meeting • saturday May 12, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

DeMco Headquarters facility • 16262 Wax road, greenwell springs, la 70739

DeMCoisproudtosupportlocaleduca-tionbygrantingaca-demicscholarshipstoenablelocalyouthtopavetheirownpathtosuccessintheworkplaceandinthecommunity.Congratulationstothosestudentswhoreceivedscholarshipsthisyearandbestofluckinyourfutureen-deavors.


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News Notes The next meeting of the DEMCO Board of Directors is scheduled for Thursday, March 15, 2012, at 6 p.m. Board meetings are held at DEMCO’s headquarters facility located at 16262 Wax Road, Central, La.

Insulation and Safety Tips When tackling home insulation installation on your own, safety should be top of mind. Follow these tips from the North American Insulation Manu-facturers Association on safe insulation installation practices. Wear appropriate clothing. To reduce the chances of skin irritation, wear a head cover, gloves and loose-fit-ting, long-sleeved, long-legged clothing. Wear proper personal protective equipment. Safety glasses and respi-ratory protection may be necessary, depending on your work environment. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Association offers guidelines in its Respiratory Protection Standard that may be helpful.

Take care if fibers get on your skin or eyes. If insulation fibers collect on your skin, don’t rub and scratch or remove with compressed air. Instead, lay tape, adhesive-side down, and then remove it gently, so the fibers are pulled from the skin. If fibers get in your eyes, never rub—flush with water or eyewash solution. Contact your doctor if you have continued irritation. Keep dust to a minimum. Leave the materials in packaging for as long as possible. Use tools that create the least amount of dust; power tools should have dust-collection devices. Put scrap materials in the trash and don’t let equipment wander from the work site. Maintain adequate ventilation. Determine whether your work site needs a dust-collection system. Also, exhausted air containing fibers should be filtered before being recirculated into inside workspaces. Finally, ventilation systems used to capture fibers should be regularly checked.

Spring Storm Safety Lightning from thunderstorms kills more people than tornadoes or hurri-canes, according to the American Red Cross. As spring arrives, make sure you’re prepared to handle storms that come with the changing season. Follow these tips from the Red Cross: • Stay away from downed power lines. Electricity could still be flowing through them. Report them to DEMCO immediately. • Hear thunder? Head inside. If you can hear it, you could be in danger from lightning. Stay indoors at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder. If you’re outside and can’t seek shelter, avoid high ground, water, tall isolated trees, and metal objects. • Unplug your electronics. Avoid using electrical items and telephones, which can carry power surges. • Delay outdoor activities. If con-ditions are right for a thunderstorm, postpone the baseball game and stay

inside—it doesn’t have to be raining for lightning to strike. Assemble an emer-gency preparedness kit with: – Water – Non-perishable food – Flashlight – Battery or hand-crank radio – First-aid kit – Seven-day medicine supply – Copies of personal documents – Cell phone with chargers – Emergency contact information – Cash Lucky Account Number Contest The Lucky Account Number Con-test continues this month with four winners in this edition of Along These Lines. Before you continue looking through this edition for your winning number, look for your account number printed above your mailing address. Locate this number anywhere in this issue and win the $25 prize. To claim your prize, please call 261-1221, ext. 400.

We must ask ourselves the piercing question: to tat or not to tat? Awkward! A lot of people these days like to blurt out that word when they encounter a situation that makes them feel uncom-fortable or uneasy. That’s the exact word that came to mind not long ago after I finished exercising at the gym and stepped out of the shower to towel off. An old-timer – must have been well into his late 50s – was sitting at my left flank a few feet away next to the sauna entrance and said, “Hey, where’s your tattoo?” Awkward! The question creeped me out a bit, given the fact that I was in my birthday suit, but I gathered myself and told the guy in the most polite terms possible that I didn’t have any tattoos. He replied, “Well, nowadays every-body’s got a tattoo.” At that point, I decided that any wa-ter droplets that remained on my body would just have to air-dry and I high-tailed it back to my locker. That curious exchange did prompt me to wonder why I’ve never chosen to go under the needle. I remember a day when anytime you saw someone sporting a tattoo you auto-matically assumed they had been in the Navy, and when you saw someone with their cap on backwards you were sure they played catcher. Seeing someone with their trousers riding halfway down their backside meant you were having your plumbing repaired. Today it seems the world is divided between those who have pulled the ink gun trigger and those who have at some point given it some thought. The first fantasy I ever had of getting

inked came when I was a boy watching my favorite TV show, Kung Fu. In the opening montage, the protagonist Kwai Chang “Grasshopper” Caine is shown going through his development from entering the Shaolin temple to snatching the pebble out of his venerable master’s hand. In his last rite of monkhood before he heads out into the world to deliver justice by sweep-kicking every evildoer in his path, Grasshopper grabs what looks like a smoldering cast iron hibachi by his forearms and lifts it into the air. The figure of a multi-colored dragon in fighting pose is carved out on either side of the hibachi, so Caine leaves the temple permanently branded with the sign of the Shaolin seared into his skin. For the next 62 episodes every person of Chinese descent that Caine encoun-tered cowered in fear when they got a glimpse of those dragons. To his West-ern nemeses, Caine’s markings didn’t mean much, but for the viewer it meant anytime Caine’s forearms were exposed and the dragons appeared, some rube was about to receive a well-deserved butt-kicking…in…slow…motion. As a boy fascinated by Caine’s dual blend of humility and strength, I reckoned things might go a lot easier for me at school if I strolled in with those bad-boy dragons on my forearms.

But the fantasy quickly faded when I remembered exactly how Caine came to acquire them. I could just about smell the sizzling flesh, and suddenly walking around bare-armed didn’t seem so bad. The closest I’ve come to actually getting a tat was about 20 years ago when I was much younger and in a lot better shape. A female friend of mine who ran a PR agency burst into my office and said, “Take off your shirt!” These days, that would send someone straight to a workplace discrimination attorney, but I actually became flattered after she explained she was looking for someone to serve as a model for an ad to promote a tattoo removal service. When she said I’d probably get paid, I ripped my shirt open faster than Cam Newton doing his Superman imitation. A few days later we met at a photog-raphy studio and she put me in one of those so-called “wife-beater” tank tops and a sailor’s cap and painted a picture of a tattoo on my upper arm. The tempo-rary tat featured a colorful red rose right above the name “Ross.” After flexing and posing for an hour and finally wrapping up the project, I re-member thinking this modeling biz is an easy way to make a living. I had dreams I might get discovered, ditch this dead-end journalism career and finally start

making some easy money like the rest of those overpaid celebrities in Hollywood. But about the time I started envi-sioning plunking down a few million on my first yacht, my ego came crashing back to terra firma. I opened the news-paper to find that whoever designed the ad cropped out everything but my arms and chest, and my handsome face had fallen to the virtual cutting room floor. Instead of writing this column I could very well be in L.A. right now, rehabbed for the third time, and smugly revealing to a celebrity reporter that I’m finally “feeling comfortable in my own skin.” (See last month’s Viewpoint) I’m waiting for the day when we non-tats become the minority and what was once seen as a radical form of self-expression becomes the norm. Will I have to go to church on Sunday mornings and try to pay attention as my minister sermonizes from the Book of Romans behind a bizarre Mike Tyson-size facial tattoo? Will communion ever be the same? What happens when children begin discovering their grand-mother has a “tramp stamp” emblazoned just above her wrinkled 85-year-old rump that reads “Hot ‘N Spicy” in an exotic typeface? As much as I want to be hip, I keep thinking that the idea of getting a tattoo just seems so...so...so permanent in an age when things change so fast. Seri-ously, how many trips has Angelina Jolie taken to the laser center to get her tats revised or removed? And as much as I don’t want to be an anti-tat-ite, I keep wondering to my-self, “Wasn’t Sandra Bullock the least bit tipped off?”

Viewpointby Billy gibson

DirectorofCommunicationsAssociationoflouisianaelectricCooperatives


One-year academic scholarships to stu-dents attending a Louisiana public college or university will be awarded in a random drawing highlighting DEMCO’s annual membership meeting on May 12, 2012. According to Brent Bradley, Manager of Business and Member Services, a minimum of two scholarships will be awarded. “We will determine the number of scholarships awarded after the random drawing. How many students receive assistance will de-pend on whether the winners receive assis-tance through Louisiana’s TOPS program.” he said. The scholarships awarded by DEMCO provide full academic tuition to a Louisiana public college or university for both the fall and spring semesters of the academic year provided the student is not enrolled in the Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) program. Students eligible for the TOPS award or other scholarship assistance receive a $600 cash award to be used by the student as needed. Louisiana’s TOPS is a comprehensive program of state scholarships and one of the most innovative and progressive student assistance programs in the nation. Students should check with their local school for further information concerning the TOPS program to determine their eligibility and the amount of assistance they may receive. Last year over 200 applications for scholarship assistance were received by DEMCO. (Acct. No. 8013374301) DEMCO is allowed to use unclaimed deposits, refunds and other monies owed to former members to provide funding for the scholarship program. Complete eligibility requirements are listed below.

2012 Scholarship eligibility requirements

1. Applicant must be a DEMCO mem-ber, child or the legal ward of a DEMCO member who has been a member in good standing for at least twelve (12) consecu-tive months as of the application deadline, May 4, 2012. Only one scholarship will be awarded per family per academic year. 2. A student can receive the DEMCO scholarship one time. It is not renewable. The term of the scholarship will be for one continuous academic year beginning with the fall semester (or quarter). The scholar-

ship does not include summer sessions. 3. The scholarship money can be used by an undergraduate student to attend, on a full-time basis, any Louisiana PUBLIC uni-versity. The scholarship will not be awarded to a student attending a private university or vocational/trade school of any kind. 4. A first-time college student applying for the DEMCO scholarship must: a) have graduated from high school with at least a B average (3.0 GPA on a 4.0 GPA scale, or the equivalent); or, b) have graduated from high school and received a minimum ACT test score of 21. High school students who apply must be seniors. 5. An undergraduate college student seeking the scholarship must have achieved a minimum of 2.5 (on a 4.0 GPA scale) on all prior college work. 6. A scholarship application must be completed and returned to DEMCO. 7. The scholarship recipients will be chosen in a random drawing at the annual meeting of the DEMCO membership. 8. The scholarship recipients will be re-quired to provide DEMCO with an official transcript verifying his/her eligibility within 10 days after the drawing. 9. The scholarship funds will be paid to the recipients at the beginning of each se-mester (or quarter) upon presentation of an official receipt for the payment of full-time undergraduate tuition (see No. 10 below). To receive the second semester (or quarter) payment, the student must provide evidence that he/she successfully completed at least 12 semester hours (or 9 quarter hours) and that he/she maintained a minimum cumula-tive grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale). 10. The scholarship provides full tuition to students who DO NOT participate in Louisiana’s TOPS program or receive other scholarship assistance. Students who par-ticipate in Louisiana’s TOPS program, or receive other scholarship assistance, receive a limited scholarship award of $600 per semester. 11. Members of the DEMCO Board of Directors, employees of DEMCO (includ-ing part-time employees, students, and temporary employees) and children of the Board of Directors and employees are not eligible for this scholarship.

DeMco offers academic scholarships to area students

student’sname________________________________________________

Parent’sname_________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________

Telephoneno.(____)___________________________

DeMCoAccount#______________________________

DoyouqualifyforToPsAssistance?Yes____no_____

schoolyouwillattend___________________________________________

(CompletethisformandreturnittoDeMCobyMay4,2012)

application for scholarship program

2012 lsu Baseball schedule


Meeting of December 1, 2011 The DEMCO Board of Directors held its regular meeting on Thursday, December 1, 2011. Board President Richard Sitman called the meeting to order at 7:20 p.m. Director Freddy Metz was unable to attend the meet-ing. The board approved a resolution not to disburse capital credits pay-ments for 2010 based on current RUS guidelines. The Board then approved resolutions to re-appoint current mem-bers of the DBC and DEMCO Founda-tion Board of Directors.

Meeting of January 19, 2012 The board of directors of DEMCO held its regular meeting Thursday, January 19, 2012. Board President Richard Sitman called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The board then approved the min-utes of the previous meetings, new member list, Treasurer’s Report and Operations Committee report as writ-ten. From the Purchasing Commit-tee report Randy Lorio, committee chairman, presented bids received. The board then approved resolutions accepting the following bids: Thomas & Betts Corp. for the Magnolia Tap to Indian Mound 69kV transmission line steel poles; the purchase of a three to four acre tract of land which is cur-rently part of a 12 acre tract of land to be used for the Old River Road Sub-station; and Thomas & Betts Corpora-tion for the purchase of 19 steel poles

to be used as needed from stock. From the Finance Committee report Steve Irving, committee chair-man, reviewed the Interest, Fuel Cost Adjustment and Financial Summary reports. The board approved a reso-lution reclassifying those accounts disconnected in August and September 2011 as uncollectible. They then adopted a resolution to approve the 2012 Operations and Capital Budgets as presented. Danny Berthelot gave the ALEC report with no action taken. Leslie Falks presented the Dixie Business Center and DEMCO Founda-tion reports with no action taken. John Vranic presented the Man-ager’s report with no action taken. Jim Ellis presented the Attorney’s report with no action taken. The board then approved a reso-lution to appoint Mr. Dennis Lott as DEMCO’s NRECA Voting Delegate, DEMCO’s CFC Voting Delegate, DEMCO’s NRTC Voting Delegate, and DEMCO’s NCSC Voting Delegate for the 2012 NRECA Annual Meeting;

and, also to appoint Mr. John Vranic to serve as the alternate voting delegate in all the above-mentioned capacities.

Meeting of February 16, 2012 The board of directors of DEMCO held its regular meeting Thursday, February 16, 2012. Board President Richard Sitman called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The board then approved the min-utes of the previous meetings, new member list, Treasurer’s Report and Operations Committee report as writ-ten. From the Purchasing Committee report Randy Lorio, committee chair-man, noted that there were no bid

openings in the month of February. From the Finance Committee report Steve Irving, committee chair-man, reviewed the Interest, Fuel Cost Adjustment and Financial Summary reports. The board approved a resolu-tion reclassifying those accounts dis-connected in October 2011 as uncol-lectible. Danny Berthelot gave the ALEC report with no action taken. Leslie Falks presented the Dixie Business Center and DEMCO Founda-tion reports with no action taken. John Vranic presented the Man-ager’s report with no action taken. Jim Ellis presented the Attorney’s report with no action taken.

FromtheBoardRoom

DeMco Board members receive committee reports

J.k. JohnsonDenham springs, la

225-665-7010

J.k.’staxiDerMy

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No one looks forward to paying bills. However, DEMCO makes the process more convenient

with online bill pay. You can better manage your monthly payments by signing up for DEMCO’s

Bankdraft option, so your bill will always be paid on time. You can also pay online using an

e-check or credit card. Log on to DEMCO.org for details, and add a little convenience to your life.

DEMCO puts the power in your hands!

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Transcript of Lighthouse for the bLind - DEMCO.or