THE GVEC REVIEW - Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative

GVEC EDITION
JANUARY 2012
ENERGY-SAVING LIGHTBULBS • PARK FUN FOR DISABLED • HEALTHY EATING
2012: INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF COOPERATIVES
UP FROM THE
ASHES
In the wake of the state’s worst wildfire season ever,
Texans are coming together to rebuild communities and lives.
Turn Small Change
into Big Change
PAGE 18
Saving Energy
with Insulation
PAGE 21
Buying Lightbulbs?
Know Your Facts!
PAGE 23
S E E PA PAG E 1 7
THE THE GVEC GVEC REVIEW REVIEW

vol. 38, no. 1
the
review
January 2012
2012 GVEC Business Plan
ith the New Year comes a fresh perspective on what lies
W ahead for the Cooperative. The 2012 GVEC Business
Plan, as in years past, is developed by the Board of Directors
and staff to outline the strategic vision for GVEC’s services for
the next five years as well as define the goals and objectives
for the current operating year. A great deal of time and effort
is put into the development and contents of the plan, and as
such, represents our commitment to you, our members. This
year’s plan takes a more comprehensive look at GVEC’s Core
Services, which include Energy and Delivery, as well as the
GVEC subsidiary companies: GVEC.net, GVEC Home and
the Guadalupe Valley Development Corporation (GVDC). It
reflects where we believe GVEC needs to be five years from
now and will serve as a road map for our employees.
The five-year outlook included in the 2012 Plan is especially
significant since 2016 will mark the end of GVEC’s long-term
wholesale power agreement with the Lower Colorado River
Authority (LCRA). Energy Services will focus on meeting the
current and future energy needs of the growing GVEC service
territory, while managing the transitional issues associated
with the termination of the LCRA contract.
Since GVEC’s creation in 1938, our most basic function has
been the delivery of electricity to our member-owners. Delivery
Services’ focus will continue to ensure that power will be
available when our members need it, each and every time.
In addition to increasing system reliability through reduced
outage times, we will also concentrate on increasing the overall
efficiency of our electric grid, resulting in fewer line losses and
greater savings for our membership.
subsidiaries offer valuable services that enhance members’
lives and are in line with our cooperative values and goals.
The Operational Plan also includes the traditional focus
areas, such as employees, enhancing our communication with
members, providing customer-focused service, maintaining
financial strength, and business development and planning.
These areas include a number of projects which will keep us
progressively moving forward and guide us in achieving goals
as each project is completed in 2012.
The GVEC Business Plan is not a document that is developed
simply to be placed in a drawer and reviewed at the end of
the year. It is a working document which the Board and staff
review on a monthly and quarterly basis to ensure that we are
on our way to realizing our five-year vision for all of GVEC’s
services.
By completing our tasks, meeting our benchmarks and
maintaining strong financial positions, we will continue
to provide the level of service that the GVEC membership
expects of us and that we expect of ourselves.
Thank you for your support and involvement in the business
of GVEC. Contact me any time via phone at 800.223.4832,
email at dschauer@gvec.org, or mail at P.O. Box 118,
Gonzales, TX 78629.
Respectfully,
A significant addition to the 2012 Plan is the inclusion of a
strategic vision for each of the GVEC subsidiaries. Whether
it be providing high-speed wireless Internet access, installing
and maintaining high efficiency heating and cooling systems,
or assisting water supply corporations through GVDC, the
District 1
Robert J. Werner
District 2
Lewis Borgfeld,
Board President
District 3
Henry “Bubba” Schmidt, Jr.
District 4
Shawn Martinez
District 5
Morris Harvey
District 6
Emmett Engelke
District 7
Melvin E. Strey,
Board Vice President
District 8
Mark Roberts
District 9
Dr. Tom DeKunder
District 10
Don Williams,
Board Secretary/Treasurer
District 11
David Warzecha
800.223.GVEC (4832) | info@gvec.org | www.gvec.org |
January 2012 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 17

&
PENNIES FOR
STRONGER
COMMUNITIES.
Q: What is the POWER UP mission?
A: To accumulate funds and reinvest the
money in our communities by providing
funding assistance to local nonprofit groups
and civic organizations for community
development and improvement projects.
Q: What kinds of projects/programs
are eligible?
A: There are six areas of focus:
• Education
• Youth Programs
• Healthcare
Q: What is ineligible for grants?
A: Completed projects, debt-reduction
campaigns, capital projects, religious or
church-sponsored facilities limited to church
membership, general operating costs, office
or administrative projects and equipment,
land acquisition projects, computer
equipment and software are not eligible.
Also, for-profit entities and individuals are
not eligible to receive grants.
Q: What is the application
evaluation process?
A: A seven-member grant committee,
representing GVEC’s service areas, will
evaluate and score the requests based on:
Time to Turn
Small Change
into Big Change
Applications for Community
Grants Due February 15!
• Community Development
• Civic and Community Outreach
• Public Safety/Service Organizations
Q: Are there eligibility requirements?
A: Yes, to be eligible:
• Projects must lie within GVEC’s
geographic service territory.
• Projects must be completed within 12
months of the grant money award date.
• The property owner must be the
applicant.
• The organization must contribute to the
community’s health or welfare.
• Potential benefit to the residents of the
GVEC service area.
• Results that can be evaluated.
• Prior history if POWER UP funds were
received previously.
Q: What is the application deadline?
A: There will be two funding periods each year.
Applications are due February 15 for grants
announced in April and August 15 for grants
announced in October.
Applications are available at any GVEC office
or at www.gvec.org. They must be received
by 5 p.m. on the deadline date. (Postmark
date will not be considered.) If the deadline
falls on a holiday or weekend, it will be
extended to the next regular business day.
Thanks to the generosity of
participating GVEC members
donating to the POWER UP
Community Fund, it’s time to put
those pennies to work! Applications
for grants are now being accepted from
nonprofit organizations that would
like funding assistance for a program
or project benefiting the community.
Applications must be received by
5 p.m. February 15, 2012, for the first
distribution taking place in April.
“The POWER UP program exemplifies
one of the most fundamental values of
cooperatives – that of neighbor helping
neighbor,” says Darren Schauer, GVEC
General Manager and CEO. “As our
communities continue to grow and
develop, it’s more important than ever
that we be there for each other. Through
the strength of individual pennies, GVEC
members are coming together to help
neighbors in need and support initiatives
to enhance the community as a whole.”
To help make it easier to apply, we’ve
put together this Q&A with more
information about eligibility and the
application process. Applications can
be picked up at any GVEC area office
or downloaded from www.gvec.org.
Don’t miss the February 15, 2012,
deadline!
Questions?
Contact GVEC’s Public Relations
Manager, Barbara Kuck, at
830.857.1116.
• The organization’s services must be
nondiscriminatory in nature.
Upon the project’s completion, grant
recipients must furnish a final report on the
project, including receipts for materials,
supplies and anything else related to the use
of POWER UP grant funds.
Q: What information is required on
the application?
A: The applicant must provide basic
information, a project description, budget,
an IRS tax exemption determination letter,
a list of the board of directors, letters of
support, and a list of matching donations
and in-kind contributions with supporting
documentation.
18 TEXAS CO-OP POWER January 2012
January 2012 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 19

A New Year’s
Worth of Safety
Taking steps to make your family and
home safer is kind of like exercising:
you know it’s good for you, but don’t
always do it. But the fact is, taking
time out for safety not only can help
save lives, but property, too.
JANUARY
When was the last time you put
batteries in your smoke detector/
carbon monoxide alarms? Replace
batteries at least once a year,
preferably on a noteworthy date
like January 1st or your birthday. If
you don’t have any of these safety
devices, now is a good time to
install them. Create a fire escape
plan, too, and practice it twice a
year.
GVEC would like to help make safety
in 2012 more than just an exercise,
which is why we’re giving you one tip
a month to act on. For any tip you’d
like to know more about, go to
www.gvec.org and click on the “12 in
FEBRUARY
Do you have pets or small children at
home? Consider replacing traditional
electrical outlets with newer
tamper-resistant ones for safety’s
sake. Now’s the time to check your
extension cords, too! They can be
a fire hazard if they’re overloaded
with more plugged-in items than the
cords are rated for, the cords are
under a rug or furniture, or the cord
or plug is damaged.
MARCH
Kids will be kids when playing
outdoors. But you can make sure
they play safer by pointing out
electrical dangers. Tell them not
to fly kites or airborne toys around
power lines. Or retrieve anything
tangled in a line, climb utility poles,
enter an electric substation, or play
around pad-mounted transformers
(big green boxes).
Tips for
2012
2012” icon for in-depth information.
We’ll also be sending safety reminders,
so “Like” us on Facebook and Twitter.
Have a safe and prosperous year with
these 12 monthly tips for 2012!
APRIL
Planting a tree? Building a fence
or deck? Before you begin, call
800-Dig-Tess (800-344-8377) to
locate underground electric lines
and utilities before you dig — it
could save a life and it’s the law.
Ask an
Energy Expert
Clint Petras, Member Service Advisor
SAVING ENERGY With Insulation
Q: How do I know if my home has
enough attic insulation? Does it
really make a difference?
Unless your home was specially
constructed for energy efficiency, you
can usually reduce your energy bills
by adding more insulation. Many older
homes have less insulation than homes
built today, but adding insulation to
a newer home may also pay for itself
within a few years. With adequate attic
insulation, your home’s heating/cooling
system will operate more efficiently,
keeping you cooler in the summer and
warmer in winter.
Before adding insulation, you’ll need
to determine how much is already
installed, its kind and thickness. You’ll
also need to know the R-value of existing
attic insulation, which indicates the
insulation’s resistance to heat. The higher
the R-value, the greater the insulating
effectiveness.
Next you’ll need to decide what kind of
insulation to install: blown (loose-fill) or
blanket (batts or rolls). Blown insulation
is the most commonly used type in our
area and consists of small particles of
fiberglass, rockwool, cellulose, or other
materials. Blanket insulation is made
from mineral wool and natural fibers. In
general, loose-fill insulation is usually
less expensive to install because it’s less
labor intensive and can provide better
coverage.
One more thing: make sure you
take care of all other efficiency
improvements in your attic first, such
as sealing leaky air ducts or caulking.
You don’t want to come back to
make repairs that might damage the
insulation job.
Remember, we’re here to answer your
energy efficiency questions and help
advise you on how to make your home
more comfortable. GVEC members
have access to free services, including
energy efficiency rebates, free in-home
energy audits and online tools such
as energy calculators and interactive
demonstrations at www.gvec.org.
MAY
Spring is perfect for home
improvement projects, but first
make sure your power tools are UL
rated, cords aren’t frayed, plugs
aren’t broken, and extension cords
used are rated for outdoor use.
Using a ladder? Keep it at least two
times its length away from power
lines in case it falls, and when
carrying or setting it up, make sure
there are no electric lines overhead.
JUNE
When is the last time you had a
family talk about summertime
safety? They may know that water
and electricity don’t mix — but
are they really aware of the many
everyday hazards like using an
electric radio near a pool? Do they
know the new rule of thumb for
lightning safety? “When thunder
roars, go indoors!”
JULY
Have you thought about putting
together an “emergency grab ‘n’ go
kit” if you need to quickly evacuate
from your home? What about a
home emergency kit for stormy
weather? Hopefully you won’t
need these kits, but you can’t go
wrong by taking time to assemble
them.
AUGUST
Remind your family to be alert
to signs of potential electrical
problems in your home that could
lead to an electrical fire. They
include breakers that trip or fuses
that blow often, cords and wall
plates that are hot to the touch or
discolored, or crackling, sizzling
or buzzing sounds heard from wall
outlets.
Start the New Year
in Comfort!
Stay warm and cozy in the winter and
cool and comfy in the summer
with a Comfort Check Service Plan!
Fast. Affordable.
Reliable. Internet.
Play games, watch movies,
stream music, and more —
faster with GVEC.net.
SEPTEMBER
Would you know how to cut off
electric power in your home if
necessary? Be prepared for
emergencies: know where your
breaker box (or fuse box) is,
how to cut the current and have
circuits (stove, kitchen lights, etc.)
labelled. Also, make sure adult
family members know where the
water cutoff is, too.
OCTOBER
Did you know homes built 20
years ago may not be wired to
safely handle today’s electrical
load? If you have any warning
signs of electrical overload, find
yourself using extension cords on a
regular basis, or simply never had
a certified electrical professional
check out your home – it may be
time to do it!
NOVEMBER
Do you know what to do if there
is a prolonged electrical outage?
Review the steps to take at
www.gvec.org, including putting
GVEC’s phone number for reporting
outages into your cell phone or
phone book so it will always be
handy. It’s 800.223.4832.
Pick up a glow-in-the-dark magnet
at any GVEC office!
DECEMBER
Everyone likes to save money,
but when it comes to electrical
decorations and devices, cheaper
may not be better. Check all lights,
decorations, extension cords and
portable outlets (old as well as
new) to make sure they are UL
rated. The UL label means the
items are safety certified by a
recognized testing laboratory.
TACLB016098E
Regular service will help you:
• Keep cooling & heating costs in check
through more efficient operation
• Detect problems early
• Extend equipment life
• Enjoy year-round comfort
Find out how regular
maintenance can save
you money! Call us now!
For GVEC
Members: Add
payments to your
electric bill for
convenience!
800.223.GVEC (4832)
www.gvec.org | homeservices@gvec.org
• Plans starting as low as $29.95 a month
• Friendly hometown service
and technical support
• Email spam and virus filtering
• Web hosting
Call & Sign Up Today!
M-F: 7:30AM - 8PM
SAT: 9AM - 3PM
ONLY $99
INSTALL
800.699.GVEC (4832)
www.gvec.org
Cut along the dotted line and hang these tips on your fridge or office wall!
20 TEXAS CO-OP POWER January 2012
GVEC Home Services, Inc. and GVEc.net are subsidiaries of
January 2012 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 21

Protect Your Neighbor
and Our Linemen
3 Safety Tips When
Using a Generator
Most people don’t use their portable
generators on a regular basis, so it’s easy
to forget the danger they can pose. Here
are three very important tips to keep you
and others safe:
1. AVOID BACKFEEDING. Don’t plug
the generator into a wall outlet; plug
appliances directly into the generator.
Otherwise your portable generator will
“backfeed” electricity up the line, risking
the lives of your neighbors and linemen
who are working to restore your power.
You may, if absolutely necessary, use
a heavy duty outdoor-rated extension
cord that is rated (watts or amps) at
least equal to or greater than the sum
of the connected appliance loads. Make
sure the cord doesn’t have any splits or
cuts and the plug has all three prongs.
2. BEWARE OF CARBON MONOXIDE
POISONING. Never use a generator
indoors, including homes, garages,
basements, crawl spaces and other
enclosed or partially enclosed
areas —even with ventilation.
Opening doors and windows or
using fans will not prevent carbon
monoxide buildup. Be sure to install
a carbon monoxide alarm to monitor
this invisible danger.
3. PREVENT FIRES. Never store fuels
for your generator in the home. If the
fuel spills or the container isn’t sealed
properly, invisible vapors can travel
along the ground and be ignited by the
appliance’s pilot light or by arcs from
electric switches in the appliance.
Before refueling, turn the generator off
and let it cool down. Gasoline spilled on
hot engine parts could ignite.
New Year, New Budget? Make one that works!
By Lisa Hughes-Daniel
Who isn’t trying to pare down the household
budget these days? There’s just one problem – it
can be tough to turn good intentions into dollars
saved. If you’re like most people, you’ve created
many well-meaning spending plans that fall flat
after a few months. But don’t be discouraged;
it can be done. Here are a few steps to help
overcome obstacles so you can turn your
balance sheet around:
1. SET GOALS — the more concrete they are,
the greater your chance of success. Decide
what you want to accomplish and the steps
you need to take. Think short- and longterm.
Then write down specific goals, such
as “put $300 a month into an emergency
fund” or “pay an additional $200 a month
on my credit card balance.”
2. FIND OUT WHERE YOUR MONEY’S
GOING – before any plan will work,
you need a clear picture of current
expenditures. Collect this past year’s
bank and credit card statements. Group
expenses into categories and list every
expenditure. Divide the total by 12 to get
your average monthly outflow of dollars.
Then divide the category totals by 12 to
see how costs break down each month.
This small investment of time can provide
invaluable insights into spending patterns.
3. CARVE OUT DOLLARS – make choices
you can live with that will move you in the
right financial direction. Decide which
habits need to be changed to meet your
goals and quantify them. For example,
if you cut out two restaurant visits a
month, how much extra could go into your
emergency fund?
4. CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY – use a
system that discourages “cheating.” You
might use a debit card or cash rather
than a credit card, for example, so money
comes directly from your checking
account and has finite limits. Or, set up
automatic payments to a savings account
or credit card account to meet your goal.
Every quarter, tally your average expenditures.
Pat yourself on the back if you’re moving
in the right direction. Or, make additional
adjustments, if needed, and keep working
towards your goal.
Encourage your high school student
to apply! Deadline is Feb. 1, 2012!
Win a Trip to
earn $2,500 cash
for college
youthtour@gvec.org
Get details and deadlines at www.gvec.org!
800.223.GVEC (4832)
www.gvec.org
Shopping for lightbulbs? Look for lumens, not watts!
Lighting Facts
Per Bulb
Brightness XXX lumens
Estimated Yearly $X.XX
Energy Cost
Based on 3 hrs/day,
11¢/kWh. Cost
depends on rates and use.
Life
X.X years
Based on 3 hrs/day
Light Appearance
Warm
Cool
XXXX K
Brightness
XXX
lumens
Estimated
Energy Cost
$X.XX
per year
XX watts
Energy Used
Contains Mercury
For more on clean up
and safe disposal,
visit epa.gov/cfl.
Do you read product labels? You may have
noticed there’s a new label in town — on
lightbulb packages. With the arrival of more
efficient lightbulbs, this new Light Facts Label is
designed to help consumers buy bulbs that are
right for them by comparing bulb brightness,
color, lifespan, and the yearly estimated
operating cost.
The biggest change is how we buy lightbulbs.
For decades we’ve bought them based on
“watts,” which measured how much energy they
consume. But now, with the variety of energy
efficient bulbs available, you’ll buy them based
on “lumens,” which tells you how much light
they give — the amount or level of brightness.
More lumens mean brighter light; fewer lumens
mean a dimmer light. So the next time you
shop, think lumens, not watts.
For example, to replace a 100-W traditional
incandescent bulb, look for one that gives you
about 1600 lumens.
• Replace a 75-W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about
1100 lumens.
• Replace a 60-W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about
800 lumens.
• Replace a 40-W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about
450 lumens.
To learn more about lighting options and other ways to save
energy at home, visit www.energysavers.gov.
Source: Energy Savers, U.S. Department of Energy
Did you know that up to 12 percent of a typical monthly electric bill is for lighting?
You can reduce the amount of energy used by turning off lights when leaving a room and
by replacing bulbs with energy efficient ones. As part of new energy efficiency standards
set by Congress, a new generation of incandescent lightbulbs will be sharing the shelf
with other energy efficient options such as CFLs and LEDs. The new, more efficient
incandescent bulbs may cost a little more, but they should use less energy and last
longer. The new lightbulb efficiency standards begin this year and by 2020, light bulbs
must be 70 percent more efficient than traditional incandescents.
?
What Are
My Lighting
Options?
Starting in 2012,
lightbulbs must be
more energy efficient.
The three most
common bulb options
consumers will find on
store shelves are:
Halogen incandescents
Energy Savings:* 25 percent
Lifespan:* Three times longer
Annual Energy Cost: $3.50
Compact Fluorescent
Lamps (CFLs)
Energy Savings:* 75 percent
Lifespan:* 10 times longer
Annual Energy Cost: $1.20
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
Energy Savings:* 75-80 percent
Lifespan:* 25 times longer
Annual Energy Cost: $1
* As compared to traditional incandescent bulbs
Learn more at
energysavers.gov/lighting
22 TEXAS CO-OP POWER January 2012
January 2012 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 23

NOW WE’RE COOKING!
email them to info@gvec.org
Member Recipes
Linda Dornburg, Goliad
Baked Corn Dip
1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 can (4 oz.) green chilies, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) pickled jalapenos,
chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
(divided use)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine all
ingredients except for ½ cup grated
cheddar cheese. Coat baking dish
with nonstick cooking spray, then
pour dip into the baking dish. Top
with the remaining cheese. Bake
20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Serve with corn chip “scoops” or
other chips.
Lillie Jemelka, Yoakum
Shirley’s Cheese-Sausage
Dip
1 pound hamburger meat
1 pound breakfast sausage
1 onion, minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 pounds Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 can Rotel tomatoes and chilies
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Brown meats and sauté onion
with it. Drain. Add other
ingredients and mix until smooth.
Serve with chips.
Vernelle Jones, Kingsbury
Koch Kase
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 oz. small curd cottage cheese
¾ stick butter
3 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
(optional)
Mix baking soda with cottage
cheese. Let set until foamy, about
1 1 ⁄2 hours. Then melt butter; add
flour, then add cheese mixture
and heat to blend, but do not let
mixture boil. If you choose to use
caraway seeds, fold them into the
mixture now. Put mixture into a
glass container or a pint jar with
a lid. Cool, then cover Koch Kase
and refrigerate. Serve on saltine
crackers with hard sausage.
Community Calendar
Seguin
Martin Luther King, Jr. Walk
January 16, 2012
Join the community in a walk in memory
of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The event
will include guest speakers. Walk begins at
11:45 a.m. from Central Park in downtown
Seguin to Texas Lutheran University. For
info, see www.visitseguin.com.
Cuero
102nd Annual Membership Social &
Awards Ceremony
January 24, 2012
Who will win the Community Service of
the Year Award? Find out at the 102nd
Annual Membership Social & Awards
Ceremony sponsored by the Cuero Chamber
of Commerce Agriculture & Visitor’s Center.
The presentation is from 6-8 p.m. at Venue
on Church Street, 125 E. Church St. Tickets,
including dinner, are $15. For details, call
361-275-2112 or visit www.cuero.org.
Area Youth Livestock Shows
Yoakum Project Show
January 13-14, 2012
Moulton Junior Livestock Show
January 15-16, 2012
Guadalupe County Youth Livestock and
Homemakers Show
January 18-21, 2012
Hallettsville Junior Livestock Show
January 21-23, 2012
Wilson County Junior Livestock Show
January 24-28, 2012
Nordheim FFA Stock Show/Foods and
Crafts Show
January 28, 2012
All dates are subject to change without
notice. Please check with your local school,
agricultural department, extension office or
4-H leader to confirm the livestock show date
in your area.
We welcome your input and questions!
Recipes, photos, stories about you, your family, and communities! Always
feel free to contact us with information for the GVEC Review or any
questions you may have for us. Email info@gvec.org, write to us at P.O.
Box 118, Gonzales, TX 78629, or phone us at 800.223.4832.
24 TEXAS CO-OP POWER January 2012
1.800.223.GVEC (4832)
info@gvec.org
www.gvec.org