Dedication to Military Personnel and their Families Garners Statewide Recognition for Reynolds-based Co-op
For consistent and continued generosity and support of military personnel in Middle Georgia, Flint Energies was recently named EMC of the Year and presented the 2018 Georgia EMC Community Service and Volunteerism Award.
“Through a multitude of community programs and in particular their support of the Georgia Veterans Education Career Transition Resource (VECTR) Center, Flint has improved the quality of life for hundreds of military families in every part of their service area,” says Bill Verner, senior vice president with Georgia EMC.
The VECTR Center is the first of its kind in the state and nation. The organization’s mission is to successfully transition veterans and their families into Georgia’s public colleges, universities and the state’s workforce.
Flint Energies is flanked on both ends of its service territory by Fort Benning and Robins Air Force Base. Fort Benning--a United States Army post located along the Alabama/Georgia border next to Columbus--supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve soldiers, retirees, and civilian employees.
Robins Air Force Base--a major United States Air Force post located in Houston County adjacent to the city of Warner Robins—is home of the Air Force Materiel Command's Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, the worldwide manager for a wide range of aircraft, engines, missiles, software and avionics and accessories components.
Since military personnel and their family members play a vital role within communities in Middle Georgia and specifically within Flint’s service territory, the electric co-op actively supports a multitude of programs and initiatives which directly benefit service personnel.
The nature of military life involves numerous assignments and relocations to installations across the country and the world, requiring personnel to frequently move from city to city, leaving behind the comfort of home, family and friends.
“Our desire is to help those who now call our service area home feel an instant connection with the people of their new community and feel welcomed when they arrive,” said Flint Energies CEO Bob Ray.
Through funding and volunteerism, Flint is an avid supporter of the 21st Century Partnership which works to enhance the military value of Fort Benning and Robins Air Force Base and economic development in Middle Georgia.
Other examples of Flint Energies’ substantial contributions include the co-op’s participation in many fundraising efforts to benefit military personnel, support of events to honor military spouses of deployed service members, and offering educational opportunities such as a FAB Lab for first-term airmen (a prototyping facility offering hands-on opportunities to try digital fabrication and put into practice concepts learned in science, technology, engineering, art/design, and math), plus other training programs such as Woodworking 101. Discussions are also underway to help offset costs associated with training so personnel can attend at no-cost or low-cost.
In addition to touching the lives of hundreds of military members in Middle Georgia, Flint Energies and its employees are major contributors to the state as a whole, providing leadership in economic development, education, school and youth programs, charitable giving and community support.
The purpose of the Georgia EMC Community Service and Volunteerism Award is to spotlight the outstanding efforts and initiatives of EMC management, individual directors and employees who are working to build stronger communities.
Flint Energies was presented the award during Georgia EMC’s Annual Meeting on November 12 in Savannah. To commemorate the occasion, a donation in the co-op’s name will be made to a charity of its choice.
About Flint Energies
Flint Energies is a community-focused electric cooperative owned by its consumer-members in parts of 17 central Georgia counties. Flint employs 232 employees and serves more than 89,500 electric meters. We are 100% locally controlled and democratically governed by nine Directors elected from among the membership. In 1937, Flint Energies was created to bring people together to meet common needs like reliable electric energy, and our mission remains focused on improving the quality of life in Middle Georgia. Flint Energies is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Follow Flint on Twitter and Facebook.
About Georgia EMC
Georgia EMC is the statewide trade association representing the state’s 41 electric membership cooperatives, Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp. Through this statewide network, the EMCs provide electricity and related services to 4.4 million people, nearly half of Georgia’s population, across 73 percent of the state’s land area. To learn more, visit www.georgiaemc.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.