Rayle EMC - A Touchstone Energy Cooperative

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Over the years, Rayle EMC’s commitment to the community we serve, has been expressed in many ways. Currently, Rayle EMC participates with other co-ops, or sponsors on its own, the following programs:

Career Development Contest (formerly called FFA Wiring Contest) - FFA youth travel to district venues to compete in a contest that tests their skills and knowledge of electrical wiring. Winners at the district level move on to state competition.

Young Co-op Couple – Each year a husband and wife couple is chosen by Rayle EMC to attend a conference where they meet with other Young Co-op Couples from the EMC's around the state to learn about cooperatives so they may take what they learn back to their communities.

Washington Youth Tour – What young high school sophomore or junior wouldn’t want to spend a week of their summer vacation representing their EMC, touring our nation’s capital, and meeting with a couple hundred other Tour participants their age? There will be no expenses to the students! The Tour is educational as well as loads of fun. The festivities begin in Atlanta with a kick-off banquet. The next day, the participants board a plane headed for Washington, D.C. There, a week packed with fun and excitement begins, as they get to meet their peers from all over the State of Georgia. They will get to see our Government in action, as they visit the halls of Congress and witness the process of lawmaking firsthand.

Selection for the Washington Youth Tour is done by an independent judge who reviews essays submitted by the students. Two students are selected each year for the Washington Youth Tour.

Washington Area Steer Show – Rayle EMC participates in this very worthwhile endeavor by pledging to buy the Grand Champion Steer raised by FFA and 4-H youth.

GEMC Walter Harrison Scholarship – Each year the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation awards seven academic scholarships to deserving, hard working high school seniors. The $1,000.00 scholarships are awarded in honor of Walter Harrison, an early leader of the electric cooperative movement in Georgia. Students from each electric co-op submit applications and an essay, which is judged by an impartial panel. The seven statewide winners are announced in April.

Rayle EMC Scholarships – Each year, Rayle EMC awards five $1,000.00 scholarships (one from each district of the co-op’s territory). Applicants write an essay, which is judged by the staff at Rayle EMC. Winners are announced in April.

Rayle EMC Lineman of the Week – Each week during the high school football season, Rayle EMC selects a football lineman whose superior athleticism on the gridiron is worthy of special mention. A plaque, engraved with the player’s name and school, is awarded to the athlete, and his achievement is written up in the local newspaper and broadcast on the radio.

Rayle EMC Student of the Month – Every month during the school year, an elementary student is selected by their school to receive this award. A tee shirt is presented to the student to commemorate the child’s academic success, and his/her picture appears in the local newspaper, along with a short write-up about the child.

Touchstone Energy/GEMC GHSAA Playoff Sponsorships – Rayle EMC, through its brand partner, Touchstone Energy, and several other EMC’s throughout the state, help sponsor state-level playoff competition. A number of these state championship playoffs are carried live on GPTV. The EMC’s help out by sponsoring the Coach’s Corner, a place where team coaches can go to relax and unwind before or after their teams compete.

Dad’s Day at Oglethorpe County Elementary School – Each year, a number of male employees volunteer to be at the school for the Dad’s Day event. They serve as surrogate Dad’s for those children without fathers in the home. It is a truly rewarding experience for our employees, who get a chance to share some of their time with a child who may really need the attention and caring of these men at this point in their young lives.

Little League Team Sponsorship – Rayle EMC sponsors a local Little League team. We believe that athleticism and academics go hand-in-hand in developing a well-rounded child. That’s why we support both equally.

The Georgia Cooperative Youth Conference - Rayle EMC sponsors three high-schoolers each year to this three-day event held in Covington. Attendees are nominated by a local cooperative manager, county extension agent, agricultural education instructor or home economics teacher. Those selected to attend will be educated on the cooperative way of doing business and provided with ample opportunities to display and sharpen their leadership abilities. Rayle EMC pays the registration fees for this affair, and has received rave reviews from recent attendees.

Other community efforts which Rayle EMC contributes to each year include: Relay for Life, Heart Association, and Yearbook ads for all the schools in our service territory.