Over the years Rayle EMC’s commitment to the community we serve has been expressed in many ways. Currently Rayle EMC sponsors or participates with other co-ops in the following programs:
Career Development Event (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.
Couples Conference – Each year a husband and wife are chosen by Rayle EMC to attend a conference where they meet with other couples from 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 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 peers from all over the State of Georgia. They also 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 worthwhile endeavor by purchasing a steer raised by FFA and 4-H youth.
GEMC Walter Harrison Scholarship – Each year Georgia Electric Membership Corporation awards several academic scholarships to deserving, hard working high school seniors. The 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 statewide winners are announced in April.
Rayle EMC Scholarships – Each year, Rayle EMC awards seven $1,000.00 scholarships (one from each district of the co-op’s territory and two at large). Applicants write an essay which is judged by an independent judge and 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 certificate 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.
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-school students each year to this weeklong event held in Covington. Attendees are nominated by a local cooperative, 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.