MID-SOUTH SYNERGY

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We’re All in This TogetherMembers’ Economic Participation is the third of our Seven Cooperative Principles

MESSAGE FROMGENERAL MANAGER KERRY KELTON

MAKE 2015 THE YEAR you convert from being a “customer” of Mid-South Synergy to being a “member”.

The fact is, you’re already a member. You buy your electricity from a utility that is organized as a member-owned cooperative, which means that every one of its customers owns a part of it.

As a consumer-member, you have some privileges that customers of investor-owned, city-centered electric companies don’t have. For example, you have the right to vote in elections for the cooperative’s board of directors.

This year, become an active member. Start by planning to attend Mid-South Synergy’s annual meeting in June and cast your vote.

How many other kinds of businesses give you a say in what they do with your money? Exercise your membership privileges and get involved with Mid-South Synergy this year.

Resolve To Be an Active Co-op Member

© I STO C K .CO M | I S _ I M AG E SO U R C E

PAYING MONEY TO PARTICIPATE IN A BUSINESS might not seem like a privilege, but it is—when that business is an electric cooperative. The money you put in to become a member of Mid-South Synergy

Electric Cooperative not only helps us light your homes and businesses, but it also helps to improve the quality of life for everyone in our service area.

Members’ Economic Participation:“Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the cooperative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing their cooperative, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the cooperative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership.”

So what do those words mean? Let’s take a closer look. Chances are, when you joined Mid-South Synergy, you paid a membership fee of $75. That fee is your part of the equity or your share of ownership. You also do something else every month that allows your co-op to keep the lights on: You pay your bill.

As a member, your paid-in share ensures that you have a say in co-op business through your elected board of directors. The board sets the strategic direction of the cooperative, then the management and staff put that direction into action. At the end of the fiscal year, if your co-op has received more money from members than it needed to cover expenses, a portion is set aside for reserves—which is like a savings account for the co-op. If a storm or flood comes through, the co-op will have the funds to do the needed repairs.

Any remaining amount is allocated to each member based on how much electricity they used during the year. Once the board decides the co-op is financially sound enough to release these allocated margins, members receive them as capital credits checks or credits on their bills.

This is just one-way Mid-South Synergy gives back to our community. Although the safe, reliable and affordable provision of electricity is our primary mission, the co-op also values its members and finds many other ways to enrich the quality of life in our service area.

Mid-South Synergy is not some large power company headquartered in a far-off state with stockholders from around the world. We are an electric co-op right here in our service territory that reaches five counties. We were formed by neighbors and friends who came together and contributed their own money with the goal of bettering their lives with electricity. Our goal is to continue to do that—improve the quality of our members’ lives—with the same neighborly approach.

Our Seven Cooperative Principles guide us. And your economic participation helps us make sure our focus is always on YOU, the member-owner.

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Celebrating 75 Years of ServiceNEARLY 90 PERCENT OF URBAN DWELLERS in the 1930s had electricity, but the farms and rural areas across the country were left in the dark, because the for-profit electric companies saw it as unprofitable to string miles of electric line for only a few customers. Then, almost 80 years ago, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law the formation of the Rural Electrification Administration -- part of the New Deal legislation of the 1930s -- as an answer to the economic hardships of The Great Depression. The REA provided low-interest loans to farmers and ranchers for the formation of electric cooperatives and brought power to rural America. His hope was that electricity would stimulate agriculture production and create a better way of life for those people in the country.

In 1940, in Grimes County, Texas, Mid-South Electric Cooperative was formed. The outbreak of World War II delayed the actual delivery of electricity until 1942 when the total membership was 94 people. Local men and women came together and helped set poles and string line until every member had power. That’s the cooperative difference.

In 2015, Mid-South Synergy is celebrating 75 years as your electric cooperative. It’s that sense of ownership and cooperation that has kept Mid-South Synergy successful after all these years. With a continued dedication to efficiency and reliability, Mid-South Synergy continues to look to the future and providing you with a quality service at an affordable price. Here’s to 75 more years as YOUR electric cooperative!

#MSSCOOP75

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Committed to Our YouthLAST YEAR MARKED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GOVERNMENT-IN-ACTION YOUTH TOUR. Each year the Youth Tour brings teens from 43 states, 120 from Texas, together in Washington, D.C. for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Mid-South Synergy is proud to send 4 students each year on this life changing experience. While in D.C., students are provided with the opportunity to visit monuments and museums and learn more about the roots of American history. Students also meet with their Congressional Representatives and learn about electric co-ops and political advocacy.

ROOTED IN POLITICSThe Youth Tour was the brain-child of then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, who was an advocate of electric co-ops and lobbied for their creation in Texas. Johnson said, “if one thing comes our of this meeting, it will be sending youngsters to the national capital, where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents.” With this enthusiastic encouragement, Texas electric co-ops began to send

summer interns to work in the Senator’s Washington, D.C. office. In 1964, the NRECA began to coordinate activities among state delegations. The first year of the Youth Tour brought together approximately 400 teens from 12 states. 50 years later, the tour has grown to over 1,600 teens from 43 states.

LIFELONG CONNECTIONSIt is common for teens to not only make friends while on the tour, but to keep in touch long after they have gone

home. Many teens reconnect when they go to college or in their careers down the road, sometimes becoming roommates, co-workers, or colleagues. For all of the participants, the Youth Tour plays an integral part in forming the people and leaders they will become. “We’re excited to see what our future leaders accomplish,” says

Martin Bevins, a Youth Tour chaperone from Texas Electric Cooperatives. “To know that electric cooperatives played a small part in their development is truly something special.”

Scholarship FundScholarship Fund Youth TourYouth Tour

YOUTH TOUR PARTICIPANTS WITH U.S. REP. RALPH HALL

IN ADDITION TO SENDING STUDENTS ON THE GOVERNMENT-IN-ACTION YOUTH TOUR, we are committed to supporting the education of the youth in our communities through our scholarship program. Each year we award numerous $1,000 scholarships to area high school seniors who are members of Mid-South Synergy who plan to attend a college, 4-year university, or trade or technical school. Since 2009, Mid-South Synergy has awarded over $155,000 in scholarships. The money that funds our scholarship program comes from unclaimed capital credits that are returned to us each year by the State of Texas.

To find out more about Mid-South Synergy’s scholarship program and to apply, visithttp://www.midsouthsynergy.com/ceScholarships.aspx

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A YOUTH TOUR WINNER?

• To apply, students must be a high school junior or senior whose parents or legal guardians are members of Mid-South Synergy

• You must submit a completed application

• You must make a video or DVD telling us, “Without electricity, how would your day to day life be different?”

• Videos and applications are due by March 4, 2015 at 5:00 pm to the Mid-South Synergy office in Navasota

To find out more about Mid-South Synergy’s participation in the Government-In-Action Youth Tour and to apply, visithttp://www.midsouthsynergy.com/youthTour.aspx

MID-SOUTH SYNERGY

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BEFORE HEADING BACK TO COLLEGE AFTER THE WINTER HOLIDAY BREAK, make sure your student is equipped with dorm room supplies and important knowledge for living on their own, which includes electrical safety.

Between 2005 and 2009, U.S. Fire Departments responded to over 3,800 structural fires involving college housing, causing $20.9 million in property damage and putting countless lives at risk. Here are some easy tips to keep your child’s dorm room, house, or apartment safe.

• Unplug any appliances or elctronics that haven’t been used for a while. If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, unplug an non-essential electrical devices. This will not only, conserve energy, but also prevent a fire hazard.

• Avoid overloading, or piggybacking extension cords, power strips, and outlets. Where possible, also avoid using all of the available plugs on a power strip.

• Use power strips with an overcurrent protector that shuts power off automatically if too much current is drawn.

• Never tack, nail, or staple electrical cords to any fixed surface such as a wall, door, or ceiling. Don’t run cords across high traffic paths or under rugs where they can easily be tripped on causing harm to you, or trampled on and become damaged.

• Keep any and all electrical appliances and cords away from bedding, curtains and other flammable materials.

• Only purchase and use elctrical products that have been tested for safety. Safe products will show an approval label from fire-safety companies such as UL, CSA, or ETL.

• Make sure outlets around water sources, such as sinks, are equipped with ground-fault circuit interrupters, or GFIs. (Look for the “test” button to be sure). If they are not, contact the resident assistant, landlord, or housing staff.

• Only use microwave-safe containers - these include, glass, ceramic, and plastics labeled “microwave safe”. Do not, under any circumstances, place metal or aluminum foil in a microwave. These can damage your microwave or even start a fire. If you notice your microwave is damaged, do not use it and contact your resident assistant, landlord, or housing staff.

• Make sure your smoke detectors are working properly. Be sure to change out the batteries when you return. Smoke detectors should never be disabled. If you live in a dorm, make sure you know the protocol and procedures if a fire alarm were to sound to ensure your safety.

College Safety

BETWEEN 2005 AND 2009, U.S. FIRE DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED TO OVER 3,800 STRUCTURAL FIRES CAUSING OVER $20 MILLION IN DAMAGES

EQUIP OUTLETS AROUND WATER SOURCES WITH GCFI OUTLETS

ONLY USE ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED FOR SAFETY SUCH AS UL, CSA, OR ETL

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Fight the Winter Chill

U. S . H I G H B U S H B LU E B E R RY CO U N C I L

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast6 eggs1 teaspoon grated orange peel2/3 cup orange juice3 tablespoons sugar, dividedPinch salt, optional1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed and drained, if frozen)8 slices (1 1/4 inches thick) Italian bread1/3 cup slice almonds

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, orange peel and juice, 2 tablespoons of sugar and the salt until well blended. Pour into a 9-by-13 inch baking pan and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the blueberries and the remaining sugar.3. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut a 1 1/2-inch-wide pocket in the crust side of each bread slice. Fill pockets with the blueberry mixture, divid-ing evenly. Place filled slices into the egg mixture. Let stand, turning once, until egg mixture is absorbed, about 5 minutes on each side.4. Arrange bread on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with almonds. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, turning slices after 10 minutes.

Find this and more delicious recipes online at TEXASCOOPPOWER.COM

ANOTHER COLDER-THAN-NORMAL WINTER is predicted for much of the country this year, including Texas. Frigid temperatures can cause heating systems to work overtime. Because heating and cooling can make up nearly half of your electric bill, you may experience sticker shock when you open that bill. Instead of waiting until after a potentially high bill arrives in your mailbox, be proactive. There are things you can do now to help ensure that you are managing your energy use and spending less:

• Wrap exposed pipes and water heaters located in unheated spaces.

• Make sure to change your air filter once a month.

• Keep drapes closed at night, and keep those that don’t get direct sunlight closed during the day, too.

• Keep the fireplace damper closed when it is not in use. Leaving it open can bring cold air into the room.

• Caulk around the fireplace hearth, and caulk or weather- strip around doors and windows.

• Log on to your Mid-South Synergy account to keep up with your usage. If we’ve had a few days of frigid temperatures, see how you can try to save on days that are milder.

• Dress for the weather, even if you are inside. Wearing proper clothing like long sleeves and pants, or wrapping up in a cozy blanket can help combat the temptation to bump up the thermostat.

ADDITIONAL TIPS TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY AND COMFORT:Call Mid-South Synergy to see what type of energy-saving program is right for you and speak to one of our energy-efficient experts. They are happy to help explain the effects that weather and usage patterns could possibly have on your bill

ADDING WEATHER STRIPPING TO WINDOWS WILL KEEP WINTER CHILL OUT

Recipe of the Month

#Lookingoutforyou

WE ARE ALL WORKING TOWARD THE SAME GOAL. Using energy wisely is the job of every electric co-op member. And when we work together, our combined strength is more than enough to accomplish anything. Learn more about the power of your co-op membership at TogetherWeSave.com.