STORY CONTACT: Cindy King-Sawnee EMC

PHONE: 678-455-1539

ELECTRIC CO-OPS SUPPORT

MILITARY PERSONNEL

(May 11, 2005, Cumming)—The electric membership corporations (EMCs) in Georgia, including Sawnee EMC, donated $3,000 yesterday to the Fort Gordon Fisher House in Augusta, Ga., whose mission is to provide temporary lodging to members of the Armed Services, veterans and their families during a medical crisis.

The Fort Gordon Fisher House provides services to the families of patients of the Dwight Eisenhower Army Medical Center, the Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Medical College of Georgia and the Augusta Regional Burn Center.

            Since Georgia is home to thousands of service men and women, 13 military installations and one Fisher House location, representatives of the state’s 42 electric cooperatives see first-hand the sacrifices made by military service personnel.

 “The men and women in uniform deserve our respect and support,” says Blake House, V.P. of Marketing and Members Services with Sawnee EMC. “This donation is one way we can thank them and their families for the courage and strength they demonstrate every day.”

The Fisher House Foundation builds beautiful “comfort homes” on the grounds of major military facilities and VA medical centers.  After the house is donated, the respective branch of service assumes operations and maintenance responsibilities.

Having access to affordable lodging is especially important to members of the military and their families since they are stationed worldwide and often must travel great distances for specialized medical care. The homes enable family members to be close to a loved one during hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease or injury.

The homes are normally located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available.

Since 2004, the Fort Gordon Fisher House has served more than 158 families and saved them nearly $4,200 in commercial lodging expenses.

In recent years, electric cooperatives in the state have made a charitable donation during their annual Legislative Conference to honor Georgia’s lawmakers. This year, the EMCs chose to contribute to the Fort Gordon Fisher House, one of many Fisher Houses built and donated by the Fisher House Foundation.

About Sawnee EMC:

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is a distribution electric cooperative headquartered in Cumming, Georgia.  Sawnee serves electricity over 128,000 accounts in greater north Georgia.  Sawnee assets exceed $368 million with annual energy sales 2.23 billion and revenue of $201 M.  With over 296 dedicated employees making up a team of professionals that meet the needs of its member-owners through a network of over 8,300 miles of distribution facilities in Sawnee’s complex network of distribution facilities.  

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