Georgia Magazine - October 2020 - 17

A huge "thank you" to Clarkesville-based Habersham EMC for going above and beyond to help North
Georgia Wildlife Park (NGWP) during a difficult time.
It all started in August when a tree limb dropped on
the electrical line running through the zoo compound
and started smoking. Upon further investigation we
discovered the tree was not only cracked and leaning
but also being held up by only a small secondary tree.
This posed a threat not only to the power line but also to
several habitats, including that of Mattie the gibbon ape
and her basset hound best friend, Bubbles.
This was no ordinary tree drop. The tree had to
be taken down limb by limb so as to not take out the
exhibits or power line. The EMC could have cleared the
limbs 15 feet from the electric line and left the rest for
us to deal with, but they instead chose to help NGWP in
our time of need and continued to clear the tree down
to the trunk. This helped save the gibbon habitat, which
would have needed to be completely rebuilt if that tree
could not be removed.
Thank you to Habersham EMC and the crew that
came out.
-Hope Bennett, North Georgia Wildlife Park,
wildlifewonders.org, Cleveland

NORTH GEORGIA WILDLIFE PARK

Thanks for helping the wildlife park
out of a dangerous situation

Swift action by Habersham EMC rightof-way contract crews helped save
the animal exhibits at North Georgia
Wildlife Park in Cleveland.

#ThankALineman
My wife and I always enjoy Georgia Magazine and often pass along stories or copies to
family and friends. In the April 2020 Coastal Electric Cooperative edition, the article "Remember
to #ThankALineworker on April 13" was especially notable for two reasons.
One is that a big storm swept through coastal Georgia early that morning, spawning tornadoes and knocking down power lines. Our power went out for about an hour, just as I was about
to begin my morning commute from eastern Liberty County to downtown Savannah-which I
postponed when I saw the weather radar.
The good folks at Midway-based Coastal Electric Cooperative had our power back on within
an hour after the storm abated, as they usually do on those rare occasions when our power does
go out. A big "thank you!" to all those involved in that effort!
The other reason that article was especially memorable was that it featured Melvin Anderson,
a 30-year employee and lead line technician at the co-op. Melvin has been out to our neighborhood before and was always polite, friendly and professional.
He was even kind enough to drive a U-Haul loaded with furniture to Augusta a dozen or so
years ago, when my wife, Anne, left her job as director of communications for the EMC to try out
a position with Doctors Hospital there. Anne had mentioned to him that she was moving, and
when she asked if he knew anyone who could drive a truck for us, he up and volunteered, totally
unexpectedly! We were thrilled to have his help.
But that's the kind of folks that our local co-op employs. And just another reason we are glad
to be member-customers of Coastal Electric Cooperative. Thank your linemen, indeed!
-Rafe Semmes, Midway
Over the years, Coastal Electric Cooperative lineman Melvin Anderson has taken time from his workday to
give electrical safety demonstrations at local schools.
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Georgia Magazine - October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - October 2020